Companies

McMullen invests in major refurb programme

02-May-2014 By Ruth Williams

McMullen, the Hertford-based brewer and pub company, has invested £240,000 renovating five of its pubs as part of its on-going investment plans across its estate.

Leading operators experience Easter weekend sales dip

01-May-2014 By Mark Wingett

Like-for-like sales declined 3.8% over the Easter weekend across 25 leading pub and restaurant groups against the corresponding four-day holiday last year, according to latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

New pubco snaps up 275 Greene King sites

01-May-2014 By Mark Wingett

Hawthorn Leisure, a new pub company established to acquire, invest in and support pubs across the UK, has exchanged contracts for the acquisition of a portfolio of 275 tenanted and leased public houses from Greene King for £75.6m.

Scotland's minimum pricing plan referred to European court

30-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

The Scottish Government’s plan to introduce a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol has been referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Flooded pub's insurance woes continue four months on

30-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

A pub wrecked by flooding at Christmas is still unable to open because its insurance company went into administration just days before.

CAMRA votes to stop working with pubcos

30-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is to step up its opposition to some pubcos after a member “revolt” at its national conference at the weekend.

Punch Taverns bondholders vote to waive covenants

30-Apr-2014 By Mark Wingett

Talks regarding the restructuring of Punch Taverns are set to continue after the pub company announced this morning that its bondholders had voted in favour of waiving covenants that would otherwise have placed the company in default.

Greene King loses tax appeal

29-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, has lost an appeal relating to its tax avoidance scheme and could be forced to pay back roughly twice the amount of tax it tried to avoid.

Leicester pub received death threats after false report of soldier ban

29-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

A pub operator has criticised the sentence handed to a right-wing activist who forced one of his venues to close by falsely claiming it had refused to serve soldiers.

Pub chefs make National Awards of Excellence final

28-Apr-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Two pub chefs have made the final of the kitchen category of the National Awards of Excellence, which will be held in London on 13 May.

Pub chefs in Great British Menu 2014 grand final

28-Apr-2014 By Jo Bruce

Two pub chefs are through to the final of Great British Menu 2014.

Charles Wells pubs raise £53,000 for Macmillan

28-Apr-2014

Staff at Charles Wells pubs are celebrating after smashing their fundraising target and pledging enough £53,000 to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Boxer George Groves stops at London pub during promotional tour of the capital

28-Apr-2014

Boxer George Groves pulled pints not punches when he dropped into the Windermere pub in South Kenton, near Wembley.

Pubs minister Brandon Lewis to speak at ALMR conference

25-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

Brandon Lewis MP will be one of the speakers at next week's ALMR Spring Business Conference.

JD Wetherspoon launches Olympic-inspired training for 32,000 staff

24-Apr-2014 By Mark Wingett

JD Wetherspoon is aiming to train all 32,000 of its front-line staff using the same programme as volunteers at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Liberis offers £30m lending in return for share of future card payments

24-Apr-2014

Alternative finance provider Liberis is allocating £30m of new lending via business cash advances (BCAs) for the hospitality sector.

Rising cost of alcohol could explain drop in serious violence rates, new research reveals

23-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

Falling alcohol consumption and rising costs may have contributed to a decline in violence across England and Wales, new research has suggested.

Celebrity pub chef Tom Kerridge launches new BBC show

23-Apr-2014 By Jo Bruce

Pub chef Tom Kerridge is hosting a new BBC One show starting this week.

BBPA says 'alarmist' ad exaggerates cancer risk of alcohol

23-Apr-2014 By Helen Gilbert

An advert showing a man drinking a glass of beer with a tumour inside does not over-emphasise the risk of alcohol, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled.

Most young managers run £1m+ turnover pubs, says Perceptions survey

23-Apr-2014 By Ruth Williams

Most pub managers under 30 are running businesses with a turnover of more than a million pounds, with fewer than three years training to gain the position, according to a survey by Pub & Bar Careers Perceptions.

Community group launches share offer for Red Lion in Sidbury

23-Apr-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Campaigners hoping to save a Devonshire village pub have launched a share offer, after Punch Taverns agreed to sell the property to a community enterprise group for £190,000 — significantly below its original asking price of £295,000.

Wetherspoon boss criticises rival pubcos’ 'financial misjudgement'

22-Apr-2014

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has voiced most direct criticism yet of his rival pub companies for failing to support the industry’s VAT campaign.

Bernard Brindley: Tributes pour in following news of his death

22-Apr-2014 By Mike Berry

Tributes have flooded in for Bernard Brindley, who died suddenly last weekend at the age of 63.

BII chairman Bernard Brindley dies

21-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Bernard Brindley, the pub industry stalwart and chairman of the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping), has died, aged 63.

Michelin-starred chef Dominic Chapman to take on own pub

21-Apr-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Dominic Chapman is to leave his role as executive chef at the Michelin-starred Royal Oak and the Belgian Arms in Berkshire to take on a gastropub of his own.

