Independent Operators

BII defends itself against accusations over pubs advisory service

19-Feb-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The BII has hit out at accusations it was responsible for the delay in the setting up a pubs advisory service accusing the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) of blocking the move.

Horsemeat scandal: Brakes confirmed as supplier of Whitbread contaminated meat lasagne

15-Feb-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Brakes, the major pub food supplier, is recalling a Brakes brand lasagne following news that traces of horsemeat DNA were found in products it supplied to Whitbread.

Pubs minister to speak at BII annual lunch in May

15-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs minister Brandon Lewis is set to speak at the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) annual lunch in May.

Horsemeat scandal: Whitbread confirms horsemeat in beef products

15-Feb-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Whitbread, the pub restaurant group, has confirmed that traces of horsemeat have been found in selected beef burger and meat lasagne products.

Exclusive: Blackpool pubs and clubs face early morning restriction order which could "devastate" town

14-Feb-2013 By Adam Pescod

Proposals for an early morning restriction order (EMRO) in Blackpool have been slammed by licensees who claim it would “devastate” the town’s night-time economy.

Pubcos see improvement in tenant satisfaction levels over the past year

14-Feb-2013 By Rob Willock

Pub companies have achieved a general improvement in tenant satisfaction levels in the past year, according to new research.

Harnessing the power of the written word

13-Feb-2013 By Mitch Adams

We were recently lucky enough to have Pete Brown come along to the Thatchers Arms to host a reading of his latest book, Shakespeare’s Local.

The Baum in Rochdale, Lancashire, is CAMRA National Pub of the Year

13-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Baum in Rochdale, Lancashire has been crowned National Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Licensees with Sky 3D can watch live coverage of Formula 1

12-Feb-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Licensees with Sky 3D can watch live coverage of Formula 1 across all four days of the third test from 28 February to 3 March at the Circuit de Catalunya.

MA250: Inventive Leisure cuts staff turnover by 10% through increased employee engagement

12-Feb-2013 By John Harrington

Inventive Leisure, the Revolution Vodka Bar operator, has found that increasing the level of employee engagement in the business by just 1.5% helps reduce staff turnover by 10%.

Sussex Police pulls out of Worthing Pubwatch

12-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Sussex Police have pulled out of Worthing Pubwatch after a “breakdown in the relationship”.

Tennent Caledonian freezes wholesale price of leading brands

11-Feb-2013 By John Harrington

Tennent Caledonian has said that it will not increase the wholesale selling price of its leading brands – Tennent’s Lager, Caledonia Best and Magners Golden Draught – for Scotland’s free on-trade this year.

St Austell recognises its pubs at annual awards ceremony

08-Feb-2013 By Adam Pescod

St Austell Brewery has paid tribute to its pubs with 20 awards given out to reward team and individual achievements within the Cornwall-based brewery’s 170-strong estate.

Parliamentary motion launched against BBPA judicial review of Cambridge planning policy

08-Feb-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, Greg Mulholland, has co-signed an EDM tabled condemning the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) for its decision to pursue a judicial review against Cambridge City Council’s supplementary planning...

Bowmark still in running for Drake & Morgan deal

07-Feb-2013 By M&C Report

Bowmark Capital, the private equity backer of Las Iguanas, the Latin American high-street restaurant chain, is one of the remaining bidders for Drake & Morgan, the highly-regarded bar-restaurant operator, M&C Report understands.

Pub is the Hub urges Welsh pubs to introduce new services for local community

07-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pub is the Hub is urging more pubs in Wales to take advantage of the funding available to them for introducing new services to their local community.

London licensee wins free Sky subscription for a year

05-Feb-2013 By Adam Pescod

A London licensee has won a year’s free Sky commercial subscription following the launch of the new 2012/13 Sky Licence.

Preston Park Tavern in Brighton named Sustainable Pub of the Year

05-Feb-2013

The Preston Park Tavern in Brighton has been named Sustainable Pub of the Year at the Sustainable Restaurant Awards 2013 in London.

The Big Interview: Steve Benger, WaverleyTBS

04-Feb-2013 By John Harrington

Steve Benger is probably using a degree of understatement when he describes the recent period around WaverleyTBS’s demise as “fraught”.Few business collapses in this industry have had such a impact, and affected so many people so quickly, as that of Waverley.

Chelsea legend keeps flag flying high at pub 20 years later

04-Feb-2013

Snifter is always first to tip his hat to anybody who has run a pub for 20 years, but when that person is a former Chelsea footballer, it calls for a special kind of recognition.

