long island tour companies

Long Island & The Hamptons

A truly luxurious, classic getaway for any lover of the refined. enjoy old westbury gardens, an exclusive guided tour of the hamptons, and other unforgettable sightseeing adventures, day 1 - old westbury & greenport, day 2 - the hamptons & montauk point, tour details, hyatt place long island east end, transportation, trip highlights, upcoming departures, if you like this tour, you may also like..., cape may classic, saratoga lakes & races, ready to book.

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Long Island Tours

If you’re from out of town and you’d like to get an insider’s perspective of Long Island, then why not pair up with a local tour company to show you around? No matter what aspects of Long Island interest you, from shopping, to wine tasting, to whale watching and everything in between – there are tour companies that cater to every different aspect of Long Island. Offering tours by foot, car, boat, and even helicopter, there’s truly something for everyone when it comes to exploring and learning about Long Island. Whether you love history, culture, nature, architecture, or you simply ... Read More If you’re from out of town and you’d like to get an insider’s perspective of Long Island, then why not pair up with a local tour company to show you around? No matter what aspects of Long Island interest you, from shopping, to wine tasting, to whale watching and everything in between – there are tour companies that cater to every different aspect of Long Island. Offering tours by foot, car, boat, and even helicopter, there’s truly something for everyone when it comes to exploring and learning about Long Island. Whether you love history, culture, nature, architecture, or you simply want to learn more about Long Island, there are Tours all around Long Island that can show you what you need to know on Long Island. Show Less

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Coastal research and education society of long island, skyline cruises, tiki boat long island, contemporary tours.

1400 Old Country Road #100 in Westbury (516) 484-5032

Discover Long Island

330 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge 631-951-3900

Events Travel Out

489 Bushkill Plaza Lane in Wind Gap 631-487-3895

Island Ski Tours

325 Smithtown Bypass #4 in Hauppauge (631) 656-0982

Lenz Winery

38355 Route 25 in Peconic (631) 734-6010

Lighthouse Safaris

4636 Captree Island in Captree Island (888) 281-7071

Old Bethpage Village Restoration

1303 Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage 516-572-8400

Ski Colbee Tours

131 Santa Barbara Drive in Plainview (516) 433-6527

Vintage Tours

1955 Henrys Lane in Peconic (631) 765-4689

Want to be added to the Tours Page? Call 631-406-4410 or Email Us for details!

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Group leaders: group leaders: contact us to book a trip for your group or organization, are you a group leader, check out the live it up tours group tour idea catalog. choose from dozens of pre arranged trip itineraries or we can help you create your own custom group trip.

TAKE A BREAK & LET US DO THE DRIVING.

Live It Up Tours is a Tour Operator based in Long Island, NY. We specialize in Group Motorcoach Travel for senior citizens & adult groups, as well as student travel. 

Read Our 5 Star Client Reviews

We love what we do and with over 50 years of combined tour and travel experience it shows. Don’t just take out word for it.  See what our clients are saying about us.

I recently worked with Live It Up Tours on a Three-Day Trip to the Finger Lakes for my tour group. The customer service I received was excellent from start to finish. The attention to detail was second to none. We will be booking our next tour very soon.

Our two-day trip to Lancaster was fun and interesting for my entire group and very relaxing for me as the group leader. The itinerary, bus, hotel, restaurant, and shows were all wonderful and our Tour Manager was excellent. Thank you Live It Up Tours!!!

We thoroughly enjoyed our day trip to West Point as well as our included lunch. The day was planned perfectly, and everything went off without a hitch. Live It Up Tours took such great care of us. It was all smiling faces on the bus ride home.

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Welcome to Long Island Tours

Find the perfect tour of long island.

Long Island is an area of New York that offers diverse culture, plenty of opportunities for entertainment, great food, sporting events, exciting nightlife and an incredible history. Taking a tour of Long Island from one of the many touring companies in Long Island can give you a unique look into what makes Long Island special.

You can start the day by exploring the vineyards here in Long Island. There are some amazing vineyards tours and / or winery tours available throughout Long Island that will have you sampling some of the finest wines in Long Island. If you prefer to get some exercise and fresh air while you taste great wine, you can take a bicycle winery tour .

If you prefer beer over wine, consider taking part in a brewery tour on Long Island. You will get to see how the beer is brewed and taste some of the finest beer brewed on Long Island.

After a brewery tour, maybe you want to take in a stadium tour and see some of the most famous stadiums on Long Island. Yankee stadium, Madison Square Gardens, Citi Field Stadium and others are all available for touring.

There is no better view of New York then from a helicopter. If you want to create a memory that will last a lifetime take a Long Island sky tour and see Long Island, NY from the air. See New York in a way that most people don’t get the chance to see it with a helicopter tour of Long Island.

If getting out on the water is more to your liking, there are great whale watching tours available. Seeing whales up close is an amazing treat. It also offers incredible views of the New York skyline and terrific photo and video opportunities.

You can also take in a bit of history with a lighthouse tour . You can take Long Island light house tour by boat or by bus or van. It is fun to see these historical light houses and learn the stories behind them that make these historical artifacts unique.

Speaking of history… there are great long Island walking tours available by different tour companies. You can get a walking tour that will take you to many of the historical places in Long Island and learn about the history of Long Island as well as take in some great food, sightseeing and shopping.

If you prefer an old fashioned type of travel then check out one of the Long Island trolley tour companies. They can show you a unique side of Long Island that will show you different sides of Long Island and its great restaurants, stores, stadiums, and more.

Whatever it is that you want to do or see on Long Island, choosing a tour from one of the many touring companies throughout Long Island can be the perfect way to see all that Long Island has to offer. Discover the diverse history of Long Island, explore the many restaurants run by rock-star chefs, take in a sporting event or shop to your heart’s content. Long Island offers something for everyone and a Long Island Tour is the perfect way to uncover many of the sights, smells, sounds and tastes that you might not discover on your own.

714 Main St., Greenport, NY 11944     Email: [email protected] Phone: (631) 723-0505 Alternate: (631) 594-1161  Text: 631-871-7644

Long Island Wine Tasting Tours Long Island's Premiere Wine Tour Company

Long Island North Fork Wine Tours are 7 Days a Week

 2024 SPECIALS Starting at $115 pp 6 Days a Week Limo Style Sprinters Limo Party Bus Click here

Welcome to "The Original" North Fork Wine Tasting Tours TM

Long island/north fork's premiere wine tour company.

Specializing in both large and small group tours, our personalized service will help you plan your next trip to the bucolic North Fork of Long Island Wine Region. Whether you represent an organization, or are planning a Long Island Wine Tasting weekend for your family, friends, co-workers, bachelorette party or significant other let North Fork Wine Tours provide a guided tour for you in one of our luxurious limousines, limo party buses, leather seated coach buses, elegant passenger vans, SUVs or town cars.

Highly recommend! NFWT was responsive over email, leading up to the trip, making every little change I needed and answering every concern. And on the day of, the driver was an absolute gem. Showed up on time, bus looked great, clean, had a working bathroom, had ice and waters, and Bluetooth… He was so friendly and helpful, getting us set up at each winery, patiently taking group photos for us, texting me when we were 15 minutes away from leaving each, and then coming inside to check on us if I didn’t respond, (drinking and socializing, so you know how it gets.) We got the lux option with lunches, and they were all good and served to us at a good time. We visited Raphael ‘s, which was an extra cost, but honestly so worth it if you have a crew who likes beautiful, ambience, and good wine. We also did Pellegrini ‘s and a private area for our group. It wasn’t as pretty and the service wasn’t as good as Raphael ‘s, but had some great wines. We are super happy with our experience with NFWT, and I was nervous because we were hosting an older crowd who is used to nice things. I will definitely use them again. Kasey M.

