Independent Operators

Party pledges

21-Apr-2005

It's time to separate the wheat from the chaff - and get to the heart of the major political parties' election commitments to the pub trade with our...

Yobs set to blame pubs under 'Last Drink Policy'

21-Apr-2005

Licensees have been told they could face prosecution if anyone arrested for an alcohol-related offence fingers their premises as the last place they...

Licensees unimpressed by Tories' binge-drinking plans

21-Apr-2005

Licensees have given a lukewarm reaction to the Conservative Party's five-point plan to tackle binge-drinking.Tory leader Michael Howard announced...

Don't just keep the Jennings name

21-Apr-2005

Can Jennings survive? The takeover bid by Wolverhampton & Dudley has been accepted by the Cumbrian brewer, so there is little point in manning...

Clarification on display of hours

21-Apr-2005

I have been taken to task very politely, of course by a licensing officer (many of whom read the Morning Advertiser, you will be pleased to...

Fountain sale may raise £60m for S&N'

21-Apr-2005

A Scottish newspaper has claimed Scottish & Newcastle could pick up a £60m windfall when it sells its Fountain Brewery site in Edinburgh to...

Friend in after hours

21-Apr-2005

Q We have had a situation on which we need your advice. One night last week, at about 11.45pm, our barman was sitting having a drink with his friend...

Hull hit by joint spot checks

21-Apr-2005

A pub operator has complained about multi-agency spot checks on outlets in Hull city centre on key weekend trading nights. Licensees were recently...

More councils say licensees must be present at all times'

21-Apr-2005

by Ewan Turney Irate licensees in North Norfolk and Huntingdon have reported that their councils have adopted a similar stance to Calderdale Council...

Other areas of concern

21-Apr-2005

Smoking The party wants a self-regulatory approach, agreed with the industry. Conservative industry spokesman Stephen O'Brien says: "Within the time...

What the pubs say

21-Apr-2005

The take-up is evenly split "In summer we sell more Guinness Extra Cold than ordinary but otherwise it's pretty balanced. I think a lot of people...

West's

21-Apr-2005

got spring in its step Despite a wet and sluggish summer last year, the region's pub market is blossoming thanks to spring and thriving tourism....

Tourist directory targets licensees

20-Apr-2005

A tourist directory which has been targeting firms across the world from Bolivia to Belgium has stepped up its pursuit of UK licensees.Pubs across...

CI Traders questions Guernsey casino development

20-Apr-2005

Channel Islands leisure and retail group CI Traders has put a question mark over its proposed casino development on Guernsey.CIT said it is talking...

What the Sunday papers said

17-Apr-2005

SPI, Russian owner of the Stolichnaya vodka brand will this week enter the takeover frenzy surrounding Britain's Allied Domecq, ahead of a formal...

Capital opens two new sites

15-Apr-2005

Rapidly expanding pub group Capital has shrugged off suggestions that there is a shortage of good acquisition opportunities, opening two new...

On-trade sales hit by supermarkets

14-Apr-2005

Concern that cut-price alcohol in supermarkets is fuelling a drop in on-trade sales has been confirmed by government statistics.In the week that...

Wolves poised to snap up Jennings for £46m

14-Apr-2005

by Ewan Turney Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries is set to take over Cumbrian brewer and pub operator Jennings Brothers after making a...

Not what was planned

14-Apr-2005

Although there are a number of reasons why so few applications have been made for conversion to premises licences, one of the major factors must be...

No PASS scheme set to ease problems with ID

14-Apr-2005

by John Harrington Pub staff will soon be given extra help in identifying under-18s, and locating fake IDs, under a new initiative. The "No PASS,...

Even top solicitors find new Act's hard to grasp

14-Apr-2005

by Ewan Turney The country's top firm of licensing solicitors has admitted that even it is struggling to comprehend the regulations of the Licensing...

First franchisee' for Mentor

14-Apr-2005

Pub company Mentor Inns has appointed its first "franchisee" with responsibility for finding pubs and licensees. Paul Mahon, a Fellow of the BII...

Andrew Rothwell

14-Apr-2005

Farmers Arms Heskin Green Lancashire "We had the wedding on television in the pub, but truthfully, there was very little interest shown. Most...

Joining forces

12-Apr-2005

W&DB hopes to snap up Lake District-based Jennings. John Porter reports.The Wolves are hunting once again. This time, Midlands-based...