Bar and restaurant sector is the UK's most distressed

04-Feb-2013

Bars and restaurants experienced the biggest increase in business distress of all industries in the final quarter of last year, according to new figure from Begbies Traynor.

Very sadly, it’s time gentlemen, please...

01-Feb-2013 By Mark Daniels

It is with a heavy heart and a sorry soul that my wife and I have decided not to renew our contract and to leave our pub.

Former BII Licensee of the Year buys pub in David Cameron's childhood village

01-Feb-2013 By Adam Pescod

Former BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) Licensee of the Year Phil Davison is hopeful of a visit from David Cameron after buying the only pub in the Prime Minister’s childhood village.

London pubs back proposals for extended Tube service at weekends

31-Jan-2013 By Adam Pescod

London publicans have backed Transport for London’s (TfL) proposals to extend Tube services until 2am on a Friday and Saturday night from 2015, with some suggesting they may look at longer opening hours.

Pub industry association infighting wrecked pubco self-regulation deal

31-Jan-2013 By Rob Willock

Recriminations and infighting between pub industry representative bodies have been laid bare in 19 responses to the government’s call for evidence on the progress of self-regulation of the pubco-tenant relationship.

Pub and club insolvency rates stabilise, says PwC

30-Jan-2013 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Insolvency rates across the pub and club sector showed no change in 2012, according to figures obtained by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

London pub deliveries to be impacted by new cycle lanes

30-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs in London may find it harder to receive deliveries if proposals by Transport for London (TfL) go ahead.

Yellowhammer Bars subsidiary ‘nears administration’

29-Jan-2013 By M&C Report

Another subsidiary of Yellowhammer Bars, the bar and nightclub operator, has given notice of its intention to appoint administrators, M&C Report has learnt.

Pub saves the (wedding) day

28-Jan-2013

As if proof were ever needed that pubs are the savior of everything, two Bedfordshire licensees did the industry proud last weekend by providing a last-minute wedding reception venue to a stricken couple.

Publicans express mixed views on High Speed 2 rail proposals

28-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs along the route of the new high speed railway line have expressed mixed opinions, with those in town centres looking forward to extra footfall.

ALMR unveils 15 new members

28-Jan-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has signed up 15 new members already during 2013 bringing its total number of operator members to 121.

Elland Brewery 1872 Porter wins CAMRA Winter Beer of Britain

25-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun

West Yorkshire-based Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter has been crowned Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2013 by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Ex-WaverleyTBS boss predicts more consolidation in wholesale drinks market

24-Jan-2013

The former chief executive of failed drinks wholesaler WaverleyTBS has predicted more consolidation in the wholesale market in 2013, with a number of regional players set to "drop out".

The luck (or cheek) of the Irish...?

23-Jan-2013

Snifter has always assumed that ‘drink-driving’ was just one of those laws which couldn’t be touched - but try telling that to his friends in Ireland.

Pubs see slow trading and delayed deliveries during snow

23-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun & Adam Pescod

Snowfall throughout the country resulted in a dramatic drop in trade for some operators, and left pubs waiting days for deliveries.

The Big Interview: Brenhan Magee, Broadway Bar & Grill

22-Jan-2013 By Jessica Harvey

Brenhan Magee is known for hosting hedonistic nights in WC1. But now he has given west London’s Fulham Road a touch of his signature style — this time in the form of a bar, restaurant and private members’ club with roof terraces.

Phene Arms, Chelsea, saved from closure

22-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun

An historic pub in Chelsea, west London, has been saved from closure by the Planning Inspectorate after the owner sought planning permission to turn the site into housing.

First Pub is the Hub heritage project launched

22-Jan-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Midsomer Murders and Game of Thrones actor, Owen Teale, launched the first pub heritage project at the Prince of Wales, Kenfig near Bridgend for his childhood friend and current landlord, Gareth Maund.

National Pubwatch conference will unveil exclusive research on the effectiveness of pubwatches

21-Jan-2013

The annual conference for National Pubwatch will see the unveiling of exclusive research showing the full impact that pubwatches have on the local area.

Pub cleaner retires after 41 years

18-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Sheila Nicholson, cleaner at the Red Lion in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has polished the pub’s bar for the last time, retiring after 41 years.

Pesto eyes 10 more sites after funding boost

18-Jan-2013 By M&C Report

Lord Peter Daresbury, the former head of pubs group Greenalls and ex-La Tasca finance director Martin Evans, have taken minor equity stakes in and joined the board of Pesto, the north west-based pub and restaurant chain owned by La Tasca founder Neil...

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