June 13, 2024

Before booking, I had spoken with Michael on the phone, who was amazing. I was unfamiliar with the wineries over in North Fork, and he was extremely informative and helpful. We visited ospreys, Pellegrini with the lunch delivery and duck walk. Tommy was our driver, and he was fantastic. He was so kind. He took many pictures of us (on a bachelorette party, so many pictures are a must!), and was in constant communication with me throughout the trip. We even met Michael at Pellegrini‘s and he was so kind, making sure we were enjoying ourselves. We were recommended NFWT through some of the guests on the trip. And they certainly delivered. I hope to use their services again – it was a memorable trip and experience! Kathy C.

June 7, 2024

Had a great experience with this company… Had a great experience with this company for my sister’s bachelorette party. They were quick to email me back and very thorough with information especially since so many wineries have restrictions due to Covid. Our driver Darrell was awesome. He made sure we were comfortable, knew how to work the music, and took tons of pictures of the group for us. You could tell he really knew the area and each winery well. He was really flexible too when we changed up the pick up location day of. Thanks Daryll! Nina S. October 7, 2023 This was an excellent experience all around... This was an excellent experience all around. Our bride-to-be was thrilled, and our driver took excellent care of us along the way. NFWT was on time, friendly, and responsive. I would recommend them to anyone! Bachelorette Party from Bellmore October 7, 2023 Wow!! Another amazing trip... Wow!! Another amazing trip. This was our second time using the North Fork team for our wine trip and they KILLED IT!!! We had 60 people, two buses, visited two wineries and a brewery everything went off without a hitch. Mike and his team are a pleasure to work with. Our drivers Rob and Dennis were professional and friendly and took great care of us. No question I will be booking next years trip with North Fork. We might need THREE buses after this amazing trip! (The 2 Vineyards where Laurel Lake and Pellegrini. The brewery was Jamesport Brewery) 2019 KDOC/TMEDIA Wine Tour- NYC October 10, 2023 Michael + team was able to tailor a 2 day… Michael + team was able to tailor a 2 day offsite trip exactly to our needs. He sent 2 coach buses for our team of 75. We visited Raphael‘s, where we had an executive lunch, group presentations with AV, and structured wine tasting, before doing a second, more casual, tasting with catered small treats at Laurel Lake.  Communication was seamless, and both wineries were absolutely wonderful. The next day, he sent the same buses for our trip home, with snack packs and wine bottles ready to go as takeaways for our guests. Our team had an amazing time. Highly recommend – – professional, family service! SquareSpace -NYC October 14, 2022 We used North Fork Wine Tours  for my friends bachelorette party… We used North Fork Wine Tours  for my friends bachelorette party and things could not have gone more perfectly! I was planning the event while working overseas this summer and I cannot express how easy they made the process for me. The fact that they specifically had wine tour options for a bachelorette parties which included food made them perfect for one stop shop. We also had an incredible driver, Nick, the day of. I would highly recommend! Stacy D/ Greenport October 7, 2020   "My family and I had a wonderful experience with Mike and team at NFWT!! We had planned a wine tour originally this summer and had to cancel last minute due to a family emergency. Mike could not have been more accommodating and understanding. Our family is so grateful to you for that! Once we were able to reschedule and head out to the wine tour – we made up for lost time and had a perfect day for my dad‘s 60th birthday celebration with Brett as our driver! We love the day so much we are hoping to make this an annual family outing!!" Ashley T. From New York, New York September 10, 2021   Our Fleet

Local Wine Events

Long Island wine tasting tours / Popular Long Island Wine Packages  and Custom Long Island wine tour Specialists

                                  it's not just a wine tour, it's an east end experience..

East End Wine Tasting Tours ™ prides itself on providing all its customers with a personalized Long Island wine tour , whether inexpensive, economical, best, premium wine Tasting fun-filled experience. By catering to all our groups' specific needs and sharing our extensive knowledge of the Long Island area's wineries , our guests will experience what they desire, not where we dictate. Our wine tour company offers the largest selection of Long Island wine tastings for most of the vineyards on the beautiful North Fork as well as the w ineries in the infamous Hampton region .Some wineries offer more than one wine flight depending on the type of wines as there may be vintage, reserve and library wines, along with very personable wine tours of certain vineyards. Long Island Breweries and Spirits are also available on the East End of Long Island.

Now offering over Fifty ( 50+) Wineries, Breweries, Cider and Spirit Venues / Tasting Rooms on both the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island. 

Our Long Island wine tasting tour Package s are numerous as we can create hundreds of combinations of vineyard options. We have Bachelorette group wine tour packages for those seeking inexpensive or economical Party type wineries such as Osprey's Dominion and Duckwalk Vineyard . We also offer sophisticated and premium bachelorette Long Island wine tour packages as well or a combination of a premium, mid range and party type winery with our "East End Mix".

Join us for a tour of one the most beautiful wineries on all of Long Island, Wollfer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack. Wollfer Estate, in the Hamptons, offers a la Carte option for up to 10 Guests, and  very premium options for 11 to 20 Guests. The Wollfer Estate is simply magnificent. We would continue to Channing Daughters, a smaller vineyard but with a very nice wine selection and excellent presentation. Channing Daughters Vineyard's offering, VerVino Vermouth, will simply win you over. Channing Daughters offers Limited options for groups over 8 Guests, with a Standup tasting at 11 AM or 12:15 PM only and 8 and under are a la carte up to 90 minutes. However booking the Hampton Wineries has changed the last several years and now requires direct client interaction, under our guidance.

Continuing into 2024, East End Wine Tasting Tours™ is offering even more Long Island premium Vineyard options, with several levels of 'never seen before' services. These Ultimate wine tour premium services range from 6 Guests in a group up to 20 and even some options up to 25-30 guests. Several of these Long Island Premium wine tours are unadvertised by the wineries themselves.

East End Wine Tasting Tours™ also offers wide variety of Lunch options including boxed lunches, as well as prix fixe lunch at  Southold Social for very small groups, A Lure Chowder on the waterfront (7) days during the Summer (max 10 guests) , as well as long time favorite, Cooperage Inn with their Banquet Lunch for larger groups . Boxed Lunches or if you bring your own, can be eaten at 10 % of the wineries in a designated area only, which is predominately "OUTSIDE". We also have (3) Wineries that permit your own food or our boxed lunches inside in case of inclement weather.  Noteworthy is that very few wineries have Food trucks as they are banned at Vineyards in the town of Southold where 75% of the vineyards are located.  Our favorite is the North Fork Food Truck in Southold which is located at the infamous North Fork Table & Inn. From 2023, we are able to offer a boutique winery with (2) Premium Wine/Food pairing options as well that we do not advertise nor does the winery. 

MUST BE 21 YEARS OR OLDER TO TASTE WINE. BE PREPARED FOR PROOFING

************************************************************************************* See Below for our Contact Form

Wolffer Estate Vineyard

One of the Top Premium Wineries on Long Island.

Wolffer Estate in the Hamptons

Osprey's Dominion Vineyard

Economical Party Winery

Ospreys Dominion

Max Group Size 12 -2021

Mattebella Vineyard

Mattebella & Our Flag Ship Wine Flight

Lenz Vineyard

Mid Week Under Cover Wine Tour at Lenz

Contact Us - Price Quote Request Form

Thank you for contacting us.

We will get back to you ASAP (withn 24 hrs)  with wine tour suggestions based on your request.

