All news articles for 2022

Beginning of another chapter: Brighton's

City's 'oldest' gay bar to close

By Rebecca Weller

East Sussex seaside city’s “oldest” gay bar has closed its doors for good amid “excessive overheads”.

What are the best selling drinks brands of 2022

Drinks List 2023

The Drinks List – top brands to stock in 2023

By The Morning Advertiser

This year’s Drinks List has seen great strides forward in terms of volume and value sales versus last year because the on-trade has been operating on a much better basis than during the heavily restrictive phases of the pandemic.

Business growth: the deal means Harbour's beers will be more widely available (image: Adam Sargent)

St Austell takes share in Harbour

By Nikkie Thatcher

South west-based business St Austell Brewery has taken a minority share in north Cornwall business Harbour Brewing Co.

First place: WKD Blue bags top spot (Getty/ Kanawa_Studio)

DRINKS LIST 2023

WKD Blue tops RTD category

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

VK dominates the ready-to-drink (RTD) category this year, with three products making the list, and there are also two newcomers to watch out for.

Great springboard: on-premise drinks sales up 3% in the week to Saturday 19 November vs the same week in 2021 (Credit: Getty/	The Good Brigade)

Drinks sales 3% ahead of 2021

By Rebecca Weller

Average drinks sales across Britain's managed pubs, bars and restaurants exceeded 2021 levels for a ninth successive week, the latest Drinks Recovery Tracker from CGA by NielsenIQ has revealed.

New products: this week's features includes new serves from Camden Town Brewery, Haacht, Brewpoint and Aspall Cyder alongside a new brand launch from Pull the Pin

NEW PRODUCTS ROUND-UP

Camden Town announces limited-edition Pilsner

By Rebecca Weller

This week's round-up features new products from Camden Town Brewery, Haacht and Brewpoint alongside a festive re-release from Aspall Cyder and a new drinks brand launch.

High-class experience: Barkby Group acquires ninth site (Credit: Getty/Martin Barraud)

Barkby Group expands pub portfolio

By Rebecca Weller

Barkby Group has announced it has acquired the leasehold of a 19th Century village pub with accommodation in Gloucestershire.

Time to talk: HUMEN joins forces with Star sites to host a 'Pub Pilgrimage' (Getty/ Henrik Sorensen)

Mental health charity takes over Star pubs

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

HUMEN, a charity dedicated to reducing the number of male suicides, has partnered with 15 Star pubs to raise awareness for its ‘Rise Against Suicide’ campaign.

Get onside with the rules: Poppleston Allen issues warning over excessive fan behaviour (credit: Getty/skynesher)

Footy fans warned over pint throwing ‘assault’

By Poppleston Allen, licensing solicitors

Licensing solicitors Poppleston Allen have warned pubs that football fans who throw pints when the on-screen action gets exciting could be committing assault.

What's in the news 25 November

Another Christmas lost?

By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington catches up with hospitality expert Paul Pavli to get his take on the week's news, dominated by the rail union's decision to announce fresh strikes.

Staff shortages: Philip Smith outlines two approaches to addressing the recruitment issues, which are attracting school and university leavers and over 50s into the sector (image: Getty/MmeEmil)

opinion

Solving the hospitality workforce crisis

By Philip Smith, the Lord Smith of Hindhead CBE and chief executive of the Association of Conservative Clubs

Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics show hospitality has 174,000 vacancies. These staff shortages are growing, and hospitality businesses face rising input costs, as operators compete for staff, as well as causing one in three hospitality...

Truly passionate: Kevin Hollinrake MP (pictured) appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business

BEIS MP 'passionate' about interests of SMEs

By Rebecca Weller

As Kevin Hollinrake MP was recently appointed as the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business (BEIS under-secretary), the Morning Advertiser takes a look at his career.

Jim Fallon obituary

The loss of the industry's quiet man

By Phil Mellows

Jim Fallon, who has died aged just 56, was a quiet, yet hugely important, player in the UK pub industry, working behind the scenes of an unfolding drama that brought us the rise and fall of the giant pubcos.

Cultural and economic benefits: a new report has urged the Government to recognise the importance of the late-night sector (Credit: Getty/urbazon)

Gov urged to recognise club culture importance

By Rebecca Weller

A new report commissioned by the Electronic Impact Group in coordination with the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA), B:electronic and the Association For Electronic Music (AFEM) has aimed to showcase the importance of electronic music and club...

Negroni Sbagliato... with Prosecco in it: Sam Espensen bottles the drink

How to make a Negroni Sbagliato

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Bartenders give tips on making the perfect Negroni Sbagliato after the drink’s popularity skyrocketed following a viral TikTok video.

