Independent Operators

Gatecrasher unveils plans after pre-pack administration

21-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

Gatecrasher, the  nightclub business, is looking to expand in key city locations across the world including New York, Miami and Singapore, as well as London, and make a significant investment in its UK sites after completing a pre-pack administration.

Wheatsheaf, Tooting, south London, becomes 101st Asset of Community Value pub

20-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Wheatsheaf in Tooting, south London, has become the 101st pub in the country to be listed as an Asset of Community Value.

BBPA pays tribute to regional secretary Lee Le Clercq on retirement

19-Aug-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has paid tribute to regional secretary, Lee Le Clercq, who retired at the end of July. 

Gatecrasher nightclubs undergoes pre-pack administration

19-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

The Gatecrasher nightclub business has undergone a pre-pack administration after finding itself unable to pay its debts, which included £3m to Barclays Bank and £500,000 to HM Revenue & Customs, the Publican's Morning Advertiser sister title...

Pubs 'missing out' on Generation Y business

19-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

Pubs are missing out on potential business from “Generation Y” by not being attune to their needs, according to a new survey.

Arkell’s reinforces help for new tenants

16-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

Arkell’s, the Wiltshire-based brewer and pub operator, has appointed its managed house director Craig Titchener to the new role of tenanted director as it takes a more “hands-on” approach to supporting new licensees, company director George Arkell has...

Licensees offering rooms urged to get up to speed on VAT changes

15-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees who provide accommodation for staff or have letting rooms will need to make sure they are up-to-date with the latest changes in VAT.

GBBF: Alfie Moon and Bet Lynch named UK’s top soap landlords

14-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

EastEnders landlord Alfie Moon and Coronation Street landlady Bet Lynch were honoured at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) in a poll commissioned by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Evan Evans reveals pub growth plan

12-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

South Wales brewer Evan Evans plans significantly to grow its pub estate because it believes the property market outside the M25 region has “bottomed out”.

BBPA to host Alcohol Strategy roundtable

09-Aug-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is to host a Alcohol Strategy Roundtable with the Department of Health and Home Office in late August.

Neil Macleod leaves Inventive after 21 years

09-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

Neil Macleod, who co-founded the Revolution Vodka Bar operator Inventive Leisure with Roy Ellis, has left the business to “pursue other interests”.

CAMRA launches beer and food matching initiative

09-Aug-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), hosted by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) , is encouraging its expected 55,000 visitors to match the real ales they try with different foods, as part of a new campaign to get more people matching beer with their...

It's Better Down the Pub starts trade push

09-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

The pan-industry campaign to encourage people to use pubs has revealed details of the next stage of its activities.

Heartstone losses widen before merger

08-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

Heartstone Inns, the Enterprise Investment Scheme-backed freehold pub operator, has reported a widening of losses across its two former trading divisions in 2012 despite a rise in sales, and reiterated its desire to expand under the newly-combined operation.

One in four Star pubs secure business rates cut

08-Aug-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Star Pubs & Bars, the Heineken-owned leased pub operator, says more than one in four of its lessees has undergone successful appeals of their business rates.

Women 1st calls for views on female board quotas

07-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Women 1st, which aims to increase the number of women in senior roles in hospitality, is calling for views on whether the Government should introduce quotas for women on boards.

Nottingham community pub seeks support in campaign to protect venue

07-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The community-run Nottingham pub the New White Bull has launched a campaign to save the venue after Greene King has offered the building for sale.

Colne launches rehabilitation scheme for banned pub drinkers

07-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Colne residents banned from pubs and clubs will now be offered a second chance under a new scheme which is the first of its kind in the UK.

Cornish pubs hit by flash flooding

06-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Cornwall fire and rescue services had to pump water from two pubs on the north coast of Cornwall yesterday, one of which is likely to close for three weeks, after heavy rain caused flash flooding in parts of the county.

Underage sales fine increases by £10

06-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees and bar staff caught serving an under 18 or drunk person will now be given £90 on-the-spot fines, instead of £80.

Zero hour contract use varied across pub trade

06-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The use of zero hour contracts is varied across the pub trade, an investigation from the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) has found.

Newquay Council to discuss community toilet scheme with pub operators

06-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Newquay Town Council has asked the pub trade to remain open-minded in regards to the potential introduction of a community toilet scheme which has been broadly welcomed by the industry.

Eating out market to grow to £90bn, managed pubs to be 'main winners'

05-Aug-2013 By Mark Wingett

The total UK foodservice and hospitality market will achieve 1.8% sales growth in 2013, reaching a total of £79.7bn, and is set for further positive growth over the next five years adding over £10bn in value to reach £90bn by 2018, representing compound...

ALMR sees ‘green shoots’ in the pub sector

05-Aug-2013 By Rob Willock

Signs of robust growth and confidence are creeping back into the pub sector, according to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

The Red Lion in Barnes is crowned Fuller's Master Cellarman of the Year

02-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

A London pub has been honoured for its exceptionally high quality real ale and awarded Fuller’s Master Cellarman of the Year 2013.

Heritage pub closes because it is 'hard to find'

02-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A pub that has been recognised for its heritage has had to close because it is not allowed a brown tourist sign to direct people to the venue.

