William Reed scoops top award

Morning Advertiser publisher William Reed, scooped the top award in the Business Success category of the UK Family Business Honours programme.

William Reed beat off fierce competition from the Daily Mail, General Trust, Robert Wiseman Diaries, Warburtons and OCS group at the ceremony organised by JP Morgan and supported by the London Business School and Institute for Family Business.

William Reed was placed top of the pile in areas including financial growth, innovation, good governance, sound business processes and staff development.

"This is an enormous vote of confidence in our business and our commercial success and the whole company should be very proud," said managing director Charles Reed.

Police revoke licence in Witham

Police in Essex are warning that they are clamping down on publicans who continue serving after hours. The warning comes after Sayers Wine Bar of Witham, had its licence revoked by Chelmsford magistrates for doing exactly that. A police spokesman commented: "We will concentrate on the other pubs in the area. The revocation of this licence has given a wake-up call to other licensees. We are not going to tolerate bad management of licensed premises."

InnSpired buys Duke of Cumberland

Tenanted pub company InnSpired, now owned by Punch, has bought the Duke of Cumberland in Holcombe near Radstock as part of its acquisition campaign, announced two weeks ago. The pub boasts a skittle alley, a darts area and a small garden with a brook running through it. "The Duke of Cumberland, matches the profile of the InnSpired estate very well," said chief executive Peter Brook.

Bitter drinkers... all down to genetics

If you have a fondness for bitter it could be down to a genetic gift, according to new research from America. Scientists at the University of Connecticut tested 84 light or moderate drinkers and found that those with a poor ability to detect bitterness on their tongues had weaker versions of a newly-found bitter-taste gene called TAS2R38. The study also showed those with a poor ability to detect bitterness drank more in one week than others.

Local Norfolk pub to become a pizzeria

A Norfolk pub is to be converted into a pizza outlet despite objections from locals. The Rocket pub, in Cobholm near Great Yarmouth, built in 1900 as the Railway Hotel, is marked to become a Pizza takeaway. Local councillor Penelope Linden said: "I appreciate how the residents feel. It's their local."