An acquired taste

12-Apr-2005

Having just completed a major deal with British Waterways, Lorna Harrison finds S&NPE is not prepared to tread water over future acquisitions.Two...

Crehan case delayed until next year

12-Apr-2005

The case of Crehan Vs Inntrepreneur is now expected to be heard in the House of Lords early next year.The case, which was expected to be in the House...

What the Sunday papers said

10-Apr-2005

Pernod Ricard and Fortune Brands are set to make an offer of more than £7bn for Allied Domecq as early as this week. Pernod, which is leading the...

Drink Talk: Dan Slark

08-Apr-2005

"There are many examples of pubs which thrive because they get their consumer propositions right" says Dan Slark, director of specialist marketing...

Wolves stirs Pitcher & Piano into expansion

07-Apr-2005

by The PMA Team The first new Pitcher & Piano in seven years opens in July as part of plans by Wolves & Dudley to pursue an "opportunistic"...

Latest blitz finds pubs still selling to under-18s

07-Apr-2005

A higher proportion of pubs sold to under-18s during the latest Home Office crackdown, according to early figures released this week.A large number...

Drink Talking: Peter Leathem

07-Apr-2005

PPL's new tariff has only been set after consultation with the trade says Peter Leathem, director of legal and business affairs at PPL.PPL (the UK...

A united voice, or face slaughter'

07-Apr-2005

by M&C editor Mark Stretton Some of the issues that have wrong-footed companies are extraordinary. History is littered with corporate fumbles....

Angry licensees blame local councils for licensing chaos

07-Apr-2005

by Ewan Turney Angry licensees have hit back at local authorities claiming they only have themselves to blame for the lack of applications for new...

Geronimo to open retro-themed pub

07-Apr-2005

London pub group Geronimo Inns, which operates 14 awardwinning and Michelin-rated pubs across the capital, is to open a retro-themed outlet in...

Key concessions, but no SIA deadline extension

07-Apr-2005

by Ewan Turney There will be no extension of the deadline for doorstaff to be Security Industry Authority (SIA) registered but three key concessions...

Young's £100m site sale report is way off mark'

07-Apr-2005

by Martyn Cornell A report that shareholders at South London brewer Young & Co could be voting soon on a £100m bonus from the redevelopment of...

Wessex Taverns put into administration

07-Apr-2005

North-east pub and bar operator Wessex Taverns has slipped into administration after cash-flow problems. The company, based in Whitley Bay, Tyne...

Brains power

05-Apr-2005

Lorna Harrison examines the four-year transformation of Welsh brewer Brains.You'd be hard pressed to find somebody living in Wales who hasn't heard...

Safety thirst

05-Apr-2005

Campaigns to increase pub customers' awareness of how much they are drinking have started to gather momentum. By James Wilmore.Brewers are taking...

Fortune Brands makes its move for Allied Domecq

05-Apr-2005

US spirits giant Fortune Brands has teamed up with Pernod Ricard in a takeover move for Allied Domecq.UK-based Allied, owner of brands including Tia...

Pub & Bar 2005 preview: Take in a show

05-Apr-2005

Pub & Bar, the industry's biggest show, opens at London's Olympia next week. Phil Mellows explains why you should be there.Over the past eight...

Pub & Bar 2005 preview: The best in show

05-Apr-2005

Each year companies choose Pub & Bar to unveil innovations to the pub industry and raise the profile of established products. Here are just some...

Pub & Bar 2005 preview: Exhibitors list

05-Apr-2005

Exhibiting at this year's Pub & Bar Show at London's Olympia are:3663 First for FoodserviceAAEL SolutionsAIRAirblocAjinomoto Frozen...

Pub & Bar 2005 preview: News and features

05-Apr-2005

All the latest news on the range of features offered by Pub & Bar 2005.Competition ends to find the UK's best pub singerPub singers are getting...

What the Sunday papers said

03-Apr-2005

Fortune Brands, the US conglomerate which counts Jim Beam bourbon among its portfolio of spirits brands, has appointed investment bank CSFB, to...

Hot Topics - Burning Issues facing the industry today

01-Apr-2005

PubChef asks industry experts for their views on burning issues the industry faces today

London pubs given reprieve over SIA

01-Apr-2005

Pubs and clubs in London have been given an eight-week extension to ensure their doorstaff have qualified for the new security licence, following...

Mill House set to grow to 100 sites

31-Mar-2005

by The PMA Team Mill House Inns chief executive Ted Kennedy has set a target of expanding the company from 60 to around 100 sites after completing a...