Prior to receiving quote, please see Link for our Wine Tour Information

 https://www.eastendwinetastingtours.com/wine-tour-quote-info

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NORTH FORK and SOUTH FORK WINERIES that

EAST END WINE TASTING TOURS™

Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard

Calverton, NY 11933 Phone: 631.369.0100 baitinghollowfarmvineyard.com   Bedell Cellars Cuthogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.5200 bedellcellars.com Bridge Lane Tasting Room Mattituck, NY 11952 Phone: 631.298.1942 bridgelanewine.com Castello Di Borghese Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.5111 castellodiborghese.com

Channing Daughters Vineyard (Hamptons)

Bridgehampton NY, 11932

Phone: 631.637.7224

channingdaughters.com

Corey Creek Vineyard Southold, NY 11971 Phone: 631.765.4168 coreycreektaproom.com

Croteaux Vineyards

Southold, NY 11971

Phone: 631.765.6099

croteaux.com Duckwalk North Southold, NY 11971 Phone: 631.765.3500

duckwalk.com/visit/locations

Duckwalk South (Hamptons) Southold, NY 11971 Phone: 631.765.3500 duckwalk.com/visit/locations

EV & EM Vineyard

Laurel, NY 11948

Phone: 631.298.1420

evandemvineyards.com

Jamesport Vineyard

Jamesport, NY 11947 Phone: 631.722.5256

jamesportwines.com

Jason’s Vineyard Jamesport, NY 11947 Phone: 631.238.5801

jasonsvineyard.com

Kontokasta Vineyard

Greenport, NY 11944 Phone: 631.477.6977 kontokostawinery.com

Lenz Winery Peconic, NY 11958 Phone: 631.734.6010 lenzwine.com Lieb Cellars Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.1100 liebcellars.com Mattebella Vineyards Southold, NY 11971 Phone: 631.655.9554 mattebella.com Macari Vineyard Mattituck, NY 11952 Phone: 631.298.0100 macariwines.com McCall Wines Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.5164

mccallwines.com

Meadowlark Northfork Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.298.0100 meadowlarknorthfork.com

One Woman Wines Southold, NY 11971 Phone: 631.765.1200 onewomanwines.com

Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards Peconic, NY 11958 Phone: 631.765.6188 ospreysdominion.com Palmer Vineyards Riverhead, NY 11901 Phone: 631.722.9463 palmervineyards.com

Peconic Bay Vineyard Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone:  . 631.735.9192 palmervineyards.com

Pellegrini Vineyards Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.4111 pellegrinivineyards.com Pindar Vineyard Peconic, NY 11958 Phone: 631.734.6200 pindar.net Pugliese Vineyards Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.4057 pugliesevineyards.com Raphael Vineyard Peconic, NY 11958 Phone: 631.765.1100

raphaelwine.com

RGNY Vineyard   Riverhead, NY 11901   Phone: 631.298.0075 rgnywine.com

Rose Hill Vineyard Mattituck, NY 11952 Phone: 631.804.0367 rosehill-vineyards.com Sannino Vineyard Cutchogue, NY 11935 Phone: 631.734.8282 sanninovineyard.com Sparkling Pointe Southold, NY 11971 Phone: 631.765.0200 sparklingpointe.com Suhru Wines Jamesport, NY 11947 Phone: 631.603.8127

suhruwines.com

The Old Field Vineyard

Cutchogue, NY 11935

Phone: 631.765.0004

theoldfield.com

Wolffer Estate Sagaponack, NY 11962 Phone: 631.537.5106 wolffer.com

NORTH FORK BREWERIES, CIDER AND SPIRITS

LONG ISLAND BEER TASTING TOURS™

Greenport Harbor Brewing Peconic, NY 11958 Phone: 631.477.1100 greenportharborbrewing.com

Jamesport Farm Brewery Riverhead, NY 11901 Phone: 844.532.2337

jfbrewery.com

Long Ireland Brewery Riverhead, NY 11901 Phone: 631.403.4303 longirelandbeer.com

Long Island Spirits Baiting Hollow, NY 11933 Phone: 631.630.9322 lispirits.com

Riverhead Cider Calverton NY 11933 Phone: 631.591.0217 riverheadcider.com

  Trade Winds Brewery Riverhead, NY 11901 Phone: 631.591.3466     tradewindsbrewing.com

Twin Forks Brew Company Riverhead, NY 11901 Phone: 631.209.4233   twinforkbeer.com

Ubergeek Brewing   Riverhead, NY 11901 Phone: 631.381.0848   ubergeekbrewing.com

Woodside Orchards Aquebogue NY 11930 Phone: 631.722.5770 woodsideorchards.com

East End Wine Tasting Tours (TM) by Roadmaster Limousine Service

info@eastendwinetasting tours.com

(631) 366 - 6397

For more information,

Please call:, (631) 345-0046, professionally escorted single & multi-day trips.

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Affordable Senior Group Tours

  thanks to all who have served.

​ Are you a member of a local social or community group that likes to travel?  Are you the director of a town-operated senior center?  Then our private group tours are just for you!  Our tours always include meals, admissions, a professional tour escort, deluxe transportation, and gratuities.  Give us a call or drop a note, we'd love to hear from you!!

Copyright  BAYVIEW TOURS, INC. All rights reserved.

Back in the early summer of 1998, Jim Ferrarie and his family were traveling out to their summer home in Mattituck (the “heart of the North Fork wine country”) when Jim was struck with inspiration. Not only is the North Fork of Long Island one of the most beautiful areas in New York State, but the North Fork has some of the best wineries in the region. Why weren’t there tours offered to people that would take them to the different wineries to taste the wonderful wines and show people how the wine was made?

It was then that Jim started Long Island Wine Tours, LLC .

For over twenty years, James Ferrarie and Long Island Wine Tours , has given thousands of people a positive and successful touring experience. Our customers sit k, relax, and enjoy the beautiful Long Island landscape while we do the driving. We will pick you up at any location and safely drive you to and from the wineries (..with one of our many luxury vehicles). You are brought to three of North Fork’s Premier Vineyards, where you sample the BEST wine in our region.

Your day can last about six to nine hours with many surprises in between your tastings. Entertainment at the vineyards such as jazz or folk bands are included in our summer weekend trips. Enjoy a delicious hot or cold buffet lunch while enjoying the beautiful scenery of Long Island. We can accommodate groups from 2 to 200 and we are here to provide individual service and cater to all your needs. You have the option to pick vegetables, pumpkins, or stop at the famous Briermere Farms for a delicious dessert to bring home. We want to set up the perfect wine tour for you, your family, and your friends. We do everything from Birthdays, Anniversaries, and even Corporate Outings. We handle it all… which will provide you with a fun-filled memory of your tour with us. We like to raffle prizes and give you complimentary gifts, too.

Regional and national newspapers and magazines about Jim Ferrarie and Long Island Wine Tours:

From 2001, New York Times: L.I. @ WORK; A Year-Round Tourist Season? That’s the Goal

From April 22, 2005’s edition of Long Island Business News : Long Island wineries becoming destinations for tourists

From August 6, 2006, Newsday: The NEW North Fork Wineries

From 2007, New York Times: It’s a Tasting… Not a Guzzling, L.I. Wineries Remind Guests

From June 20, 2008’s edition of the New York Daily News : Local winery tours make it easy to sip your way through summer

2017 Cavalchina Bardolino Chiaretto

2012 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo

2013 Sangiovese Sierra Folia

2018 Rivera Nero Rosato

2019 Chateau Montjoie Barsac

2017 Burgundy Chanson Pere

2019 Chambolle Guillaume de Vergy

2017 aloxe corton remy gautie, 2016 savennieres le croix picot, 2018 volnay marcel frecourt.

2018 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Blanc

2016 Ca’Marcanda Vistamare Toscana

2019 Giacomo Fenocchio

2016 mascarello giuseppe e figlio, 2018 castello di neive.

