Companies

MA300: Branded managed operators 'perform stronger in recession'

02-Dec-2013 By Jessica Mason

Branded managed houses and pub chains will see more success than tenancies and freetraders during economic uncertainty because consumers feel more confident in the consistency of their offer, according to a pub industry veteran.

Spirit Group plans 20 new sites for its branded pubs

02-Dec-2013 By John Harrington

Spirit Group plans to open up to 20 new sites across the UK over the next 15 months under its Flaming Grill, Fayre & Square and Taylor Walker brands.

MA300: Nostalgia Inns signs deal with AGA

02-Dec-2013 By Mike Berry

Nostalgia Inns, the Midlands-based operator of country pubs, is undertaking a partnership with oven maker AGA to offer customers the “next generation carveries” from early next year.

Campaigners to mount 'sustained opposition' to Marston’s pub sell-off

29-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has revealed the local residents and pub campaigners will be mounting a “sustained opposition” to news that 202 Marston’s pubs could be converted to alternative uses.

Batemans eyes managed growth

28-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Batemans plans to grow its managed pub estate from three to 15 sites via acquisitions, focusing on a new ‘Beer & Bean’ concept.

Blackpool proposes alcohol advertising ban outside pubs

28-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs, clubs and off-licences in Blackpool could be forced to remove alcohol advertising after the council proposed the ban in a bid to tackle alcohol-related health problems.

Marston's sells 202 pubs to NewRiver Retail

28-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Marston’s, the brewer and pub operator, has announced that it has disposed of 202 pubs for £90m to NewRiver Retail Limited, a specialist real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the UK food and value retail sector.

Punch operations director Giles Kendall new BBPA Midlands chair

28-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Punch Taverns operations director Giles Kendall is the new chairman of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) Midland Counties.

Spirit Leased trials new agreement based on turnover and not rent

28-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Spirit Leased, the leased arm of Spirit Pub Company, is trialling a new agreement whereby the licensee pays a percentage of turnover to Spirit instead of paying rent.

Punch posts 1.4% rise in lfl core estate net income

27-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns, the tenanted and leased pub operator, has reported a 1.4% rise in like-for-like net income in its core estate in the 12 weeks to 9 November, and maintained its view that it intends to announce restructuring proposals in December.

Perceptions Group slams career advisors for lack of hospitality knowledge

27-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Perceptions Group vice-chair Anthony Pender says he is “appalled” by the lack of promotion of hospitality jobs from careers advisors after a dozen industry employees carried out mystery visits at Jobcentre Plus outlets.

Licensees demand Govt eases the business rates burden

26-Nov-2013 By Mike Berry

Publican’s Morning Advertiser readers are demanding that the Government takes action to reduce the burden of business rates on their pubs, and simplify the system.

PBR Leisure enters administration

26-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

PBR Leisure (PBRL), the bar and restaurant operator, has been placed into administration.

M&B reports small rise in full-year sales

26-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the managed operator, has reported a 0.4% rise in like-for-like sales in the year to 28 September as pre-tax profit grew from £82m to £150m.

BBPA refutes accusation of 'duping' Govt over pub closure figures

26-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has moved to correct what it calls “false and misleading” statements about its interpretation of pub closure figures.

Admiral Taverns reports 7.1% rise in underlying EBITDA

25-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Admiral Taverns has reported a 7.1% rise in underlying EBITDA to £10.4m in the 23 weeks since its c£200m acquisition by US private equity group Cerberus.

Luminar lodges appeal against ASA decision

25-Nov-2013 By Lewis Brown

A nightclub and bar company has lodged an appeal against an Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruling which said one of its clubs wrongly targeted a 12-year-old with promotional alcohol offers.

Wetherspoon's secures first pub in Ireland

25-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed operator, has exchanged contracts to purchase its first pub in the Republic of Ireland and says it plans to open between 10 and 20 in the country over the next five to 10 years.

Fuller's reports healthy earnings rise

22-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Fuller’s, the London-based brewer and pub operator, has reported a 4% rise in EBITDA to £28.1m in the six months to 28 September as like-for-likes in its managed estate grew 7.9%.

Spirit employees rewarded at annual awards

22-Nov-2013 By Lewis Brown

A group of 20 Spirit Pub Company employees have proved they are “simply the best” at the company’s annual Best Awards, recognising the most outstanding employees from across the operations team and support centre.

Punch launches new advice line for licensees

21-Nov-2013 By Lewis Brown

A free 24/7 legal advice line has been set up by Punch Taverns for its licensees.

City Pub Company aims for seven new sites after £10m fundraising drive

21-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

City Pub Company, the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)-funded pub operator, expects turnover to reach £7m in 2013 and is targeting seven acquisitions under its new £10m fundraising drive, co-founder Clive Watson has said.

Pub trade welcomes 24-hour weekend Tube move

21-Nov-2013 By John Harrington; Ellie Bothwell

The pub trade has welcomed news that the London Underground is to open for 24 hours a day on key lines on Friday and Saturday evenings from 2015.

