NewsDigest

The National Association of Licensed House Managers (NALHM) is to be called Licensees Unite. The new union will cover pub managers, licensees and all personal licence holders. A spokesman said: "Our members are facing the impact of declining beer sales and an increasing number of pub closures. The committee will be initiating a major recruitment campaign as we believe that pub managers need the support of Britain's largest union."

WaverleyTBS has revealed that Gordon Johncox has become its new managing director. Gordon takes up the post with immediate effect, moving from his role as group procurement director for Scottish & Newcastle (S&N). Johncox has considerable drinks-industry experience, gained over a number of years in a wide variety of roles within S&N, including four years as managing director of Courage West & Wales.

Senior independent non-executive director Drummond Hall has become the new deputy chairman at Mitchells & Butlers. He will replace existing chairman Roger Carr as chairman at the end of May, subject to the outcome of the strategic review under way. He was chief executive of Dairy Crest from July 2002 until December 2006. Prior to being appointed to the board of Dairy Crest in September 2001 he was managing director of the beer and cider division of HP Bulmer.

Geronimo Inns has asked us to point out that the farm shop at the company's new outlet, the Red Lion, in Lingfield, Surrey, will be called Snowtes, rather than Snouts as was reported in last week's MA. The new outlet is set to open its doors in April.

PubChef, out with the MA next week, contains pub-food news, new products and openings as well as business-building features, such as a soft drinks report and advice on food and drink-matching. The winners of BBC's The Restaurant, Jeremy and Jane Hooper, discuss their new Peach pub in an exclusive interview, and chef Raymond Blanc discusses pub food.