Other operators

The benefits of micropubs

23-May-2012 By Robert Sayles

‘It appears to have everything prospective publicans crave; low start up costs, choice of location, competitive rent and FOT on a fantastic range of cask ales. It's the way to go for many of those thinking about entering the trade, isn’t it?’

Profits up to £4.5m for Brains

23-May-2012

SA Brains, the Cardiff-based brewer and pub operator, 6.2% rise in profits to £4.5m for the year ending 30 September 2011 and said that trading in its current financial year to date had been “satisfactory” and was “broadly on plan” despite the tough economic...

Great British Pub Awards: new Most Charitable Pub category launched

23-May-2012 By Mike Berry

Pubs that raise money for good causes can now receive the recognition they deserve through a new category in the Great British Pub Awards.

Pre-tax profits rise 7.5% for Theakston

23-May-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Theakston, the North Yorkshire brewer, saw pre-tax profits rise 7.5% to £1.45m last year, despite seeing its duty bill increase to 48.3% of gross turnover.

BBPA chief Brigid Simmonds warns MPs over effectiveness of alcohol minimum pricing

23-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Minimum pricing will not target those with serious alcohol problems, British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Brigid Simmonds warned yesterday.

Guild of Master Victuallers renews calls for FLVA to join its ranks

22-May-2012 By Adam Pescod

The Guild of Master Victuallers (GMV) has renewed calls for the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA) to consider joining it to create a united body that represents licensees.

SABMiller and the BII help bar staff fight against under-age sales

21-May-2012 By Gurjit Degun

SABMiller and the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) are set to launch a new scheme aimed at helping bar staff battle against alcohol abuse and under-age sales.

Hospitality Guild launches to unite sector skills effort

21-May-2012 By Rob Willock

Pubs are represented in a new initiative to promote training, growth, innovation and careers across the wider hospitality sector.

London gastropub Elk in the Woods buys next site

21-May-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Bar Chocolate Ltd, the company behind the popular gastropub Elk in the Woods in London, has secured its second site in the capital.

SBPA questions new ID card proposals in Scotland

18-May-2012

The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) has questioned the “practical benefit” of introducing further forms of ID that can be used to prove age in Scotland.

Martin Grant resigns as chairman of the BII

17-May-2012 By Rob Willock

Martin Grant has resigned as chairman of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) following a “watershed” month for the organisation.

Pubcos warned by secretary of state Pickles to get house in order over tenant relationships

17-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Pubcos have been warned to get their house in order over the pubco-tenant relationship, by secretary of state for community and local goverment Eric Pickles MP.

Licensee helps capture alleged fraudster targeting pubs

17-May-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has helped capture a man allegedly fleecing publicans out of hundreds of pounds by trailing him to his next target’s pub.

Magners revenue grows in the UK

16-May-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

C&C Group, the Irish producer of Magners cider and Tennents lager, has reported a full-year growth in Magners revenue in Britain for the first time in five years, thanks to new variants of the brand.

Trade raises concern about 50p minimum pricing plan for Scotland

16-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The trade has raised concerns after the Scottish Government confirmed its preference for a 50p-per-unit minimum price for alcohol in Scotland — 5p higher than originally mooted.

Ringing the virtual bell for QR codes

15-May-2012

I’m a big fan of QR Codes. You know, those strange little squares that you see on advertising hoards, websites, branded merchandising and so on?

Trade bodies express relief at 'breathing space' given to pubs in Queen's Speech

15-May-2012

Trade bodies have given the thumbs up to the ‘breathing space’ afforded to the industry in the content of the Queen’s speech which — for the first time in 10 years — did not contain pub-specific legislative proposals.

Scotland confirms plans for minimum price for alcohol at 50p per unit

14-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Scotland has confirmed that it wants to set the minimum price for alcohol at 50p per unit.

BII chief Peter Thomas claims Brewdog-Diageo debacle "unfortunate" and "regrettable"

11-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

BII chief executive Peter Thomas has responded to the Diageo - Brewdog debacle claiming the incident was “unfortunate, regrettable, disappointing”.

Jonathan Neame to become BBPA chairman

11-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Kent-based family brewer Shepherd Neame, is to be the new chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) from the end of June.

National Pubwatch launches online tool to map local pubwatch schemes

11-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

National Pubwatch (NPW) has launched an online mapping tool to help the organisation draw up a list of pubwatch schemes across the UK.

PPL boss urges industry to shop pubs and bars dodging music fees

10-May-2012 By Mike Berry

The boss of music licensing body PPL has urged licensees to report pubs and late-night venues that are dodging paying music fees.

Diageo apologises for stripping Scottish pub firm BrewDog of Bar Operator of the Year 2012 award

09-May-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Global drinks firm Diageo has apologised after a “serious misjudgement” on stripping Scottish brewer and pub operator BrewDog of Bar Operator of the Year 2012 at the BII Scotland annual awards.

Mahdis Neghabian of the Camden Eye is BII Licensee of the Year 2012

08-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Mahdis Neghabian of the Camden Eye in London has been awarded BII Licensee of the Year 2012.

Mark McQuater to leave Barracuda Pub Company

08-May-2012

Mark McQuater is set to leave Barracuda Pub Company after 12 years, to be replaced as chief executive by the former managing director of Mitchells & Butlers’ (M&B) Value division, Roger Moxham.

Tadcaster converts four tenanted pubs to managed

04-May-2012

Tadcaster Pub Company, the northern England-based pub operator, has revealed that it has converted four of its tenanted pubs to managed and is looking to convert two more sites in the near future.