The Big Interview: Richard Brown, RB & AH

21-Nov-2013 By Phil Mellows

Sometimes getting it right means some of the customers have got to go, as pub-restaurant multiple operator Richard Brown explains to Phil Mellows.

Sky offers free merchandise giveaways for licensees

21-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Sky Sports PreviewLIVE, the website to help Sky Business subscribers promote sport in their venue has announced free merchandise and weekly giveaways in the run up to Christmas.

Michelin-starred Star at Harome converts corner shop to bedroom

21-Nov-2013 By Lesley Foottit

Michelin-starred the Star at Harome in north Yorkshire has converted its corner shop into a ninth bedroom.

Derbyshire licensee calls on police and licensing authorities to stop 'criminalising' licensees

21-Nov-2013 By Helen Gilbert

A Derbyshire publican has called on the police and licensing authorities to “stop criminalising hard-working licensees”, after charges were dropped against one of his staff members for failing a test-purchase operation last November.

Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin hits out at 'deluded' pubco chiefs

21-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has said there’s a “level of delusion” among senior figures in the industry who are “out of touch” and “don’t actually like pubs”.

Hull licensees welcome UK City of Culture boost

20-Nov-2013 By Helen Gilbert

Publicans in Hull have expressed delight at the news that the city will be crowned the UK City of Culture in 2017 and believe the successful bid will help boost trade.

Enterprise eyes managed pub move

20-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Enterprise Inns is considering a move to directly manage its better pubs, and also to introduce turnover-related rents, chief operating officer Simon Townsend has told analysts.

Pub trade welcomes change to alcohol-related hospital admission statistics

20-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The pub trade has broadly welcomed a move by Public Health England to alter the way it reports alcohol-related hospital admission statistics.

Pubs cited as solution to adult social care 'crisis'

20-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Pubs may be the answer for the adult social care crisis, the director for adult wellbeing at Herefordshire Council this week claimed

Surrey licensee urges Tripadvisor to create pub listing

20-Nov-2013 By Helen Gilbert

A Surrey licensee is urging TripAdvisor to create a specific, single pub listing on its website to make it easier for customers to find pubs, leave feedback and avoid confusion.

Full-year net income down at Enterprise Inns

19-Nov-2013 By Mark Wingett

Enterprise Inns has this morning reported a 2.9% decline in like-for-like net income for the year to 30 September, but said that it had witnessed an improving trend in the final quarter of the year, with like-for-like net income growth of 0.6%.

Ted Tuppen to step down as Enterprise Inns chief

19-Nov-2013 By Mark Wingett

Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen has announced he is to retire from the group he founded in 1991 next February, with current chief operating officer Simon Townsend to succeed him.

Brains replaces Costa coffee in pubs with own brand

18-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

SA Brain, the Welsh brewer and pub operator, has taken out Costa coffee in its 95 sites and brought in its own brand named Great Little Coffee Company.

Enterprise raises concerns to Government over energy suppliers

18-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Enterprise Inns has raised concerns over the way utility companies treat licensees during a recent discussion with the Major Energy Users Council (MEUC) and All Party Parliamentary Group on Energy Costs (APPGEC).

This year predicted as "turning point" for pub sector

15-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

This year will prove to be a “turning point” in the pub market, Sapient Corporate Finance founder Peter Hansen has predicted.

Stonegate Pub Company buys 78 Bramwell sites

15-Nov-2013 By Mark Wingett

Stonegate Pub Company, the TDR Capital-backed group, has completed the acquisition of 78 sites from the administrators of Bramwell Pub Company.

Star Pubs & Bars rewards top licensees

15-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Star Pubs & Bars celebrated its most successful licensees at a gala awards ceremony in Birmingham last night (14 November).

Punch wins National Business Award

14-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Punch Taverns was announced 'Business Enabler of the Year' at the National Business Awards in London earlier this week.

Enterprise writes to BIS to pledge cap on tied price rises

14-Nov-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Enterprise Inns has made a pledge to the Department of Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) that it will implement a cap on tied price rises.

BBPA Benchmarking Survey: Wet-led pubs’ GP falls below 50%

14-Nov-2013 By Rob Willock

Gross profit (GP) margins have slipped below 50% for community wet-led pubs, as they are unable to take advantage of the higher earnings potential of food sales, according to a new benchmarking report.

Are you a pubco mastermind?

13-Nov-2013 By Robert Sayles

Good evening and welcome to another edition of Mastermind. Tonight we’re coming to you from the magnificent new Library of Birmingham located in Centenary Square on Broad Street.

Wetherspoon's £100m expansion budget

12-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has secured an extra £100m facility for its expansion plan as it looks to accelerate its openings, chairman Tim Martin has said.

GT Pubs in administration

11-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

GT Pubs, the pub management company set up in the wake of the administration of the Publicana business in 2010, has itself been placed into administration.

Squatters hope for Mitchells & Butlers pub deal

11-Nov-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Squatters occupying a popular north London pub remain hopeful of striking an amicable deal with leaseholder Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) after a judge adjourned eviction proceedings for two weeks.