Independent Operators

Men spend instead of save

14-Apr-2003

Young men are spending more cash than ever before on leisure activities such as going to the pub, a new report has revealed.According to market...

Okell's heads for the mainland

14-Apr-2003

Isle of Man brewer Okell's has recruited the former managing director of Liverpool's Robert Cain Brewery to scour Merseyside for pubs.Steve Holt is...

Heritage Pubco back with 240 pub acquisition

14-Apr-2003

Entrepreneurs John Finney and David Harrison have re-launched the Heritage Pub Company with the acquisition of Pennant Inns' 240 pubs.Heritage has...

What the Sunday papers said

14-Apr-2003

The ObserverMORE than half of Britons back New York-style smoking bans in restaurants according to a survey published today. THE bounce in the stock...

Time to take stock of market forces

11-Apr-2003

Mark Stretton examines the role of the City analyst - the professionals charged with the difficult task of predicting winners and losers of the stock...

Walsh launches £40m venture fund

11-Apr-2003

Pub entrepreneur Jim Walsh has established an investment company with a fund of up to £40m for new ventures.The Commer Investment Fund has already...

Suspicious fire hits bar

10-Apr-2003

A massive fire which destroyed a pub on the Isle of Lewis is being treated by police as suspicious. The centre of Stornoway on the island was closed...

Hog's Head revamp will keep a taste of traditional values

10-Apr-2003

by Claire Hu Laurel has decided against converting all its Hogshead pubs to a new contemporary concept, and will instead retain a proportion as...

Glasgow's Bed is now Blanket

10-Apr-2003

Bed a nightclub that opened in December on the site of the former Velvet Rooms in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street has been forced to change its...

Cleaning the door

09-Apr-2003

Michelle Perrett examines the new regulations for pub doorstaff.It's now official - licensees who use doorstaff will have to meet the requirements...

What the Sunday papers said

07-Apr-2003

The Sunday TimesSCOTTISH & NEWCASTLE is to secure a 30-year management, distribution and beer-supply contracts as part of the £750m sale of more...

The beat goes

03-Apr-2003

on for DJ Hayes John Hayes has run nightclubs in Scunthorpe since 1974. It all began on a night out in Tiffany's in Scunthorpe when he found himself...

Host loses final battle

03-Apr-2003

A Norfolk landlord who had just received £1m in compensation after being badly beaten in a pub attack 10 years ago has died of cancer. Ronald Mizon,...

Pubs seen as crucial in bid to promote tourism

03-Apr-2003

By Clive Smith and The PMA Team Pubs can play a huge role in helping to persuade more people to visit the UK from abroad. British Tourist Association...

Pubs' knight vision

03-Apr-2003

The campaign for St George's Day to become better recognised and celebrated more widely is gaining momentum as we move closer to April 23.Charles...

The Publican People Charter Update

03-Apr-2003

Last week, The Publican Newspaper launched its new campaign - The Publican People Charter - which has been set up in a bid to improve customer...

Leeds licensee's protection racket case in court

03-Apr-2003

A licensee of a Leeds pub has been giving evidence in court after an alleged run-in with a protection racket. Barbara Forest, who manages the Lion...

Concern as plans to give EHOs power to close pubs are unveiled

03-Apr-2003

Proposals to give Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) the powers to shut down noisy and rowdy pubs could spell trouble for licensees.Under the new...

Six Continents faces £110m split bill

03-Apr-2003

Six Continents has admitted it faces a £110m bill for the cost of demerging its pubs and hotels businesses.Its vast array of bankers, brokers,...

Barracuda has become a stealthy predator, armed to the teeth

03-Apr-2003

It isn't hard to figure out why Barracuda is one of the snappiest retail operators in the industry's shark-infested waters these days. "In...

Leisure boss Hemmings swoops for Brannigans

02-Apr-2003

Leisure entrepreneur Trevor Hemmings has pipped niche operator Vodka Bar Management (VBM) in the race for the Brannigans chain of bars.Mr Hemmings,...

NI hike spells bad news for businesses

01-Apr-2003

The forthcoming National Insurance hike could lead to the loss of thousands of jobs as businesses struggle to meet the costs. A report by the British...

What the Sunday papers said

31-Mar-2003

The Sunday TimesIndustry figures who have dominated the corporate landscape for the past 20 years - including Sir Brian Stewart of Scottish &...

A clear signal

28-Mar-2003

Growing your market can be an expensive business but getting the message right can certainly pay off. By Peter Segal of srcg, a consultancy...

