Find your space on thePublican.com
Offering you all the news, business advice, jobs and pub property information you want at a time when you want it, thePublican.com has always been about you.
But that's never been truer than with the launch of our 'Your Space' area. This is where you will find the pictures, blogs and comments from thepublican.com readers to inspire, inform and entertain you as you run your own pub.
If you want to share your pictures, your thoughts or your beermat collection with other publicans, this is the place to be.
Our ever-growing galleries are all here - showcasing everything from Archie, the friendly dog at the Railway Hotel in Faversham, Kent in our pub pets section, to pictures of many of the MPs who visited pubs during Proud of Pubs Week. Why not have a look and send in your own pictures?
You might be a frustrated writer, keen to offer us a weekly update of your business, or simply to read the musings of others. Or you may just wish to sound off on the issues of the day.
Our current regular bloggers from the trade are listed below. They are regularly joined by members of The Publican team, including city & business editor Hamish Champ and pub food editor John Porter, sounding off on issues close to their heart.
Over time the area will be developed - but it's up to you as to how it takes shape.
It's your space, after all!
YOUR BLOGS
Here you can read the latest blogs from fellow licensees, industry figures and Publican writers.
If you'd like your own blog to be included, please contact editor@thepublican.com. Current bloggers include:
Chris Maclean (pictured): The licensee of the Railway Hotel in Faversham, Kent, has built up a steady following over the past few months with his controversial views on everything ranging from the state of rural pubs to competition from a local Indian restaurant
Pete Robinson: A committed smoker, and passionate about pubs, Pete previously spent 10 years as the manager of a pub and hotel. His compelling blog, often touching on the smoking issue, regularly sparks comment from other licensees
Amanda Green: Amanda's pub, the Canterbury in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, was devastated by the great floods which swept the country at the end of last month. Follow her story as she struggles to get her pub back on track in her regular blogs.
Writing last week, Amanda explained: "I have had to lay my head chef off, because insurance companies look to make savings, but luckily he has found another job already.
"When you're talking about a minimum of three months, and you're paying a chef £25,000 a year, you've got to say, can we keep doing that?"
The Newcomers: Two ordinary guys with the dream of running a pub, a whole heap of enthusiasm, a little money, and the desire to take a bit of a risk. Follow their ups and downs as they try to make a living out of the licensed trade.
www.thepublican.com/blogs
YOUR GALLERIES
Here you can post pictures in one of our existing picture galleries - or send us suggestions for a new one, if you've got an image you're burning to share with other users.
Our recently-launched pub pets area is continuing to grow, with pictures ranging from: Stella, a German shepherd dog living at the Cherry Tree pub in Catthorpe, Warwickshire, with owner Susan Cartright to Pootle, the 13-year-old moggy belonging to The Publican's editor Caroline Nodder.
www.thepublican.com/pets
We are also inviting you to send in photographs of your beermats and other breweriana and pub ephemera - and share your rare collections with others.
www.thepublican.com/beermats
On a more serious note you can check out pubs underwater in a gallery featuring some of the pubs affected by the recent devastating floods.
www.thepublican.com/floodpics
There are also a wide range of pictures from The Publican's Proud of Pubs Week, which took place last month, available to view including your pictures of local MPs in your pubs. Next time your MP comes to your pub, take a picture and we'll make sure we showcase it on thepublican.com
www.thepublican.com/proudofpubs
www.thepublican.com/galleries
YOUR FORUM
Don't forget you can offer us your views on any articles on thepublican.com, and interact with other readers via our forum.
Current debates on the site include whether smoking-ban refuseniks, such as Hamish Howitt in Blackpool, are doing the right thing, to whether lager is really in long-term decline.
Recent comments:
Clifford Standen, August 9
"I am still waiting for all these new non-smoking customers to flock into my pub, no sign yet and unlikely to be. These people never used pubs anyway and won't now."
Guy Arnold, August 10
"Our pub is already 10 per cent up, due to less space being used for drinking and more for eating. Pubs need to stop moaning, see the future, and grab all opportunities with both hands… We can either moan about 'rights' and such twaddle, or we can get on and make some money. Our choice."
What do you want to say? Add your voice to the debate at www.thepublican.com/forum
Make it your space….
The area will continue to develop in the months ahead as we respond to what you want to see on your site.
Remember, you can now send pictures, comments and even video clips to thepublican.com via text messages. Just text PUBS to 60300, including your name and a brief description of the picture or clip, and we will add them to the site. (Texts cost 25p plus your usual network charge).
And if you have new ideas for Your Space, simply email editor@thepublican.com
Over to you!
Coming soon: look out for the bitch - the pub bitch.