Czech Government plans to undermine Budweiser are thwarted

03-May-2012 By Roger Protz

Moves by the Czech government to undermine the state-owned Budweiser Budvar brewery by handing its key export markets to rival AB InBev, which owns the American Budweiser brand, have been thwarted.

LT Pub management subsidiary signed up for Little Chef deal

02-May-2012

Little Chef, the iconic roadside chain, has appointed a subsidiary of LT Pub Management, the pub management specialist led by Billy Buchanan, to provide operational support.

Downing Corporate Finance aims to raise £16m from pub deal

02-May-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Downing Corporate Finance plans to raise up to £16m via its recently-launched Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) to invest in a portfolio of freehold and long-leasehold pubs.

The Big Interview: Martin Hartridge

30-Apr-2012

Seventy years after the Luftwaffe carelessly dropped its bombs on the Hampshire village of Hambledon destroying the Alliance Brewery, beers are once again being brewed under the Alliance name.

Pub 'friendliness' top factor for consumers when choosing destination

30-Apr-2012 By Lesley Foottit

The friendliness of a pub is the most important factor consumers consider when deciding which one to visit.

Tottenham Court Road pubs continue trading following siege

30-Apr-2012 By Helen Gilbert

Pubs in Tottenham Court Road are going about business as usual despite the central London street being closed by police following a bomb alert.

University of York academic to investigate the role of village pubs in the community

26-Apr-2012 By Michelle Perrett

An academic from the University of York has received a British Academy award to explore the role of village pubs.

Whitbread reports a 2.6% increase in like-for-like sales

26-Apr-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Whitbread has reported a 2.6% increase in like-for-like sales for the year to 1 March 2012, on the back of continued growth at Costa Coffee, but said that trading had been variable during the year and that it expected that trend to continue.

Great British Pub Awards 2012 now open for entries

26-Apr-2012 By Mike Berry

The Great British Pub Awards 2012 has officially launched today and is now open for entries.

Welsh landlords back 50p minimum price per unit on alcohol

25-Apr-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Almost eight out of 10 (77%) Welsh licensees would back the introduction of a 50p minimum price per unit of alcohol, according to a survey commissioned by charity Alcohol Concern.

Exclusive: Beleaguered BII appoints Peter Thomas as chief exec for make or break year

25-Apr-2012 By Rob Willock

BII interim CEO Peter Thomas has been asked to serve in the role full-time for 12 months to offer “stability” and “commercial leadership”, following a turbulent year in which the institute has run up a deficit of around £400,000.

Admiral unveils first right to buy

20-Apr-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Admiral Taverns, the tenanted pub operator, has revealed details of the first agreement it has signed with a tenant that gives them the opportunity to buy the freehold of the pub from three years into a lease.

500 events posted on CAMRA's Community Pubs Month website

19-Apr-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs are getting behind the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA’s) Community Pubs Month with 500 events being posted on the initiative’s website — www.communitypubs month.org.uk.

Pub landlord hails use of body-mounted video cameras for cutting complaints against doorstaff

19-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

A Northamptonshire licensee has hailed the use of body-mounted video cameras in his pub as a great success in reducing the number of false allegations against doorstaff.

Thwaites seals pub deal with microbrewer Prospect Brewery

19-Apr-2012 By John Harrington

Lancashire brewer and pub operator Daniel Thwaites has unveiled its first pub partnership deal with a microbrewer that lets the smaller producer serve its own beers free-of-tie, and is looking to roll the agreement out further, M&C Report has learnt.

Wet-led Amber Taverns named top performing pub company in Zolfo Cooper Profit Tracker

19-Apr-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Amber Taverns, the operator of 76 pubs in northern England, has been identified as the UK’s privately-owned pub and bar operator with the fastest profit growth — proving that wet-led community pubs are far from dead.

Portsmouth pub landlord to take anti-Nazi group to court for website allegations

19-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

A Portsmouth licensee has said he will take an anti-fascist organisation “all the way to the courts” after threats were made against his family for his alleged links to right-wing extremism.

CAMRA has 1m beer mats for pubs to promote scrapping of duty escalator

18-Apr-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has a million free beer mats available for pubs to order to encourage customers to sign an e-petition asking the Chancellor to scrap the alcohol duty escalator.

Charterhouse Leisure nets £2m funding to expand Coal Grill & Bar brand

18-Apr-2012

Charterhouse Leisure has secured £2m in new funding as it looks to further expand and refresh its Coal Grill & Bar brand, M&C Report understands.

Momo in talks to roll out Jongleurs comedy clubs

18-Apr-2012

Momo Leisure, the firm run by former Regent Inns executives David Elphick and Jez King, is in talks with around six late-night bar operators about rolling out Jongleurs comedy clubs into their outlets, M&C Report has learnt.

Head of Steam pub chain offers take-home ready meals as part of Stuff the Supermarkets campaign

17-Apr-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A multiple operator is offering customers ready meals to take home as part of its Stuff the Supermarkets campaign, in a bid to compete with the retail giants.

Summer screen test at the Tharp Arms

17-Apr-2012 By Mark Daniels

You will be getting a bigger television in time for Euro 2012, won’t you?” The short answer to that question was “no”. Over the years I’ve acquiesced left, right and centre to customer requests, head buried deep in the belief that if I provide it, they...

The Big Interview: Henry Ashworth

10-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

Nobody can accuse Portman Group’s chief executive Henry Ashworth of not having enough experience of the harm that alcohol misuse can cause. As Adam Pescod discovers, he is the ideal man to encourage responsible drinking.

Beds & Bars plans to open six sites in America

10-Apr-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Beds & Bars, the pub-meets-hostel operator, is planning to open six sites in America over the next three to five years and could eventually float or sell the US business, according to managing director Keith Knowles.