'Bombs' sold in half of pubs

02-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

‘Bombs’ are now served at two in three bars and almost half of pubs, new research from CGA shows.

Cost of running the average pub increases

02-Aug-2013 By Mark Wingett

Like-for-like sales climbed 5.8% across the UK’s pub sector in the year to October 2012, with community locals and food led outlets outperforming the market, according to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailer’s (ALMR) latest Benchmarking Survey...

Inbetweeners star Greg Davies to present Great British Pub Awards

01-Aug-2013 By Jo Bruce

Greg Davies, star of The Inbetweeners and Cuckoo, is to present this year's BT Sport Great British Pub Awards.

Fuller's repairs on track in heatwave

31-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Fuller’s has caught up on the repairs programme and trading that was disrupted by last year’s summer rain as its pubs revelled in the current heatwave.

Convivial Pubs on the market for £16.9m

30-Jul-2013

Convivial London Pubs, the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)-funded managed pub operator, has been placed on the market, with offers in excess of £16.9m sought

ALMR calls for action to tackle supermarket 'irresponsibility'

29-Jul-2013 By Mike Berry

The ALMR has repeated its call for government action to tackle "supermarket irresponsibility" after figures emerged that six out of seven supermarkets sell alcohol below cost.

Friends and family - not pubs - main source of alcohol for young people

25-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Underage drinkers are far more likely to buy alcohol from friends or relatives than at a pub or bar, a new survey by the Department of Health (DoH) has revealed.

Wanted: pubs for classic car rallies

25-Jul-2013 By Rob Willock

A classic car insurance company is looking for pubs with large car parks or adjacent fields to host rallies for enthusiasts.

Sheps reports satisfactory trading and restructures board

25-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Shepherd Neame has announced a reorganisation of its board as it has reached a 10-year logistics agreement with Kuehne + Nagel, in a move that will see the departure of production and distribution director Tom Falcon and is likely to result in a “limited...

Pubs welcome the new Prince

23-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs all over the country are celebrating the arrival of the Royal baby with special drinks deals, Royal family look-a-likes and even new furniture.

BII chief Tim Hulme calls for hospitality to become an 'aspirational career'

19-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) chief executive Tim Hulme has called for more young people to train in hospitality and view working in pubs as an aspirational career path.

Top 10 pub jukebox tracks of 2013

18-Jul-2013 By Mike Berry

French electro-pop duo Daft Punk top the list of the most-played tracks on pub jukeboxes so far in 2013, according to digital music supplier Soundnet.

Latest PICA-Service licensees accuse process of being a 'tokenistic pantomine'

18-Jul-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The licensees in the latest Pubs Independent Conciliation & Arbitration Service (PICA-Service) case have decided to wave anonymity to accuse the process of being a “tokenistic pantomine”.

GMB joins Fair Deal for Your Local

18-Jul-2013 By Michelle Perrett

GMB, the union has become the latest organisation to formally back the national ‘Fair Deal for Your Local’ campaign calling for a fair deal for Britain’s tied licensees and pubs.

Justice for Licensees urges tenants to report fraud if 'conned' by pubco

18-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Justice for Licensees has called for tenants to report fraud if they have been “conned” by their pub company.

Pubs are not to blame for underage drinking, says PASS director

18-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The director of the National Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) has said pubs should not be held completely responsible for underage drinking.

Inventive Leisure to spend £6.6m to roll out evolved Revolution

12-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Inventive Leisure, the Alchemy Partners-backed bar operator, is to spend £6.6m rolling out an evolved version of Revolution to a further 26 sites after trials at eight venues, M&C Report has learnt.

Welsh pub has its 'busiest' day after being listed world's third best beach bar

12-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

A Welsh pub has received roaring trade after being named one of the world’s best beach bars.

First pubs launch new projects with Pub is the Hub Community Services Fund

12-Jul-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Two village pubs in West Cornwall have launched projects for their local communities after being the first to receive grants from Pub is the Hub’s new Community Services Fund.

Community pubs minister claims pub trade can help revive the high street

11-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun and Ellie Bothwell

The community pubs minister has urged the pub trade to help spread the word that the night-time economy can help suffering high streets.

Blackpool wins best Pubwatch

11-Jul-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Blackpool scooped the top prize at an industry awards celebrating the best Pubwatch schemes in the country last night.

Star reveals pub disposal plans

10-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Star Pubs & Bars hopes to dispose of 50 sites this year and could look at significant acquisitions once the “uncertainty” around the proposed statutory code for the sector is lifted, trading director Chris Jowsey has said.

Ex-Sarumdale directors secure tenancies on two pubs

10-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Former directors of Sarumdale, the Sussex-based pub company placed in administration last summer, have returned to the industry by securing tenancies on two pubs under new ventures R&M Inns and J&A Taverns.

Keltek plans Cornish estate of 20 pubs

10-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Keltek Cornish Brewery, the Cornwall-based brewer, plans to build an estate of 20 tenanted pubs over the next 10 years after spending £1.6m buying and renovating four sites, founder Stuart Heath has told M&C Report.