What the papers say - August 7, 2007

Jane Seymour, the actress best known for her performance as a Bond girl in Live and Let Die, is being taken to court by neighbours who want to stop her house from being used for all-night parties. Ms Seymour, 56, was recently given permission to hold round-the-clock events at St Catherine's Court, a Grade I listed mansion near Bath, but the 24-hour alcohol and entertainment licence has come up against widespread opposition from locals - The Times, Daily Telegraph​

Lovers of pinot grigio, chardonnay and Italian sparkling wines should brace themselves for a shortage because the unprecedented heat this spring and summer has caused grapes to ripen a month earlier than usual. The good news is that the quality of white wine from Italy's northeastern regions will be exceptional — but the quantity will be lower - The Times​

Supping from a glass of real ale is not generally considered ladylike - but that could be about to change. In a bid to attract female pub-goers, all beers at the Great British Beer Festival will be served in "stylish glassware", the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) announced today - The Guardian​

Fuller, Smith & Turner, the brewer and pub operator, has announced that Paul Clarke, its finance director, will retire at the end of April next year, to be replaced by James Douglas, currently finance director at Fibernet Group, the telecoms operator - The Times​

Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, is expected to announce today its first move into restaurants through the £70 million acquisition of Loch Fyne Restaurants (LFR), the seafood chain spawned by the eponymous Scottish oyster farm - The Times​

A three-week, 23 per cent slide by Mitchells & Butlers ended after it was revealed Robert Tchenguiz had increased his stake in the pub group from 16 to 19 per cent in the hope of reviving his stalled property joint venture once credit market confidence has been restored. It was up 6½p at 698p - The Times​

Scottish & Newcastle, the brewer, which has lost 10 per cent in the past fortnight, came off another 1½p to 572p on rumours that it could issue a profit warning today over trading in its British and French businesses. Dire weather is reckoned to have reduced British beer sales at S&N by 10 per cent in July - The Times, Guardian, Daily Telegraph​