New role for JW Lees boss, H&W strengthens board, Boxpark adds COO from former Fuller's brand

JW Lees' boss named president of Forever Manchester charity

JW Lees managing director William Lees-Jones has been announced as the new president of community fundraising charity Forever Manchester. 

The Manchester brewery boss takes over from recently retired Auto Trader CEO Trevor Mather, who steps down as the charity celebrates its 30th anniversary. 

Forever Manchester raises money to fund and support community activity across Greater Manchester and to date has delivered more than £39m of community funding across the city region benefitting 1.1m people. More than £1.5m has been delivered during the last four months alone to support 441 grassroot community groups responding to the impact of Covid-19.

Lees-Jones will act as a champion for the organisation, promoting its achievements and impact while attempting to raise its profile.

“William is a proud Manc and has a track record of working with businesses and charities locally, having a deep understanding of how Manchester family firms develop and prosper,” Nick Massey chief executive of Forever Manchester, said of the appointment.

Lees-Jones added: “I have long admired the work that Nick and the team do in supporting grass roots community groups in Greater Manchester. Now more than ever is a time that we need to help our communities in need, and I believe the most efficient way of doing this is through the light touch that Forever Manchester delivers locally.”

Thwaites and Deltic detail redundancy programmes  

As reported by The Morning Advertiser (MA)​, late-night operator The Deltic Group is set to slash 402 jobs​ in a redundancy consultation across its estate after a prolonged period of closure with no reopening date announced yet, reports have stated.

This means Deltic, which has 53 sites nationwide including brands Pryzm and Eden, will lose one-in-ten of its 4,000 workers.

“There will be far more job losses if we don’t get something material in the next six weeks. As an industry, we won’t get through November,” chief executive Peter Marks told The Mail on Sunday. ​ ​

What’s more, Lancashire-based brewer and pub operator Daniel Thwaites has also taken the 'unwelcome decision' to initiate a programme of redundancies​ in light of uncertainty around winter trading conditions. 

The operator of about 250 venues said this would help keep its cost base in tune with trading forecasts for the wider sector over the coming months and “greatly shortened” visibility on forward bookings.

In a letter to shareholders, executive chairman Richard Bailey said: “We see no sign that this will change as we enter the winter. 

“Against this background, we have taken the unwelcome decision to initiate a programme of redundancies to ensure our cost base reflects the environment that we expect to operate in over the coming months and protect the business against significant ongoing uncertainty.”

Hall & Woodhouse adds Ann Elliott to senior team

Dorset-based pub operator Hall & Woodhouse has announced the appointment of Ann Elliott as non-executive director in the place of Mike Street who stepped down in May after 10 years on the 180-site operator’s board.

Elliott adds 30 years of hospitality sector experience to Hall & Woodhouse after holding multiple senior roles at Whitbread before setting up integrated marketing agency Elliott’s in 2001.

“I am absolutely thrilled to join the board at Hall & Woodhouse and look forward to working with the team to deliver a heavy focus on the voice of the guest and the guest experience,” Elliott said of her appointment. 

“As Hall & Woodhouse is a values-led company, I am keen to live and breathe ‘The Way of Woodhouse’ to ensure that my contribution to the business helps to create continued success and longevity for the next generation.”

Anthony Woodhouse, executive chairman, added: “Ann joins Hall & Woodhouse with a wealth of knowledge and experience from her extensive career in our industry and will be a dynamic force on the board. 

“Her contribution will be vital as we adjust to the new normal and look to continue to grow our business in this challenging environment.”

Greene King sees record tenancy and leasehold applications

Suffolk-based brewer and pub operator Greene King’s tenanted and leased arm, Pub Partners, recorded a record number of new applications between mid-June and mid-August.

According to Greene King’s figures, 254 people applied to run a pub and at the height of lockdown​ – between 24 March and 22 June – when 108 applications were submitted. From 22 June to 16 August, this rose to 254, more than double the same period last year.

“It’s really uplifting to see people’s passion for running their own pub has not been daunted by recent events,” Greene King Pub Partners recruitment manager Chris Thorogood said.

“We have recently invested in updating and relaunching our Pub Partners recruitment website so we can showcase a wide range of pubs to potential licensees looking to run their own business.

“We are delighted with the number of enquiries we are receiving and are working through them all now, we continue to be inspired by the passion people are showing in having the opportunity to run a Greene King tenanted pub.”