2019 Barale Fratelli Castellero

Kensington Traveler Services

Hours updated 3 months ago

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10-87 Jackson Ave

Long Island City, NY 11101

Hunters Point, Long Island City

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Kensington Traveler Services is a boutique agency specializing in a wide range of travel services. Whether you are looking for a romantic cruise through the Fjords of Norway, a salmon fishing expedition, a magical relaxation retreat in St. Lucia, or a newly engaged couple looking for your ideal wedding in Europe, Asia or the Caribbean we have an expert in place to help you. We invite you to come in and see us and discover how we can personalize your vacation into a lifelong experience. As former teachers turned travel agents, we have transformed our thirty plus years of education into an art for travelers. It would be our honor to work with you! …

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Just have to say are cruise and land package went so smoothly because of Cindy. From the minute we got into the airport until the minute we got home. We wanted to spend a night in San Fransisco on our way to Honolulu to see Alcatraz. The hotel was amazing, and it was within walking distance to the Alcatraz ferry and San Fransisco's Pier 39 where we enjoyed an awesome view of the waterfront When we got to Honolulu the next day, we took a private car to the pier and got beautiful lays the early check-in for the cruise so that we could go to Pearl Harbor. It was such an overwhelming somber tour. The cruise went without a hitch, if you want to really see Hawaii make sure to take the cruise around the islands so that you can be sure to see everything Hawaii has to offer. I would recommend the sunset view from Haikulike Crater tour as one of the Viator tours but bring a coat, it gets extremely cold by the time you ravel to the 10,000 ' above sea level crater rim it is very chilly! And my kids loved Viator's private surfing lesson. The entire trip went without a hitch which we can only attribute to Cindy's hard work. We will be sure to use Cindy and Kensington Travels on our next family vacation.

I can't recommend the services of Kensington Traveler enough! I reached out to Kensington Traveler to assist in planning a bachelorette weekend with my girlfriends to the Caribbean, and I am so happy I decided to seek their help. Cindy and Brenda found us one of the most beautiful resorts I've ever been to, and it was within our budget! Every aspect of the trip (airfare, airport transfers, and securing the best rooms in the resort!) was taken care of without any stress. I look forward to my next adventure with the assistance with Kensington Traveler Services!

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How to pick the right tour company

Where do you begin? We talked to industry experts for tips and advice.

It’s complicated. There are nearly 6,000 tour operators in the United States alone, and group tour options — literally thousands of choices to destinations around the world — are dizzying (and dazzling). You’ve decided to join a group tour (let the experts handle the details!), but which tour company is right for you?

“Besides choosing where you want to go, choosing the right tour company may be the most important decision to make in the travel planning process,” says Brian FitzGerald, CEO, Grand Circle Corporation, a family of travel brands including Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.), O.A.T. Small Ships , and Grand Circle Cruise Line . “The company you choose can significantly enhance your travel experience, making it both enjoyable and memorable.”

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Know thyself

Experts agree that there are pros and cons with every tour company. It’s important to find a match to your own personal travel style and goals.

“Understanding what kind of traveler you are is a good first step to choosing a tour company,” says Terry Dale, president and CEO, United States Tour Operators Association .

Consider basic factors first. Where do you want to go?

“Begin by dreaming big and researching your ideal destinations,” advises Katy Rockett, regional director for North America at Explore Worldwide , specializing in small-group adventure travel with more than 350 trips in around 100 countries. “Whether you’re drawn to remote trails or bustling city streets, start by pinpointing where you want to go and how you want to explore — by bike, foot, or bus.”

Decide when do you want to go and how much time you have. Next, what’s your budget and what are your expectations when it comes to inclusions?

“Meals, transfers, and excursions can all add up quickly,” Rockett says, “Although the ‘starting from’ price might be low, when you factor in these other expenses it can vastly change your trip price.”

What are your expectations in terms of accommodations?

“It’s important to research the type of hotels and accommodations each company offers — and to decide if these accommodations align with your travel style,” says FitzGerald. “Is luxury and a 5-star experience important to you? Or are you minimalist? Are you looking for large hotels, or smaller inns?”

Travelers should find details about accommodations — types of hotels, levels of service, location and more — on tour operator websites. “While it may not be the primary reason for choosing a certain company, it can be a deciding factor,” says Dale.

And then consider other factors. Do you want to travel with a group that’s exclusive to Americans or also open to international travelers? Do you want to focus on one region or include a variety of destinations? Is the age demographics of the group important to you? Do you want to relax and unwind, explore new cultures and connect with locals, or learn something new? And do the tour operation and style of travel align with your values?

“You’re investing valuable time and money into the experience, so it’s important to know how that will be spent in the destination,” says Rockett. “Responsibility towards the world around us — both at home and abroad — varies from company to company and person to person, so be sure to choose one that aligns with you.”

Transparency before booking is critical. “A reputable company will provide detailed information about your itinerary, excursions, and meals prior to booking,” says Rockett. “This often comes in the form of detailed trip notes and day-by-day breakdowns.”

Size matters

Preferred group size is a personal choice. “There are tour companies that have thrived for decades in bringing groups of 40 people to places around the world and have a loyal clientele who love the camaraderie of traveling with a community of new friends,” says Dale.

But the growing trend is toward small group touring, in groups of eight, 12, or 20 passengers.

“In general, the smaller the group, the easier time you’ll have getting around a country, making it easier to access remote areas or engage in activities that might not be possible in larger groups,” says Rockett.

FitzGerald agrees, “It’s hard to pinpoint a specific group size and it depends on an individual’s preference, but I recommend you find a group size that provides the ability to blend in unobtrusively with local life; connect with locals; access off-the-beaten-path locations and ports; and form connections with fellow travelers.”

FitzGerald also believes that smaller groups often allow for more personalized service.

Let them be your guide

The right guide can make or break a trip, transforming a tour from good to unforgettable. “Tour guides play a pivotal role in shaping your travel experience, often turning a good trip into an unforgettable one,” says FitzGerald. “The best tour guides — we refer to our guides as trip experience leaders — not only share their local knowledge and expertise, but they are excellent problem solvers and planners. They predict needs before they are even realized. They provide personalized attention to their travelers, and recommendations for free time. They will take you beyond the touristy sites and immerse you in the culture. They are enthusiastic, passionate, and bring the group together.”

Not only can guides ensure that a trip goes smoothly and safely, but they can significantly enhance your travel experience. “Our guides are chosen for their expertise and passion for sharing their knowledge,” says Rockett. “They are not just tour leaders but ambassadors of culture and history, eager to introduce you to local customs, hidden spots, and insider tips.”

When selecting a tour company, ask about the guide(s) who will be leading the trip. Are they local? What’s their background and experience? What do past tour participants say about them?

Flexibility is key

All companies are different when it comes to organized activities, so if you like a mix of included tours and free time, research that in advance, advises FitzGerald. “Many companies offer included tours and activities, but you aren’t forced to participate in everything,” FitzGerald says. “The best itineraries offer a blend of included features, and time to pursue your own interests.”

While you should feel confident of knowing where you’re going and when, and most companies strive to stick with the original plan, a trend toward more open-ended itineraries is emerging in group travel.

“Tour operators today are increasingly adding more flexibility and free time to itineraries to better accommodate individual traveler’s different needs,” says Dale. “This could come in the form of choice activities, fewer group meals, or added free time for guests to explore on their own.”

Group tours are a great option for solo travelers, providing detailed plans, a guide for support, and the freedom to join the group or spend time on your own. It’s often an ideal way for solos to travel, without going it alone.

“Look for a tour that is designed to foster a sense of community among travelers,” advises FitzGerald. “Many of our solo travelers at O.A.T. share that they have formed lasting friendships with others in their group, often traveling with people they meet on future trips.”

Rockett advises asking tour operators ahead of time to share details on the breakdown of the group — the number of couples versus solo travelers, for example, and the age range of the group.

