Neil Morrissey answers your questions

Readers of ThePublican​.com have been firing in a barrage of questions to our guest editors Neil Morrissey and Richard Fox.

The pair have been guest editing the magazine, chairing meetings, writing articles and proofing Publican pages, as well as interviewing Campaign for Real Ale chief executive Mike Benner.

The last episode of Neil Morrissey's Risky Business​, the Channel 4 series documenting the opening of the pair's own pub and the launch of their ale, airs tonight at 10pm.

Here Neil Morrissey responds from The Publican ​office - apologies if your question didn't get answered:

I would like to start brewing beer on commercial basis in a pub that I run, what advice would you give to a novice brewer, besides don't do it?!​Patrick Mulligan​

"My best bit of advice is to imagine the beer you love the most, and then research your ingredients and try and make it!"

Very entertaining programme.​1. Which company is your lease with? ​2. Will you be passing on the Chancellor's two per cent above inflation price rise and the inevitable suppliers price rise in Feb/March 2009 which could equate to 20pence on a pint!?​Jerry Hudson ​

"Firstly it's a private lease. And secondly as a business we need to address any percentage increase on things that we have to pay for, as any business would. Of course, we are going to have to consider it."

Back in the day when you were in Men Behaving Badly you liked going to your old dodgy boozer and getting rather leathered, how do you feel about the way that "binge Britain" has changed since then, and how are you going about dealing with it in your pub?​Steve Keegan, Consultant, Pubs and Bars, Portfolio International​

"Men Behaving Badly was a fantasy show, where we feel it reflected a certain type of person. Preventing binge-drinking is partly down the responsibility of the licensee - and we're all battling with the results of supermarket pricing, which doesn't help."

When Richard said you needed to take £15K per week to break even you didn't seem phased. ​How near are you to achieving that level of turnover?​Sister Flute​

"We're there or thereabouts. On a bad week it's below, this week we're around that."

I would like to ask: how do they think we can better market real ale towards young people, to get them into pubs drinking real stuff instead of alcopops and mixers? Is there any mileage in printing information on the back of beer mats?​Adrian J Evans​

"Tasting notes are good. But a lot of it is about attitude - while we don't have music or TV in our pub we still get younger people coming in. I think it's because we have a cool attitude it's funky to drink ale in our pub!"

When you change a village pub so dramatically, locals often feel alienated and dislike the 'new pub'. Now you have been trading for a while, how have your changes been received? Do the locals now use Ye Olde Punch Bowl, or does most of your trade come from outside the village?​How have you tackled you locals' initial objection to change and is it working?​Mitch Adams, The Thatchers Arms, Mount Bures, Essex​

"While the programme didn't show much of the meeting we had with people in the village before we opened the pub, we did actually give everyone the opportunity to tell us what we want from their pub.

"We believe the improvements we have made are within people's expectations, alienating no-one. The locals now appear to be drifting back in droves."

I would like to know how two foul-mouthed, disorganised people running a pub as a second job are going to help experienced licensees who haven't got pots of money and a second job through the current downturn.​Derek Watson FBII tp​

"A lot of the foul language is in the edit and so is the fact that we look disorganised. We're not. A pub is a place where you can't be disorganised or foul-mouthed in front of your customers. The Channel 4 edit didn't show that.

"We know that the downturn represents a trading challenge for everyone at the moment, and we have sympathy with you if the downturn has hit you as hard as it seems it has for many pubs."

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your progress into the world of licensing. Can you tell me, are you planning to roll out your project any further?​Angela Rawson, Licensing Officer, Nottingham City Council​

"Yes we are! We are looking at international contracts, and Foxy and I hope to do some travelling, to Australia, the USA and Canada, to spread the word further. We are definitely looking to export our beers if we can."