Former Stable operations director joins Boxpark

Retail, casual dining and leisure outlet Boxpark has hired the former operations director at Stable Bar & Restaurants, David Gough, as its chief operations officer.  

As previously reported by The Morning Advertiser (MA)​, Fuller’s sold the 14-site Stable​ to sourdough pizza and craft beer restaurant operator Three Joes for an undisclosed sum in June.

Gough will assume responsibility for all site operations at Boxpark alongside the current head of operations. His role will involve leading the company’s strategy, overseeing all commercial aspects of the business, enhancing customer experience, and focusing on training and development.

“We are delighted to appoint David to the role of chief operations officer,” Roger Wade, CEO and founder at Boxpark said of the appointment. “He has a fantastic wealth of experience and skills in not only driving business growth, but in achieving efficiency across all aspects of an organisation. 

“As we focus on our growth strategy, David will be instrumental in ensuring everything is in place and that we are meeting our commercial objectives."

Gough added: “I’ve been a huge fan of Boxpark for a number of years, so it really is a privilege to come on board and join the team. 

“This is an exciting opportunity for me to use my experience on a thriving brand which is on the cusp of a transformational stage in it’s growth. 

“Despite the struggles facing the hospitality industry, I’m looking forward to bringing Boxpark’s vision to life and building a solid strategy to achieve our goals.”

Jobs saved after pubcos bought out of administration

Manchester-based bar and restaurant group East Coast Concepts has been bought out of administration​ protecting more than 250 jobs.

East Coast Concepts, which runs venues in Hale, Alderley Edge, Liverpool, Leeds and Oxford, saw Ben Woolrych and Anthony Collier of FRP Advisory appointed as joint administrators on 1 September.

Now, the operator behind Neighbourhood and Victors has been acquired by an investment group, led by Cairn Group director Naveen Handa and is part of a strategic acquisition to enhance the group’s premium hospitality offering. 

All existing Neighbourhood and Victors sites will continue to trade as normal.

“This acquisition marks a significant milestone for the business and will enable us to embark on the next phase of growth, with an investor, which really sees the value in the brands we have created,” John Hammond, managing director at East Coast Concepts, explained.

What’s more, the operator of four London pubs, Out of The Woods, has been acquired out of administration by Racon Investments, which comprises a number of the embattled pub company’s former directors.

The Morning Advertiser​​ reported on 12 August​​ that Out of the Woods filed for administration with Chris Farrington and Simon Jagger of ReSolve Advisory installed as joint administrators of its four subsidiary companies – Woodys Inns, Hillmaster, Willow Inns (UK), and Forest Inns (UK). 

Up to 12,500 Scottish pub and bar jobs ‘hang in the balance’ ​

Pubs in Scotland desperately need measures to protect the thousands of jobs​ Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, has said.

McClarkin urged Government to reverse a ban on background music and television noise - which the Government said helps to prevent aerosol transmission of the virus - in addition to changing tax policy

Her comments came after a survey by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) estimated up to 12,500 jobs were at risk in Scotland's bars and pubs.

The association said nearly nine in 10 venues were experiencing reduced revenue and almost half (45%) believed trade would not return to normal until a vaccine for the virus was released.

“These survey results make for grim reading and show pubs in Scotland need Government to adopt a series of policies that secure the future of our trade,” McClarkin said.

“This recent change has had a devastating impact on our pubs with hard evidence to show it has reduced trade week-on-week since its introduction. It must be reversed by the Government before it is too late.”

Labour calls for furlough extension

Shadow business minister Lucy Powell has warned that a ‘blanket approach’ to ending the Government-backed Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will see more pubs shuttered​. 

According to Labour Party analysis, more than 5,500 pubs and bars have closed since the Conservative Party entered Government in 2010 – on average one every 14 hours – with the number of venues falling in every region of the UK.

However, shadow business minister Lucy Powell estimates that these closures will accelerate in the coming months should Chancellor Rishi Sunak wrap the Government-backed furlough scheme at the end of October as planned.

“Pubs are a vital part of our high streets and social fabric in communities up and down the country,” Powell explained.

“They have been hard hit by the pandemic, and Tory indifference and incompetence over the years means that many have gone to the wall.

“Ministers’ blanket approach to ending the furlough threatens the future of many more.

“The furlough scheme must be extended for hard hit sectors to save jobs now, and a hospitality and high street fund so local areas can target support at businesses still in distress.”