Also beware of companies charging extra for solo supplements and single rooms. Look for companies that waive the solo supplement or provide shared rooms.

In summary: dream big, ask questions, look for a company that aligns with your travel goals and values — and have fun!

Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at [email protected]

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The Weekender: Things to Do on Long Island This Weekend

Things to do on Long Island this weekend include concerts, comedy shows, and more.

RAY ANDERSON SOLO PROJECT

Ray Anderson, named five straight years as best trombonist in the DownBeat Critics Poll and declared “the most exciting slide brass player of his generation” by the Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. Anderson will be performing trombone, vocals, and sousaphone at  The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook, thejazzloft.org $15-$30. 7 p.m. August 9. 

GLADYS KNIGHT

Though her career began back in 1948, this 10-time Grammy Award-winner continues her dream of making music. Dubbed the “Empress of Soul”, join her for a night of soul, rhythm and blues. Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, thetheatreatwestbury.com , $48-$188. 8 p.m. Aug. 9.  

PAULA POUNDSTONE

Once a commentator on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , Poundstone has had a prolific career in stand-up comedy since the 1980s. Join her for a night of laughs at her all-new comedy tour. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington, paramountny.com , $25-$55. 8 p.m. Aug. 9.  

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

This Grammy-nominated vocalist has had a prolific and remarkable career, with 11 studio albums, two written classical operas, a live performance at Carnegie Hall and collaborations with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Miley Cyrus. Join the multi-talented artist at Patchogue Theatre. Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, 71 East Main St., Patchogue, patchoguetheatre.org , $55-$89. 8 p.m. Aug. 9. 

ACTION BRONSON & THE HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE This rapper, wrestler and chef from Queens brings his appetite for entertaining fans. Mulcahy’s Pub & Concert Hall, 3232 Railroad Ave., Wantagh, muls.com $54.41, 8 p.m. Aug. 9. 

TARA CANNISTRACI

Tara has taken her talents to stage, television, film, and centerfield as the scoreboard host for the New York Yankees. Governor’s Comedy Club, 90 Division Ave., Levittown, govs.com $25-$69.95, 8 p.m. Aug. 9, 7 p.m. Aug. 10.

BEAUTIFUL  

The inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable journey from a teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The Gateway, 215 South Country Rd., Bellport, thegateway.org , $35-$104.50, Aug. 9-Sept. 8.

DAN AND SHAY Country-pop sensations Dan & Shay are coming to perform on Long Island for their “The Heartbreak on the Map Summer Tour” with openers Jake Owen and Dylan Marlowe. Don’t miss the chance to experience Dan + Shay’s Grammy-winning magic, with hits like “ “Tequila” and “Speechless.” Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Jones Beach State Park, 895 Bay Pkwy., Wantagh, jonesbeach.com, $60.28+ 6 p.m. Aug. 10.

Former Saturday Night Live star Jim Breuer will be hosting his all-new Survival with Laughter Tour this summer. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington, paramountny.com , $29.50-$79.50. 7 p.m. Aug. 10.

With over five albums exceeding 10 million international copies, legendary metal band Warrant will be performing hits such as “Cherry Pie” and “Heaven.” Catholic Health Amphitheater at Bald Hill, 1 Ski Run Lane, Farmingville, champbaldhill.com , $24.90-$74.25. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10.

Australian pop rock duo Air Supply have had an astonishing musical career, with eight top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the late ’70s and early ’80s alone. Be prepared to rock and roll at their upcoming performance in Westbury. Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, thetheatreatwestbury.com , $86.50-$265.93. 8 p.m. Aug. 10. 

Join this celebration of Ecuadorian music and culture. Stereo Garden, 9  Railroad Ave., Patchogue, stereogardenli.com , Prices TBA. 8 p.m. Aug. 10. 

FRANK LATORRE & THE KING BEES

The King Bees were formed in 1990 by Long Island artist and musician Frank Latorre. Help support local talents and experience the band’s musical expertise. Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame, 97 Main St, Stony Brook, limusichalloffame.org , Free. 3 p.m. Aug. 11. 

The Week Ahead

GLENN KENNY

A screening of Scarface will be followed by a Q&A with this film critic who authored The World Is Yours, which highlights the influential characters and themes within the film, reflecting on how its storied legacy played such a major role in American culture. Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington, cinemaartscentre.org, $10-$36, 7 : 30 p.m. Aug. 14.

WILLIE NILE

His albums, including “Streets Of New York,” “American Ride,” and “World War Willie,” have garnered critical praise and numerous awards, showcasing his ability to craft timeless rock ‘n’ roll anthems. Suffolk Theater, 118 East Main St., Riverhead, suffolktheater.com $29-$59 . 8 p.m. Aug. 15.

SEE ALSO: Your Guide To Jones Beach Concerts For 2024

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The I Love Bacon, Butter, Beer and Bourbon Fest Walt Whitman Mall

Sculpture in the Garden: Jorge Pardo at Landcraft Gardens in Mattituck. Landcraft Garden Foundation

AMSEAS Beach Walk & Cleanup at Hallock State Park Hallock State Park Preserve

The I Love Bacon, Butter, Beer & Bourbon Fest Walt Whitman Mall

SeaGoing Crafts The Whaling Museum & Education Center

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Still from Cat Video Fest. Contributed/Cat Video Fest

Hello, August!

The dog days are summer are here, so let’s celebrate with the Cat Video Fest at Portland Museum of Art and Strand Theatre. Or head to the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland. Those are just a few of the choices in this week’s events roundup .

Maine Lobster Festival, Wild Blueberry Weekend and Lyle Divinsky

Lily Philbrook, Kathleen Turner and Colin Anderson in the Ogunquit Playhouse production of “A Little Night Music.” Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Actress Kathleen Turner is one of the stars of “A Little Night Music” at Ogunquit Playhouse,  playing through Aug. 17. You’ll recognize her from her many film roles, including “Peggy Sue Got Married,” or maybe as Chandler Bing’s father in “Friends.” Here’s an interview with Turner, who unpacks how she got the role and how the show is going.

Actress Kathleen Turner, now performing in Ogunquit, on being in her first musical

Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins in Memphis, Tennessee in 2022. L Paul Mann/Shutterstock.com

There are still tickets left to see The Beach Boys at Snow Pond Center for the Arts in Sidney on Friday and the Smashing Pumpkins at Maine Savings Amphitheatre on Sunday. We’ve got details on these and dozens of other upcoming concerts .

See The Beach Boys or Smashing Pumpkins in Maine this weekend

Styx. Left to right Todd Sucherman, Lawrence Gowan, Chuck Panozzo, James “JY” Young, Tommy Shaw, Terry Gowan and Will Evankovich. Photo by Jason Powell

Two other notable shows are Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) with Adrian Belew tonight in Portland and Styx with Foreigner on Saturday in Bangor. Here are interviews with Harrison and Lawrence Gowan from Styx. Tickets are still available for both shows.

Members of Talking Heads, Styx and Foreigner all perform in Maine this week

Twin Tin ice cream sandwich. Photo by Peggy Grodinsky

Sweeten up your weekend with a quintessential summer treat. The Twin Tin Ice Cream Sandwich combines ice cream from Twin Swirls with cookies from neighbor Tin Pan Bakery. Find them at the ice cream shop on Brighton Avenue in Portland.

Twin Tin Ice Cream Sandwich is the taste of summer

Hazy IPAs from Allagash, Fogtown and Rising Tide. Photo by Ben Lisle

Fans of hazy IPAs have reason to celebrate because Allagash has finally come out with its own take on the style. Want more options? Beer writer Ben Lisle also recommends a couple from Fogtown and Rising Tide. Read his tasting notes on all three.

Allagash has finally joined the hazy IPA party, and it was worth the wait

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Money blog: Is this the end of the British pub?

