Other operators

Hook Norton profits rise

28-Feb-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Hook Norton, the Oxfordshire-based brewer and pub operator, has reported a sharp rise in profits in a “challenging” year.

Whitbread launches three skills academies

27-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Whitbread, which owns Beefeater, has launched three food and beverage skills academies across the UK for restaurant and kitchen managers.

New rail link to close former CAMRA pub of the year

24-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

The Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Pub of the Year 2009/10 is set to fall victim to the construction of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail network, which was approved by the Government last month.

Black Dog seals its third outlet

24-Feb-2012

Black Dog Ballroom, the Manchester-based bar and nightclub operator, has secured its third site as it looks to expand out of the city and develop a new bowling and pool offer.

Nottingham parking charges cause outcry

24-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Nottingham licensees are furious at new early-evening and Sunday parking charges in the city centre.

Publicans positive despite rising costs

23-Feb-2012 By Noli Dinkovski

Nearly half of publicans believe their turnover will improve in 2012, despite growing fears about rising energy costs.

Gastropub pioneers secure third site

22-Feb-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

QHA Limited, the pub company run by gastropub pioneers Michael Kittos and Tony Wolfe, has secured its third site, a former Samuel Smith pub in central London.

Banning orders and publicity

22-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

I was rather interested to read about the Cornwall nightclub owner who has installed an ID scanner so she can share information on ‘difficult’ customers with other licensees in the area.This is a subject I have dealt with regularly over many years.

Industry leaders to debate the future of the pub trade

21-Feb-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Industry bosses will debate the future of the pub industry as part of a conference and boat party celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

VAT is not the issue

20-Feb-2012 By Mark Daniels

Oh dear, it would seem somebody in Government has been speaking cobblers again. Of all the bonkers drivel spouted from our politicians this weekend, it was Ed Balls' pronouncement that really made me laugh.

Conman complaints stream in

17-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Complaints about a conman fleecing licensees out of hundreds of pounds have been streaming into the Publican’s Morning Advertiser, following an exclusive story last week.

Workload doubles at Pub is the Hub

17-Feb-2012 By Tony Halstead

Rural regeneration champion Pub is the Hub has doubled its workload over the past 12 months as more under-threat licensees seek help to keep their businesses viable.

Euroview suspend services after pub footy ruling

16-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

A major supplier of foreign satellite decoder cards and set-top boxes has suspended operations to “make changes to its service” following a recent High Court ruling on pub football broadcasts.

FLVA calls for fairer share of profits for tied licensees

16-Feb-2012 By Tony Halstead

Licensees must be given a fairer share of tied pub profits if the industry is to attract more people with the right entrepreneurial skills, a trade leader has warned.

Admiral Taverns reveals price freeze

16-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Admiral Taverns claims that it is offering tenants and lessees beer products at lower prices than those recommended by brewers.

Pub staff must work longer to claim unfair dismissal

15-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees will have an extra year to dismiss underperforming staff without worrying about unfair ordinary dismissal claims from 6 April.

Calling time on drinking up

15-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

One of the main practical differences between the new Scottish Licensing Act and its English counterpart concerns drinking-up time. Section 63 of the Scottish Act retains the 15-minute drinking-up period.

British Gas: Pubs losing money on 'out-of-hours' energy

14-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Businesses, including pubs, are spending up to £1 in every £2 of their electricity bills at times when staff have gone home, according to the latest figures from British Gas.

Licensees recognised at Pubwatch conference

14-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

National Pubwatch recognised the good practice displayed by two licensees — Janet Dooner and Miles Murphy — by presenting them each with an Outstanding Contribution Award last week.

Itching for licensing reform

13-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

We are now seven years on from the start of that frantic period of applications for new personal and premises licences, known as ‘transition’. I am beginning to get that Seven Year Itch.

CAMRA reveals National Pub of the Year

10-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

The Bridge End Inn in Ruabon, Wrexham, has been crowned the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) National Pub of the Year – the first ever Welsh pub with the title.

Serial conman fleeces licensees

10-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees offering accommodation are strongly advised to “be on their mettle” about a conman booking rooms under false names and leaving without settling his bill.

GMB calls for guidelines over Brulines

09-Feb-2012 By Michelle Perrett

GMB, the union, has called on the Department for Business, Innovation And Skills (BIS) to issue guidance to local trading standards officers concerning Brulines, the beer-flow monitoring equipment.

Pubs urged not to buy TV cards after ruling

09-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Licensees have been warned not to buy European satellite TV decoder cards until a definitive ruling on copyright has been made.

Licensee's polycarbonate plea

09-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A Cornwall licensee has called for the Government to introduce legislation forcing all pubs to use only polycarbonate glasses and bottles in their premises.

How to get rid of surplus conditions

08-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

Still on the subject of conditions, I continue to see premises licences with a whole string of requirements, many of which appear to have little or no relevance to the current situation of the pub concerned.