Catastrophic impact: RMT announces further strike action to take place over festive period (Credit: Getty/coldsnowstorm)

Christmas rail strikes 'devastating'

By Rebecca Weller

Rail strikes over the festive period will be “catastrophic” for hospitality businesses more “reliant” than ever on Christmas trade to get through the first quarter of 2023, trade bodies from across the sector have said.

Award-winning venue: the Lime Wood Hotel was named the best boutique hotel in the UK

Top 50 boutique hotels

Top 50 Boutique Hotels 2022 revealed

By Nikkie Thatcher

This year’s Top 50 Boutique Hotels list, sponsored by Taylors of Harrogate, has been unveiled with the top spot being taken by Lime Wood Hotel in Lyndhurst, Hampshire.

Strike impact: 'Once again, the hospitality sector gets thrown under the bus just in time for Christmas,' says The MA's Ed Bedington

opinion

A strike too far?

By Ed Bedington

Given the chaos of the past few years and the challenges pub and bar operators face going forward, we can be forgiven for hoping to be allowed to enjoy a reasonable Christmas trade before the realities of the new year bite.

Advice provided: Poppleston Allen provides tips on hosting lotteries and raffles (image: Getty/JodiJacobson)

Licensing hub - legal with Poppleston Allen

Top tips on football fun and festivities

By Alex Tomlinson, trainee solicitor, Poppleton Allen

The men’s World Cup and Christmas festive season has quickly come upon us.

Boost to trade: draught sales see 50% uplift during home nations World Cup opening games  (Credit: Getty/FG Trade)

World Cup boosts pint sales by 50%

By Rebecca Weller

The FIFA 2022 World Cup boosted draught sales in the on-trade by 50% on Monday 21 November, the latest data from business management consultancy Oxford Partnership has revealed.

Reasons to be cheerful: publicans explain how Heineken Silver has helped boost their sales

Promotional content

Publicans profit from growing light lager opportunity

By Heineken

Since launch in April, Heineken Silver has sold an average of 54 litres per week, per outlet[1], cementing itself as ‘one to watch’ in the lighter lager category, with more than 3,400 outlets already serving it on draught[2].

New rateable values: business rates to fall 17% for pubs but reductions do not go far enough according to Altus Group (Credit: Getty/John Lamb)

Business rates to fall by 17%

By Rebecca Weller

Business rates for pubs are set to fall by more than £247m under the 2023 revaluation of business properties, according to real estate advisers Altus Group.

Top tips: Fleurets advise on how to get pubs ready for sale (Getty/ TonyBaggett)

How to prepare your pub for sale

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Morning Advertiser caught up with Fleurets director and head of agency on how operators can get their pubs ready for sale.

Sharp's, Shepherd Neame and Black Sheep win at International Beer Challenge 2022

the cask project

Cask ale producers scoop host of awards

By Gary Lloyd

Cask ale producers Sharp’s, Shepherd Neame, Black Sheep Brewery and Purity are celebrating after winning an array of medals at the International Beer Challenge 2022.

Magnificent seven: The Wordsworth Hotel becomes The Inn Collection Group’s seventh acquisition of 2022

Inn Collection Group reaches 7th heaven

By Gary Lloyd

Newcastle-based pubs with rooms operator The Inn Collection Group has taken over the Wordsworth Hotel – its seventh acquisition of the year.

Job vacancies: despite initiatives such as higher wages, the sector is still short of labour (credit: Getty/Rowan Jordan)

11% of sector jobs remain vacant

By Gary Lloyd

One in nine hospitality jobs remain vacant despite successful recruitment processes post-Covid, such as offering higher wages, according to surveys by CGA by NielsenIQ and Fourth.

Amazing atmosphere: pubs have been pulling out all the stops in preparing for the FIFA 2022 World Cup  (Credit: Getty/Aksonov)

Pubs 'pulling out all the stops' for World Cup

By Rebecca Weller

Pubs have been “pulling out all the stops” to accommodate as many fans as possible following the start of the FIFA 2022 World Cup tournament on Sunday 20 November.

Massive opportunity: World Cup could see £91m spent on pints if England reach the final (Credit: Getty/ Aksonov)

World Cup could see £91m spent on pints

By Rebecca Weller

The 2022 FIFA World Cup could see a potential £91m boost to the on-trade if England make it to the final, according to Hey Discount.

Christmas bookings in decline: BBPA data reveals bookings for the festive season are down 20% across the on-trade (Credit: Getty/eli_asenova)

Christmas bookings see 20% decline

By Rebecca Weller

Christmas bookings across the on-trade have shown a 20% drop, according to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).