Pubs report positive first quarter in 2014

17-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Trading in the first three months of 2014 has been broadly positive for operators, who are generally optimistic about the year ahead, a snap poll by the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report has found.

Licensee tells Prime Minister business rates are 'crippling' rural pubs

17-Apr-2014 By Helen Gilbert

A North Yorkshire publican has written to the Prime Minister warning him that village pubs will struggle to survive unless action is taken to address “crippling” and “ever increasing” business rates.

Great British Pub Awards 2014 – open for your entries

17-Apr-2014 By Jo Bruce

The search is now on for the best pubs in Britain in the Great British Pub Awards 2014.

Licensee wins chance to see his pub recreated in Rio

16-Apr-2014 By Jo Bruce

The licensee of freehold the Old Star Inn in Winsford, Cheshire and nine of his customers are heading to Rio in June after winning a competition organised by crisp brand McCoy's.

Punch exec insists company is at the 'end game of restructuring'

16-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns executive chairman Stephen Billingham has insisted  “a deal will get done” to tackle the pubco’s £2.3bn debts.

Expansion planned for Chilli White

15-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

The Drinks Group, a vehicle formed out of remains of the former Yellowhammer estate, is looking to add further sites under its Chilli White restaurant and bar brand.

CAMRA activist calls for reform of ‘shamefully weak planning system’

15-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

The Government must dispense with “ineffective gimmicks such as assets of community value (ACV)” and instead reform the planning system to offer “robust protection” to pubs, a CAMRA  officer has said.

Lee Mack's quest to find pub sign that hung outside his childhood home

15-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

Comedian Lee Mack has appealed for help in tracking down the sign for the pub he grew up in.

Punch Taverns reports income growth and says debt talks continue

15-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns today reported a 1.4% rise in like-for-like net income across its core estate for the last six months and said talks over its debt restructure continue.

Explosion in e-cigarette use presents dilemma for pub operators

14-Apr-2014 By Phil Mellows

It’s the biggest thing to happen to smoking since the ban. Electronic cigarettes (or e-cigarettes) are on fire.

Britain's oldest barmaid still serving at 100

14-Apr-2014 By Helen Gilbert

The oldest barmaid in Britain turns 100 this week - but has no plan to retire.

Punch brings in restructing expert as debt talks continue

14-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

Punch Taverns has reportedly brought in an independent corporate restructuring expert in a bid to reach a deal with debtors.

Pubs grow share of eating-out market

14-Apr-2014 By Phil Mellows

Pubs are increasing their share of the UK eating-out market at the expense of restaurants, new research by Allegra Foodservice has found.

Four pub chefs competing in BBC's Great British Menu

11-Apr-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

BBC’s Great British Menu is now underway, with four pub chefs among the 24 culinary experts vying for the top prize.

All Bar One lands its first airport site

11-Apr-2014

Mitchells & Butlers opened the first of its All Bar One airport sites this week, with a second due to open in June.

Orchid to expand All Inns concept after successful first year

11-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Orchid Group has revealed plans to open 26 new All Inns after seeing a 23% rise in like-for-like sales in its first conversions to the brand.

BBPA Midlands stalwart steps down after 35 years in the pub trade

10-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

The British Beer & Pub Association’s Midlands regional secretary Richard Matthews has stepped down after 11 years in the post and 35 years in the industry.

Stonegate prices £400m of bonds

10-Apr-2014 By Mark Wingett

Stonegate Pub Company, the TDR Capital-backed group, has completed the successful pricing of £400m senior secured notes due in 2019, after announcing the bond offer last week.

Revealed: The bitter dispute between Enterprise Inns and GMB union over pub's new lease

10-Apr-2014

The saga of the signing of a new lease at the Pattenmakers Arms in Duffield, Derbyshire, has hit the headlines and was even raised in Parliament. Last week licensee Claire Muldoon reached agreement with Enterprise Inns but recriminations have continued...

Happy hour 'still important to pubs'

10-Apr-2014 By Phil Mellows

Happy hours continue to play an important role in driving trade in pubs and restaurants on weekdays, new research has suggested, with customers looking for deals on food and soft drinks as well as alcohol.

Pubco reform campaigners to present letter to David Cameron

09-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

The Government is being lobbied from both sides of the debate on pubco reform this past week, as anxiety grows over whether legislation will be announced in this Parliament.

Enterprise launches new training programme for regional managers

08-Apr-2014

New regional managers at Enterprise Inns will be put through an eight-week training programme.

Greene King fails to agree deal with May Capital over pubs package

08-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Greene King is not in talks with May Capital, the private equity group, to sell a circa 300-strong tenanted pub package.

Punch noteholder committee favours covenant waive

07-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

A group representing senior Punch Taverns noteholders has signalled its acceptance of the pub company’s request to waive its covenant and avoid default on its debt securitisations.

Co-op stores to be built at Marston's pubs

07-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Co-op convenience stores are to be built on 54 Marston’s pub sites.