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Read our deep dive into the demise of the British pub below - and we'll be back with live updates on Monday. As always, you can comment on anything we're covering in Money below.

Saturday 10 August 2024 09:21, UK

Weekend Money

• Is this the end of the British pub?
• Reader comments : How to eat a Twix properly, the best crisps of all time and the deterioration of chocolate bars compared with 1980/90s
• Weekly news round-up : Where tumultuous week for markets leaves economy

Best of the week

• The rise of 'doom spending' - what it is and how to stop
• Five budget ways to increase your house value
• Where kids can eat for free or cheap
• Top chef picks Cheap Eats in North Yorkshire and at home
• What do nutritionists think of Aldi's new copycat?
• Is it time to get a will - and what happens if you don't?
• Best of the Money blog - an archive of features

Ask a question or make a comment

By Brad Young , Money reporter

Mourning his mother's death and celebrating her life at the Old Neighbourhood Inn was the obvious choice for Martin Leach, 72, from Chalford Hill, near Stroud. 

The wood-beamed pub opposite his home had been woven into the fabric of the village for 150 years, so it made sense for 90 friends and family members to gather there in 2015 to say their final goodbyes to Nellie "Lilian" Leach. 

But seven years later, the village would say goodbye to the Old Neighbourhood too; its only pub shuttering its doors in a scene playing out hundreds of times over across the UK – and at an accelerating pace. 

"Entirely pissed off," said Mr Leach, when asked how he felt about the closure of the pub, which had once played host to local bands, mobile bakeries, artisan vendors and an affectionate black Labrador. 

"The pub was all that was left to represent that [village] community, and that's gone. And I think it's important to have that sense of community otherwise we just turn into a bunch of hamsters in cages."

Some 239 pubs closed in England and Wales during the first three months of the year, according to government figures – 56% more than in the same period in 2023. 

"There's a sense of death by a thousand cuts or 'what fresh hell is this?'" said Dr Thomas Thurnell-Read, a sociology expert at Loughborough University who has extensively researched pub closures. 

"Everything cumulatively is building up and that's why, sadly, there isn't a magic bullet for the problems in the sector."

Gen Z's changing habits 

Young people are more health and fitness conscious and more time-poor than their parents were, said Dr Thurnell-Read. 

The financial burden of university is rising, meaning students are taking part-time jobs and reducing the social time when drinking habits could form, he said. 

Freshers' week, once a party-filled gateway to three years of drinking, has become a box to tick and leave behind. 

"A generation of young people are finding other ways to socialise without automatically reaching for alcohol."

COVID played some part in this trend, said Dr Thurnell-Read. His students who started their degrees during social restrictions don't routinely go for big nights out or spontaneous, post-lecture pints. 

Between 2011 and 2022, the proportion of non-drinkers increased from 16% to 19%, according to Drinkaware's analysis of NHS data.

It's a trend driven by 16-24-year-olds (26%) and resisted by adults aged between 55 and 64 (14%).

Less cash, more alternatives 

"The younger generation don't drink as much. That's definitely a noticeable thing, but I don't think anyone really does any more. I don't really see the culture of when people used to go out and drink – like properly drink," said Simon Goodman, 44, owner of the Duke of Cumberland Arms, Henley.

The publican, who has been in the industry for 18 years, said that trade between the start of the year and the start of summer was "the quietest I have ever seen it". 

"People just weren't around. It's very bizarre after being in the business like this for so long."

The public have little money left over after paying their bills and more places to spend it, said Tom Stainer, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). 

This was a trend that began in 2003, when the Licensing Act gave new types of venues the right to sell alcohol, not just pubs and clubs. 

Now the cost of living crisis looms large. One in five people who would usually go weekly to pubs and restaurants said they were doing so less often in a survey by consultancy firm CGA in April.

At the same time, skyrocketing rents and mortgages have led to a squeeze on leisure time, with people spending longer commuting in order to afford homes in cheaper locations, added Dr Thurnell-Read. 

"The big shift I think has been home entertainment. One of the other effects of COVID was it showed everyone how easy it was to get just about everything delivered to your front door," Mr Stainer said. 

This is a setback profoundly familiar to the manager of the Queen Inn, Great Corby, in Carlisle, which closed on 30 June.

Punters thinned out because they had a "vast amount of options at their fingertips" at home and supermarket alcohol was significantly cheaper, said Katie Wilkinson.

"It's a big shame," Ms Wilkinson said: "It means the village won't have a pub anymore and a lot of people rely on coming in each night for that social aspect."

She said this was particularly important for older people: "They see each other every night and now they won't.

"I think as we move forward more and more smaller village pubs will be closing."

The real estate incentive

As pubs become less profitable, companies that own the land are knocking them down to cash in on the real estate value "time and time again", said Dr Thurnell-Read.

"Pubs are being closed against the will of the people who run them and often against the will of the community who need them."

One of those community members is Tricia Watson, who moved to Chalford Hill, Stroud, as a new mum and used the Old Neighbourhood as a hub to connect with other parents. 

Now a Stroud district councillor representing the area, she has joined a campaign group fighting to stop the landlord's plans to convert it into a residential property. 

The Old Neighbourhood has been deemed an asset of community value under the 2011 Localism Act, meaning local groups like the Chalford Hill Community Benefit Society must be given time to make a bid to buy it for the community. But, ultimately, the owner can reject it. 

"The asset of community value regulations are absolutely toothless. So any community that wants to keep their pub going is at the mercy of the markets," she said, adding the site is worth £300,000 more as housing than as a pub. 

Without outside support, community efforts to purchase closing pubs have a success rate of less than 10%, according to the Plunkett Foundation, a charity promoting community-owned businesses. 

"Sadly that picture is very recognisable," said CAMRA's Mr Stainer. "It was recognisable pre-COVID and COVID has accelerated the process."

He added: "I think a lot of property owners are being tempted to take the fast buck."

Pub companies often finance buying pubs in such a way that they need to make big returns to service the debts, which can either be done by raising rents or selling off parcels of land, he said. 

"It is the tenants and the pubs that suffer because they are the ones that get chucked out of their business and often their homes."

'Daily struggle' of doing business 

The last four years have been "incredibly intense" for the industry, said Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA). 

She lists off some of the "thousand cuts" Dr Thurnell-Read was referring to: the pandemic, war in Ukraine, pressures on supply chains, the energy crisis, cost inflation and customers who are far worse off than they were 2019.

Mr Goodman, of the Duke of Cumberland Arms in Henley, lists the impacts of these wounds: "The price of food, alcohol, wages, electric, gas - it's never ending." 

He said: "It is definitely the trickiest the industry has ever been I think. It is a daily struggle."

Food costs in particular have been "insane since the beginning of the year", rising by at least 15%, and in some cases doubling since 2019.

And they are completely unpredictable: "The prices can just change overnight, quite drastically as well."

It's not just food. Despite wholesale energy costs easing, Ofgem research published in March found 88% of hotel and catering businesses were still concerned about the impact of energy prices on their business. 

Fixed energy contracts have come to an end at five Cornish pubs run by Chris Black and his husband Jason, who face new tariffs costing 25% to 50% more.

"Pubs are not particularly energy efficient. I think that can be a massive factor in where money is basically being wasted quite easily," said Mr Black, 39.

He went on to echo an argument being made across the industry: while world events may not be in the government's gift, taxation is, and pubs are being "overly taxed". 

"I don't think there has been enough done to support pubs and that's evident in the number of pubs that are closing," he said. 

Alcohol duty, a tax levied on booze, is worth approximately 54.2p in a pint of 5% ABV draught beer (38p in a 3.5% pint, 75.9p for 7%).