Hitting the target

28-Mar-2003

The following article is brought to you by Coors Brewers.Targeting the right customers is vital to increase trade.Understanding your customers is one...

O'Neill's is flying high at Heathrow

27-Mar-2003

By The PMA Team An O'Neill's outlet has been opened under franchise at Heathrow Airport. Brand owner Six Continents Retail has agreed a franchising...

Untying the knot

27-Mar-2003

Mike Foster, the man who ran Inntrepreneur, has presented his evidence in the landmark case. It's a revealing picture of life at the top of a major...

Court puts sword to Zanzibar plan

27-Mar-2003

by Richard Matthews A Crown Court's decision to overturn a previous ruling of a licensing panel and turn down a licence for a city-centre superclub...

BEDA's Hayes in discount blast

27-Mar-2003

By The PMA Team Nightclub operator John Hayes who is chairman of the Bar Entertainment and Dance Asso-ciation (BEDA) has called for a...

InfoPage: PRS - Congratulations to Dogma, The Publican's Music Pub of the Year 2003

27-Mar-2003

This InfoPage is an online advertorial from our sponsor PRS.Dogma, a three storey building based in the heart of Nottingham is a spilt level venue...

Laurel heads the pack for 6C pubs

27-Mar-2003

Laurel Pub Company is working on an audacious bid for the Six Continents pub division Mitchells & Butlers (M&B).The managed company is one of...

Publican People Charter launched

27-Mar-2003

A new campaign to raise service standards in British pubs has been launched by The Publican.The Publican People Charter aims to improve customer...

Case study: The Living Room

27-Mar-2003

Living Room bars are renowned across the country, not just for attracting famous footballers such as David Beckham, but also for their excellent...

Pub excellence promoted by Charter

27-Mar-2003

Not so long ago, a new high street bar opened near The Publican's offices in Croydon, South London.The company had gone to a great deal of expense,...

Plan to open new Nottingham lap dancing club ruled unsafe

27-Mar-2003

A bid to open a table dancing club on the outskirts of Nottingham has been turned down because councillors fear it could put women at risk....

Athenaeum's fate uncertain

27-Mar-2003

The fate of a Manchester city-centre pub, closed by magistrates for fear of soccer violence breaking out, will be decided at a hearing next month....

Publican Award winners revealed

26-Mar-2003

The industry's leading stars were celebrating last night after reaping success at the glittering Publican Awards ceremony.Gathering for the largest...

Licensees split over minimum wage rise

25-Mar-2003

Over 40 per cent of licensees believe that the 30p an hour increase in the minimum wage will not affect their businesses, according to a poll on...

What the Sunday papers said

24-Mar-2003

The ObserverLibido-boosting drinks will flood into bars this summer as young clubbers are targeted with a potent new range of products that have been...

Chameleon' bars face bleak future report

20-Mar-2003

by Mike Bennett A major new report predicts the continued demise of "chameleon" pubs and bars caught in the middle between innovative high street...

Case study: The Garsdale Country Inn

20-Mar-2003

The opening of a self-contained restaurant in a disused back room proved the crucial turning point in the development of the Garsdale Country Inn at...

Hall & Woodhouse will be introducing a new seasonal ale in M

20-Mar-2003

Marketing manager Rick Payne said: "Badger has established a good track record of attracting new consumers to cask ale through product innovation...

Thatched-roofed pubs face insurance dilemma

20-Mar-2003

by Richard Matthews The escalating cost of insurance cover has now hit licensees running pubs with thatched roofs. One says the cost of his insurance...

Osmond fails to land killer blow

20-Mar-2003

People tend to be more polite in company of course. And that might be the reason why the much-anticipated Six Continents showdown seemed more like a...

Of muppets and men

20-Mar-2003

So what, exactly, is a muppet? A small puppet of grotesque appearance, I believe. The avaricious Miss Piggy was the most celebrated muppet of them...

Trade told to foot pub violence injury bill

20-Mar-2003

The pub trade should contribute to the cost of compensation for victims of pub fights, according to researchers in Cardiff.The call for action came...

Research shows pubs are still the place to drink

20-Mar-2003

Nearly three quarters of all beer is drunk in pubs, despite previous reports that the British pub is a dying breed.According to new research by...

Girls grin and bare it in aid of charity

20-Mar-2003

Workers at a Hungry Horse pub have unveiled a cheeky charity product a saucy staff calendar in aid of Children in Need. Four female workers at The...

Maxxium

20-Mar-2003

Who are they? A rapidly expanding producer, distribution and sales network, Maxxium Worldwide was formed in 1999 through the partnership of Highland...