What the Sunday papers said
Health Secretary John Reid has ordered Britain's publicans and restaurateurs to draw up plans to phase in smoking restrictions across all their premises as the first step towards a blanket national ban. The dramatic ultimatum - made in private to leading representatives of the leisure industry including the BBPA last week - confirms that the government is genuine in its desire to ban smoking in public places - The Observer
All companies with pension schemes, not just those that run final-salary plans, could end up contributing to the new Pension Protection Fund (PPF). There are fears that the fund - due to be launched in April - will rapidly become engulfed in financial problems and might seek to increase the number of employers who have to contribute - The Observer.
Having bought Premier Lodge, Whitbread chief executive's Alan Parker's next job is to review Whitbread's assets. Analysts believe this could result in a fundamental shake-up of the company. Businesses that could be sold include the high-street restaurant operation, which includes Pizza Hut, and the pub-restaurant division, which includes Beefeater. Whitbread is also likely to sell its stake in soft-drinks company Britvic through a float - The Sunday Times Thousands of pubs are to ignore warnings about the dangers of binge-drinking and apply for late licences that will allow many of them to stay open until 4am. Days after David Blunkett, the home secretary, spoke of the rise of a drink-fuelled culture of thuggery and intimidation, leading pub chains announced that they intend to take full advantage of new 24-hour licensing laws. Yates Group expects some of bars in London, Manchester and Glasgow will stay open until 4am while JD Wetherspoon foresees a "handful" of its pubs not closing until 2am - The Sunday Times
Shares in Yates Group are poised to jump on Monday after an improved and likely winning bid was tabled late on Friday. Yates shareholders now have a fortnight to consider the bid - The Mail on Sunday
Top Ten Holdings, the third largest operator of bingo clubs, has held talks with gaming group Gala about acquiring up to half a dozen of its larger rival's operations - The Mail on Sunday Tony Blair has announced a new commission to help women get a fair deal in the workplace. Currently, full-time workers earn around 19 per cent less than men but part-time women workers earn on average 40 per cent less than male full-timers - The Sunday Express
Kingfisher, the lager brand that goes down well with fiery curries, is soon to be emblazoned on the side of aircraft. Brewer UB Group has bought four airbus planes and is to launch a budget airline under the Kingfisher brand next year - The Business
Irish drinkers are queuing up to slake their thirsts with bottled beers from all over Europe. While overall beer consumption in Ireland fell last year by 2.3 per cent, sales of premium lagers from abroad are booming. In the past four to five years, beers such as Erdinger from Germany, the Czech tipple Budvar and Okochim, a Polish lager, have grown from nothing to account for 30 per cent of all bottled beers sold in off-licences - Sunday Times (Irish edition)