Food and drink served in pubs is also subject to 20% VAT (though this was reduced to 5% and 12.5% at different stages of the pandemic). 

Pubs contribute 2.5% of all business rates collected by the government, but generate 0.5% of total business turnover, which CAMRA and the BBPA argue equates to a £500m overpayment. 

Taken together, Ms McClarkin estimates £1 in every £3 goes "straight to the tax man". 

COVID loans hangover and WFH 

During his research, Dr Thurnell-Read was told by many publicans they could have survived COVID or the cost of living crisis – but not both. 

The term perfect storm is overused, but for CAMRA's Mr Stainer, it's the only appropriate description. 

The pandemic burned through pubs' savings and forced them to take on more debt, just before the cost of energy and ingredients rose dramatically and the amount of money customers had to spend plummeted. 

Now, loans taken out and rents deferred during COVID are being called in, said Mr Stainer. 

"Many pubs have survived COVID but maybe are in danger of not surviving the long-term effects of the lockdown."

Introduced in March 2020, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan was a scheme whereby the government would encourage banks to loan up to £5m to businesses by guaranteeing 80% of the money and paying any interest or fees for the first year. 

"It is definitely a contributing factor to these failures, the inability to be able to pay back these loans," said Ms McClarkin, of the BBPA.

She said some smaller brewers had gone into administration because they "simply cannot pay them back". 

Loans aren't the only COVID hangovers facing pubs, according to Ms McClarkin: "Working from home culture has definitely damaged the pub sector, to the point where some pubs simply don't open Monday, Tuesday."

The pub lunch has dwindled in cities and big towns, and some establishments are choosing to close early on weekdays and open earlier on weekends, she said, as customers switch to less frequent outings. 

Fewer, more costly staff

Staffing has been a problem since Brexit, says Jane Pendlebury, chief executive of the Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA). 

She explained the end of freedom of movement has made it more difficult to find staff - and choose the right ones. 

"The friendliness, the smiles, charm, the willingness to pour a drink or deliver some food with a smile on your face will take them [pubs] a long way, but... if you can't get the right staff then you're not going to be delivering that." 

Minimum wage increases, while great for workers, have added to the outgoings for struggling pubs, she said. 

April's increase (£1.02-£1.26 more per hour for each employee) will see the sector's salary bills rise by £3.2bn, according to trade body UKHospitality. 

"People's wages have gone up, and that's absolutely acceptable and they should go up, but when it all adds up in this industry, when do you start going out and you're paying over £50 on a steak?" said Mr Goodman, of the Duke of Cumberland Arms. 

Cornish publican Mr Black said: "We've run a lot tighter on labour to try and keep the cost down because labour costs can be real money down the drain if you've got too many staff on at the wrong times."

Exhaustion 

For HOSPA's Ms Pendlebury, it's important to remember pubs are run by people – and they have a limit. 

"People that run pubs, own pubs, are just exhausted. 

"They were enormously under pressure [during COVID] and then as the guests came back, they were more difficult to deal with because their expectations were so high.

"So I think they are at their wits' end."

It's the smaller, more independent pubs that are closing, she said.

The scale of pub companies means more favourable borrowing rates, supply-chain priority and better value for money when bulk buying stock like menus, cutlery and loo roll, she said. 

They may have their own property managers – rather than more costly local tradespeople - and staff to manage their online reputation. 

"If it's all chains then we would, probably, ultimately lose some of our character as a country," said Ms Pendlebury.

It's not all bad

Walk across the River Ver, St Albans, north of London, almost 1,000 years ago and you would have seen the same building where Ronan Gaffney serves pints today. 

Pop into Ye Olde Fighting Cocks for an ale 400 years ago and you might even have bumped into Oliver Cromwell, who was said to have spent a night at the inn during the mid-1600s.

But centuries of history could not save the pub in February 2022, when the Fighting Cocks, the only inn to be officially recognised as the oldest in Britain, closed (though this was a title so disputed in the industry that Guinness dropped the category entirely in 2000).

Mr Gaffney, 27, and his colleagues lost their jobs in the pub where he – and generations before him - bought his first pint. 

But this isn't the story of another lost community asset: the pub reopened two months later, and Mr Gaffney was there to welcome the community back – with a promotion. 

The establishment's manager and head chef had banded together to take over the lease with a third business partner.

"It was super rewarding being able to reopen the doors and have been back in," said Mr Gaffney, now general manager.

"It was lovely to see the local community come in and say they're glad we're open again. A lot of people do have a lot of memories in this pub."

The pub is now in a much for comfortable position, though they must remain "very cautious on a daily basis", he said. 

He put its success down to attention to detail, big events, pricing and luck.

Bars can't get by on day trade anymore: birthdays, weddings and other large bookings are essential, he said.

"That is definitely one thing that our pub is not only very good at, but we're also almost reliant on it for a certain amount of our turnover."

Unless your pub is next to a train station, food is a must: "Being a simple boozer any more doesn't really seem to exist." 

He said he pays close attention to how staff are trained, products are bought and prices are set.

A lot of alcohol and food will return very slim – if any – margins, so you've got to make up for it on soft drinks, crisps and nuts, he said.

The same applies to the low and no alcohol products that have become so popular among younger people as they steer away from heavy drinking.

"It was quite strange," said Mr Gaffney. 

"It's not too rare for a pub to close or reopen these days, but it was quite rare to be able to be on both sides of that."

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

On Monday, stock markets around the world plummeted amid fears the US might slump into recession.

The UK's FTSE 100 closed down more than 2%, its worst day since July 2023. In the US, the S&P 500 index slid 3%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 plunged more than 12% - its biggest fall since "Black Monday" in October 1987.

It followed US jobs data, which came in much lower than expected for July, sparking fears of a recession in the world's largest economy.

If a recession was to play out (and that's a big if) there would be consequences around the globe, many negative but not all...

Concern over the strength of China's economy and several weak earnings reports from major tech firms added to the jitters, but from Tuesday onwards  stock markets started to slowly recover , making some gains as investors' worries calmed.

This was given further momentum on Thursday with the release of more jobs data - this time US figures showing a bigger-than-expected drop in jobless claims, alleviating - though not ending - fears of recession. 

More official US data on areas such as jobs and inflation in the coming months will help us get a better idea about the state of the country's economy and whether the recession worries this week were an over-reaction – or bang on the money.

The recovery in the stock market came as the pound's value also began to slowly climb back over the week.

It had dipped after an interest rate cut from the Bank of England last Thursday.

Generally, higher interest rates tend to attract foreign investors looking for more return on their money - lower rates are unappealing and can decrease a currency's value.

On Monday,  £1 could buy you $1.2811 or €1.1677 before its value against both fell.

But by Friday afternoon, Sterling had managed to climb back up to $1.2755 – not quite a full recovery but much better than its lows earlier in the week. 

It means those heading to the US will now get less buck for their bang, compared with if they had exchanged their cash last week.

However, the pound's strength against the Euro on Friday was almost back to where it was at the start of the week, valued at €1.677 by the markets. So those who exchanged money during the week may have got worse exchange rates, compared with those who waited until this weekend.

Several readers got in touch to ask how a US recession might impact exchange rates and holiday money - we took a look here...

The picture could be changed again next week when a few significant economic moments will play out in the UK.

Jobs data on Tuesday and inflation figures for July on Wednesday will provide an updated sense of where we've got to in the cost of living crisis - and likely impact expectations for the direction of interest rates.

We'll also hear how the broader UK economy is doing with quarterly GDP figures on Thursday.

As always, we'll have everything you need to know here in the Money blog.

Each week we feature comments on the stories you're talking about.

Our Bring it Back feature this week looked at Cadbury's Spira, which back in the late Eighties featured six hollow tubes allowing discerning chocolate fans to use them as a drinking straw for hot drinks.

