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The price of buying whisky, wine and gin in restaurants and pubs has risen – bad news as the UK enters Christmas party season.

While the overall rate of inflation has eased to 10.7% (down from 11.1% in November), the cost of a night out continues to rise.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said falling motor fuel prices led the decline in the core consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation.

But the CPI including housing costs rose by 5.4% in the 12 months to November 2022, the highest rate since March 1993.

The largest contribution to this upward trend was the price rises for alcohol served in restaurants, cafes and hotels.

This was particularly seen in whisky, wine and gin.

A glass of wine that previously cost £4.03 in 2021 now costs £4.44, meaning a 10.2% rise. A single shot of whisky is up 9.5%, from £3.05 to £3.34.

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The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages has also risen slightly, up to 16.5% from 16.4%. The ONS said energy and food costs continue to be one of the main drivers of inflation.

Gen Z ‘won’t attend’ Christmas parties

It comes as one in five Gen Z workers (20%), who are in their late teens and early twenties, said they either won’t be attending or haven’t made up their minds about attending their work Christmas party this year, with 11% citing the cost of living crisis as the reason.

The findings from Reed.co.uk, which surveyed more than 2,300 adults, found the crisis is putting a dampener on the festive season with one in five (17%) worried about being able to pay for a taxi home, and 14% saying they can’t afford gifts for their colleagues.

Read more:
Spending calculator: See which prices have gone up or down

Simon Wingate, managing director of Reed.co.uk, said: “It’s clear from our research that, for many, the work Christmas party is now more important than ever due to continuing rising costs.

“In the post-pandemic era of hybrid and remote working, Gen Z, in particular, want to celebrate the hard work they have put in over the year and spend time socialising with their colleagues. They’re just struggling with the realities of being able to afford it.

“We’d encourage businesses to think about ways that they can keep the tradition of Christmas parties alive for those looking to celebrate the festive season, but make it more inclusive and affordable.”

A separate study of 600 employees by the Blackhawk Network found just 10% wanted a staff Christmas party.

No sign of crisis easing

Despite an overall decline in inflation, the cost of living crisis shows no sign of easing.

Jack Leslie, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, a think tank specialising in living standards, said: “Inflation fell at its fastest rate in 16 months in November, driven by falling fuel price inflation and a welcome slowing in food price inflation.

“Britain may now be past its inflation peak, which is good news for policymakers at both the Bank and Treasury as they grapple with rising interest rates and public debt.

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“But with price rises still massively outstripping pay rises – and Britain’s poorest families facing an inflation rate of over 12% – families are still getting poorer month-on-month and the cost-of-living crisis will continue to deepen in 2023.”

Poorer families suffer more from high inflation because they spend a greater proportion of their income on energy and food, which have seen some of the sharpest price rises.

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Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

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Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.

The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.

A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.

The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.

Pic: LNP
Image:
Pic: LNP

They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.

A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.

Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.

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There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.

More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.

Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform

Pic: LNP
Image:
Pic: LNP

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.

“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”

The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.

The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.

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Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week’s council elections

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Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week's council elections

Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out forming coalitions at a local level with Reform after the council elections next week.

Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the Conservative leader did however categorically rule out a pact with Nigel Farage’s party on a national level.

“I am not going into any coalition with Nigel Farage… read my lips,” she said.

However, she did not deny that deals could be struck with Reform at a local level, arguing that some councils might be under no overall control and in that case, “you have to do what is right for your local area”.

“You look at the moment, we are in coalition with Liberal Democrats, with independents,” she said. “We’ve been in coalition with Labour before at local government level.

“They [councillors] have to look at who the people are that they’re going into coalition with and see how they can deliver for local people.”

She added: “What I don’t want to hear is talks of stitch-ups or people planning things before the results are out. They have to do what is right for their communities.”

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A total of 23 councils are up for grabs when voters go to the polls on Thursday 1 May – mostly in places that were once deemed Tory shires, until last year’s general election.

It includes 14 county councils, all but two of which have been Conservative-controlled, as well as eight unitary authorities, all but one of which are Tory.

Ms Badenoch has set expectations low for the Tories, suggesting they could lose all the councils they are contesting.

The last time this set of councils were up for election was in 2021, when the Conservative Party was led by Boris Johnson who was riding high from the COVID vaccine bounce.

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Counter-terrorism police investigating after two women injured in Leeds

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Counter-terrorism police investigating after two women injured in Leeds

Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.

Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.

Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.

The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

Officers guard one of the crime scenes in Leeds
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Officers guard one of the crime scenes

Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Image:
Officers inside the cordon in Leeds

Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.

“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.

“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”

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