Managed pub bosses flock to MA150 event

More than 100 industry bosses and sponsors have attended the first Morning Advertiser's first MA150 seminar of 2009 for multiple managed retailers. ​

The event, held at Claridge's yesterday heard from a host of top industry speakers. Paul Hickman, leisure analyst at KBC Peel Hunt, gives an overview on how the pub market is developing.

Ann Elliott, founder of the pub sector's leading outsourced marketing firm Elliott People, give her views on how to maximise the impact of marketing. Stewart Darling, Brulines group commercial director, explained how technology can be used to drive revenue, improve profits and contain costs.

Paul Linthwaite, business unit director - licensed at Britvic, provided tips on "profiting from soft drinks in hard times".

Three MA 150 members talked about their market niche; Mark Butler, boss of Mercury Inns, spoke on the subject of distress management; Keith Bott, Siba president and owner of Titanic Brewery, talked about brewing for his own pubs; Chris Gerard, who worked at Mitchells & Butlers for 20 years before founding Innventure, talked

about "Going from 365 pub restaurants to seven".

Jon Collins, chief executive of CGA, analysed the growth areas of the trade. Gavin George, chief executive of Brighton-based Innbrighton, and Nick Pring , founder of double MA150 award winner Realpubs, talked about their companies investments from private equity companies.

Les Murphy, trading director of Scottish & Newcastle, provided insights on on-trade beer market, focusing on opportunities and growth initiatives. Mark Jones, the former chairman of Premium Bars and Restauants who began in the sector as a trainer, talked about why training is so important in a downturn and why training has been so vital to the success of Living Room.

One attendee, Ted Docherty, chief executive of Tailor Made Steaks, said: "It was a really great day."