While many mourn its disappearance, one reader pointed out there are alternative chocolate bars for dipping...

RE: Using confectionary as a drinking straw. You have clearly never heard of using a Twix. Nibble off a small amount at either end - then dip one end into very hot tea and suck hard. It's like dunking a Twix from the inside out. Highly recommended - and no mess lol.  Paul C

Other readers commented...

Not a question, more a statement, please continue this worthwhile crusade to BRING BACK THE SPIRA. Thanks. Razor

Hi Bring it Back team, can you please ask Heinz to bring back Toast Toppers. Their posts on Facebook are always full of people begging them to bring them back and I think there are three petitions online but as yet no joy. Can you ask them please? Lovetoast

Good news, Lovetoast - we'll be focusing on this next week. 

More comments came in...

The greatest ever chocolate bar was the Cadbury's Fuse. I recall my wife, when we were courting in our youth, telling me in the mid-90s that a Cadbury's representative came into the Spar she was working at and said: "It is more than just a chocolate bar, it's a full meal." Shaun Fielding

Campbell's need to bring back condensed pea soup - think about vegetarians. I used to live on pea soup, then they decided to put ham in it. No other pea soup will do, they just don't taste the same. I have tried ordering it online but it has been discontinued.  Mandy63

Brannigans beef and mustard crisps were and still are the best I have ever had - there is not a crisp out there today that comes close in flavour. Mr S

Mr S, we're looking into this one too.

Burtons fish and chips. A wee packet of savoury biscuits. Currently available in salt and vinegar, but not in the original fish and chip flavour. A favourite of tuck shops and much loved by 1970s school children. Ruth Currie

Bring back the Aztec bar. Best bar ever. Young people have no idea just how short-changed they are with mediocre chocolate bars. Cadbury Marvellous Creations? What a load of rubbish!! RuthiePuthie

They need to bring back white Maltesers! I could never get enough of them, so much so I've not had a Malteser since! CEdwards

Walkers crisps. Bring back the small bags of your discontinued (last year) Worcestershire sauce flavoured potato crisps. It was, and always will be, Walkers' best flavoured crisp. R. Lyon

Please bring back Kellogg's Puffa Puffa Rice, best cereal ever!! I used to eat this cereal morning, noon and night. It tasted delicious! I really wish they would bring it back Doglover

Bring back the Pyramint! Dark chocolate shaped pyramid filled with mint flavoured fondant. Made by Terrys. Yum!!! JessElizabeth

Bring it back: Ketchup Pringles! They are the most delicious Pringles and other countries sell them but can only get them imported here very expensively. They should stop creating all these weird flavours and bring back the best one! Sooty

We need to bring back the Cabana Bar - a mix of coconut, cherries and caramel wrapped in chocolate. A treat that this generation are sadly missing out on - Bring it Back! Please. Gillian Mackay

Bring back Pacers! A bit like the shape and texture of Star Burst (previously Opal Fruits) but minty with white and green stripes! Never could understand why they stopped making them! LorWil

Cadbury should bring back the Secret bar. Very fond memories of being sent to the local shop to get one for my mum and then having the last bite. Francesca D

PLEASE can you harass the hell out of whoever has the power to bring the Secret chocolate bar back? It was so unique! Help a girl out (With many thanks). SecretAgent

I'd love to see the Texan Bar brought back. It was like a big Chomp and I loved it. Also, Cowan's Highland Toffee was another favourite that I don't think you can get anymore. And Riley's Toffee Rolls too, which were a bit like Eclairs but chewier! LupusAquatica

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a weekend feature, a round up of what readers have been saying this week, and an overview of the biggest news.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young, Ollie Cooper and Mark Wyatt, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper staff have voted in favour of a walk-out in an ongoing dispute over pay, the RMT union has said.

Union members at the two publicly owned rail operators were separately balloted for strike action following a pay offer that was described by the union as "derisory".

Bexley has topped the list as London's cheapest area to rent .

The average rent in the southeast London region is £1,297 per month, a study by  BLG Development Finance and Online Marketing Surgery  found.

In second place is east London's Havering, with an average rent of £1,350 a month.

The most expensive average rent is in Kensington and Chelsea, with renters paying around £3,322 a month.

A secret advertising deal was struck between Google and Meta to boost Instagram's users, according to a Financial Times report . 

Google had worked on a marketing project for Meta aimed at targeting 13 to 17-year-old YouTube users with adverts promoting Instagram. 

That's despite Google's rules prohibiting personalising and targeting adverts to under-18s. 

Google has since cancelled the project after being contacted by the FT and investigating its claims.

The chocolate maker is giving customers the chance to star in one of its classic ads from the last 200 years with the use of AI.

As part of the AI-powered tool, users will be able to upload a selfie and select their era from one of seven Cadbury ads. 

Users can also select how they would like to be represented and the AI technology will then recreate their image.

Those who do give it a try will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win £200.

The My Cadbury Era campaign is being launched by the chocolate company's agency VCCP London to mark Cadbury's 200th anniversary this year. 

You can find out more here ...

Free Jude's ice cream is being offered for John Lewis reward members this summer.

Shoppers looking to indulge will be able to get one for free at The Place to Eat if they join the retailer's loyalty scheme .

The offer comes as a short-lived but intense spell of hot weather prepares to hit the UK this weekend, with temperatures expected to reach 33C in parts of the country.

The offer is valid until 27 September.

Eagle-eyed shoppers have noticed Heinz Ploughman's Pickle appears to have disappeared from supermarket shelves. 

The popular condiment might have been a favourite for your cheese sandwich, but there's bad news - Heinz has confirmed the product has, in fact, been discontinued. 

Concerned customer Sarah-Ann asked this on Twitter...

To Sarah-Ann's disappointment, Heinz replied: "Thanks for your message. Sorry to say but this product has now been discontinued."

So, is this one that should be brought back? 

We've been running a weekly series called Bring It Back where we look at the discontinued food items that you want back on our shelves. 

Here are the ones you've been calling for so far... 

Teachers and school support staff can now apply for a Blue Light discount card - but the sudden surge in demand has caused the official website to temporarily crash. 

The Blue Light card is a discount provided to emergency services, NHS workers, social care staff and members of the armed forces, and provides thousands of offers and discounts online and on the high street. It costs £4.99 to register for two-year access to more than 15,000 offers from large national retailers and local businesses. 

But it seems demand was so high, with teachers rushing to grab the card, that it promptly crashed the website.

"Due to the high demand we've seen over the last 24 hours we experienced some issues with our website and app," the organisation wrote on X. 

"Please accept our apologies for this error. We are in the process of refunding any duplicate payments and you should receive an email in the next 24 hours with more information." 

However, the move to accept teachers into the scheme has been met with some criticism. 

One A-level maths teacher wrote: "I'm not sure how I feel about this. Teaching can be hard, but we're not an emergency service, and our work isn't really in the same category as "blue light" jobs. If they're going to widen the eligibility criteria, it needs a name change, at the very least."

Another X user wrote: "This is precisely why fewer and fewer businesses accept the BLC. You really ought to rebrand to something like 'Key Worker Card'. The majority of jobs which meet your eligibility criteria are not 'blue light' roles -- the name 'BLC' is misleading now." 

But Blue Light Card hit back, saying: "Teachers are not just educators; they are mentors, guides and inspirations that are helping shape the future for our children. They are fully deserving members of our blue light community." 

What kind of offers can a Blue Light card get you? 

Among the offers is 12% off at Fenty Beauty and 15% off at Bose. 

Users can also get a £30 gift card if they spend more than £1,000 at British Airways or a £110 voucher if they sell their car via Carwow. 

Or if getting fit is more your thing, you can get 50% off an annual subscription to the Body Coach.  

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