Children will be legally allowed into pubs, lncluding late night venues under what the Mail calls a 'loophole' in the Licensing Act. Urbium, owner of Tiger Tiger, is legally challenging rulings by Westminster Council that would bar children from its venues. The Act allows pubs to apply to allow children under 16 to be admitted provided they are accompanied by an adult - The Mail on Sunday
A shareholder revolt is looming at Greene King over a bonus scheme that will reward directors even if they fail to hit City forecasts. Pirc, the shareholder advisory group, is backing a vote against the scheme becasue the earnings targets for it to pay out are below brokers' forecasts and Greene King's past performance - The Mail on Sunday
Health warnings are to be printed on nearly all cans and bottles containing beer and spirits in a new drive to curb the spread of binge drinking. Alcohol manufacturers have agreed to use the warnings after talks with the Department of Health. The alcohol industry hopes the move will pre-empt any legislation to force it to introduce health warnings similar to those on cigarette packets. By the end of the year, 85% of beer sold in cans and bottles will have some kind of warning or guidance about drinking responsibly - The Sunday Times
The campaign to introduce 24-hour licensing to Britain was mishandled by Labour Party strategists, believes Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture. Ms Jowell blames Labour spin-doctors for undermining the reforms to drinking hours by using a "stupid" slogan to win votes. She says "Millbank's marketing whizzes" turned a change in licensing laws into "an advert for hedonism" by texting to young voters the message, "Don't give a XXXX for last orders? Vote Labour" - The Independent on Sunday
Fast-growing fitness group Ladypace is offering people the chance to go to the pub or go to the gym at the same time. After opening a gym in a function room above the Venue pub in Braintree, Essex, Ladypace is on the hunt for other pub function rooms suitable for its all-women micro gyms. Ladypace founder Paul Cary formerly headed the Hobgoblin pub chain - The Independent on Sunday
Diageo is expected to announce plans to extend its share buyback programme by as much as £300m to £1bn this week, despite a slide in full-year profits. With chief executive Paul Walsh barred from any more sizeable acquisitions to bolster the group's portfolio, City analysts expect him to return more cash to shareholders - The Business
Cadbury Schweppes is considering selling its struggling European soft drinks business. A sale to Coca-Cola was blocked by anti-trust authorities six years ago. US private equity firm Carlyle Group is one of the suitors, and PepsiCo is likely to want to put in a bid - The Business
The EC has ordered the UK government to announce a date when it will complete metrification, which would mean an end to beer sold in pints, as well as road-signs in miles -The Observer
BT is to challenge BSkyB by bidding for the rights to televise Premier League football when the current contract expires in 2007. BT is basing its plans on the assumption that the European Commission will rule that the number of Premier League matches shown by BSkyB be limited. That would allow other broadcasters and organisations to get a slice of the highly lucrative pay-TV soccer market - The Observer
Former City golden girl - and Pubmaster investor - Robin Saunders - is set to return to the limelight with an ambitious $1.5bn plan to buy Formula 1. Saunders, through her private equity firm Clearbrook Capital Partners, has held extensive negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone, the tycoon who has controlled F1 for more than two decades - - The Sunday Telegraph .
More than 250,000 beer kegs worth around £10m have been stolen from pubs this year. The kegs are smuggled to China where there is a shortage of metal - The Sunday Mirror
Whitbread is to target India's 'growing, young middle class' with a franchise deal that will see its Costa Coffee brand open on the sub-contintent. More than 300 outlets could open. Local palates will be taken into consideration, with chiken tikka fillings in sandwiches, but the coffee will not be sourced domestically - The Financial Times
and finally...
Credit card fraudsters in the UK typically use stolen or cloned cards to buy luxury items such as cases of Courvoisier cognac, according to analysis of card fraud by Retail Decisions. US card criminals are more likely to buy exercise equipment - The Financial Times