A bit of courtesy goes a long way

08-Feb-2012 By Mark Daniels

Last Saturday morning, before the snow came, I was sat in bed sipping a cup of tea and reading one of the nation’s most popular red tops when I came across an article about what makes people happy.

Major operators back Games safety

08-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Major pub operators have signed up to a new information-sharing initiative which aims to improve security across London in the run-up to the Olympic Games.

BBPA: Pubs must capitalise on 'year of celebration'

07-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Britain’s pubs must capitalise on the huge year of celebration in 2012 – without over-zealous councils and regulations getting in the way, said BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds today.

Police cutbacks spell trouble

06-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

Last week, a number of chief constables complained that due to the stringent cuts imposed by the present Government they were in danger of losing front-line policing.

Fuller’s acquires £22.9m ETI package

03-Feb-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Fuller’s, the London brewer and pub operator, has agreed to pay £22.9m to acquire 15 freehold tenanted pubs from Enterprise Inns.

Licensee in warning to trade over water charges

03-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

A Stoke-on-Trent licensee has warned fellow publicans to check their water bills after finding he had been overcharged £522 per year since August 2005.

IPPR: 'policymakers must recognise pubs’ social value'

02-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

The social value of pubs is often overlooked by policymakers because official statistics only capture their financial benefits, according to the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Tangled web of licensing law

01-Feb-2012 By Peter Coulson

The tangled web of modern licensing law has reached a new level recently, if the consultation document on early morning restriction orders and the late-night levy is anything to go by.

Pubs get a chance to call for energy reform

01-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Pubs are being urged to write to Ofgem, the electricity and gas regulator, calling for reform of the energy market.

Walkabout refurb costs may hit £9m

01-Feb-2012 By John Harrington

Intertain is to spend around £7m to £9m on major refurbishments of 15-20 Walkabout bars, the PMA can reveal.

PICAS panel chairman appointed

31-Jan-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The newly-formed Pub Independent Conciliation Advisory Service (PICAS) has elected Rodger Vickers as chairman of the panel that will review disputes between pubcos and tenants.

Free Root Canal with Every Pint

31-Jan-2012 By Mark Daniels

There is nowhere I would rather be on a dreary Saturday afternoon in January than sat in the back of a mobile dental surgery… actually, strike that.

Getting a picture of police heavies

30-Jan-2012 By Peter Coulson

I have great sympathy for Michael Kheng (Operator in CCTV dispute, the PMA 19 January) in his dispute with police in Lincolnshire, who asked for footage in connection with a burglary that he refused to hand over without more specific information.

Former Tchenguiz directors' pubs deal

30-Jan-2012 By John Harrington

Former associates of Robert Tchenguiz have bought 32 pubs previously part of the Iranian property tycoon’s R&L Properties pub empire, the PMA understands.

More small-scale pubcos use EIS

30-Jan-2012 By John Harrington

Increasing numbers of small-scale pub operators are setting up new companies via funding from the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS).

Tennents announces price rises

26-Jan-2012

Tennent Caledonian is set to increase the price of its lager by £9.98 per barrel, and £9.99 on Magners Golden Draught – equivalent to a 2.2% rise.

Licensee hit by sales penalty for failing test purchase operations

26-Jan-2012

A publican has had to suspend alcohol sales for 28 days after failing two test-purchase operations last year, as part of a crackdown by police in the area.

Licensee in £46k energy dispute with British Gas

26-Jan-2012 By Adam Pescod

British Gas is working to resolve a dispute with a licensee in Cumbria about a £46,000 bill after intervention by the PMA.

Protecting the pubs’ interests

25-Jan-2012 By Peter Coulson

Trade protection has a very different meaning these days from the time when licensed victuallers associations (LVAs) were a dominant force in the industry. Now it tends to mean preserving the pub from extinction by outside forces.

CAMRA: 'Government failing community pubs'

24-Jan-2012 By Adam Pescod

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has called for urgent Government action to save Britain’s historic pub culture in light of new research showing how 16 pubs on average now close across the country on a weekly basis.

Convivial reports trading turnaround

24-Jan-2012 By John Harrington

Convivial London Pubs, the eight-strong London estate that was previously run as Capital Pubs II, has reported a turnaround in trading performance in the year to 1 October 2011, with pre-tax profits up 32.3% to £474k.

Don't forget pubs are social networks too

23-Jan-2012 By Mark Daniels

Brazilian. Nightclub. Facebook. Three words that don’t sound like they should be together in a sentence pre-watershed, but the story behind them is fascinating.

Bang the drum for live music

20-Jan-2012 By Peter Coulson

Today sees the Commons Report Stage of Lord Clement-Jones’ Live Music Bill, which has progressed more smoothly recently and had a very amiable time of it during the MPs’ committee in December, with much inter-party back-slapping and a general view that...

Publican swaps jobs with his local MP

20-Jan-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has taken the MPs-behind-the-bar scheme further by initiating a job swap with his local MP.