Companies

Thwaites reports decline in full year sales

25-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Daniel Thwaites, the Lancashire-based brewer and pub operator, has reported a decline in turnover and pre-tax profit for the year to 31 March 2013, which it said was due to the impact of the wettest summer for over 100 years and the consumer environment,...

Coca Cola Enterprises reveals £2.1bn growth opportunity for soft drinks

25-Jun-2013 By Jessica Mason

Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) has revealed an opportunity to grow the soft drinks category by a further £2.1bn over the next five years, according to a recent study.

Slug & Lettuce estate to double in size

25-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Stonegate, the managed pub and bar operator, is looking to nearly double the size of its Slug & Lettuce estate and is believed to have earmarked a further 65 sites for the brand across the UK.

Enterprise Inns defends decision to sell Porcupine pub

25-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Enterprise Inns has defended its decision to sell one of its south London pubs to a supermarket chain, saying that the venue saw a “high level of reported criminal activity” at the venue.

Punch forms New Business Division to support new tenants and lessees

25-Jun-2013 By Rob Willock

Punch is forming a New Business Division to provide dedicated support to all new tenants and lessees.

Southend landlady fears for business after attack over EDL meet

25-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

A Southend landlady said she fears for her business after protestors attacked the venue for allowing English Defence League (EDL) members to meet in the pub.

The Big Interview: Mark Reynolds, Tom Peake, Nick Fox, Renaissance Pubs

24-Jun-2013

Tom Peake, Nick Fox and Mark Reynolds, founders of Renaissance Pubs, talk Lesley Foottit through the first decade of the south London group as they celebrate a special anniversary

Cains faces HMRC winding up order

24-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Cains, the Liverpool brewery and pub operator led by the Dusanj family, has been issued with a winding up order from HMRC.

Tenanted Pub Summit: Trade urged to 'broaden' range of franchise concepts

24-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

The pub industry has been urged to “broaden” its range of franchise concepts to attract “high net worth individuals” to their companies.

Tenanted Pub Summit: Star Pubs & Bars targets minimum tenant income of £30K a year

24-Jun-2013 By John Harrington and Michelle Perrett

Star Pubs & Bars is targeting minimum tenant income of £30,000 a year within seven years.

Residents to raise £130k to save Fox and Goose pub in Hebden Bridge

24-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Hebden Bridge community have united in a bid to raise £130,000 to save a the Fox and Goose pub.

Marco Pierre White labelled 'dishonest idiot' over pub court battle

21-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Marco Pierre White is facing a £500k legal bill after losing his court battle over the Yew Tree pub restaurant in Berkshire, with judge in the case describing him as a ‘dishonest idiot’.

BrewDog launches new £4m fund raising scheme

21-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

BrewDog, the fast-growing Scottish brewer and pub operator, is to relaunch its Equity for Punks crowdfunding programme, with the aim of raising a record £4m through selling shares to beer fans.

Tim Martin tops list of pub industry’s most influential

21-Jun-2013 By Rob Willock

The chairman of JD Wetherspoon is back on the top of the PMA’s list of pub industry power players in 2013.

Kingston Oceana survives licence review

20-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Luminar, the nightclub operator, will continue to trade its Kingston Oceana site after it agreed to a set of new licence conditions with the local council.

Licensees in Blackpool fear trade drop after Walkabout fire

20-Jun-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Licensees in Blackpool fear for trade after Walkabout fire closes major pub street

South London pub campaigners apply for asset of community value status

20-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Campaigners who are fighting to save a south London pub closed for three years have applied for it to be listed as an asset of community value (ACV).

Punch Taverns tenant fury after gas cut off

20-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

A furious Punch Taverns tenant is on the verge of “throwing his keys back” at the pubco after an unpaid gas bill left him without hot water and the use of his kitchen.

Tenanted Pub Summit: Admiral bemoans quality of some pubco BDMs

19-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Many business development managers (BDMs) released by Admiral Taverns for not being good enough have gone to work for other pub companies, according to Admiral managing director Kevin Georgel.

Amber Taverns sees EBITDA increase by one-third

19-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Amber Taverns, the fast-growing operator of wet-led community pubs, saw EBITDA increase by one third to £6.8m in the year to 3 February as the 86-strong company reiterated plans to open 12 sites this year.

Spirit Pub Company sales on track despite tough trading

19-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Spirit Pub Company has reported a 2.6% rise in like-for-like sales across its managed estate for the six weeks to 25 May, a performance that bounced back after a 3.8% decline in the proceeding six weeks, which it said was impacted by an “an exceptionally...

Welsh pub owner appeals for help to save his business

19-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

A freeholder in Wales has appealed for help to save his remote village pub after attempts to get the local community involved have proved unsuccessful.

Statutory code: IFBB claims benefits worth £25K a year to licensees

19-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB) has unveiled research asserting that the average value of Special Commercial or Financial Advantages (SCORFA) to a licensee of its member companies is £25,000 per annum.

Grand Union chief Adam Marshall targets city sites

18-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Adam Marshall, chief executive of London-based bar group Grand Union, has named Bristol, Bath, Manchester and Brighton as possible locations for the company once it has reached its target of between 20 and 25 sites in the capital.

Statutory code: licensee groups and small business organisations support Government intervention

18-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Licensee groups and small business organisations came out strongly in support of Government plans for a statutory code and adjudicator in their submissions to the consultation.

Enterprise chief Tuppen attacks Government and campaigners over statutory code

18-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen has labelled the Government’s consultation into the statutory code for pub companies “a disgrace” and accused MPs and ministers of “deliberate distortion of the meaning of evidence” over the issue.

MA300: Novus Leisure invests £2m in digital operations

18-Jun-2013 By Jessica Mason

Novus Leisure, which owns 48 venues — predominantly in London — has “made a £2m investment” into its digital operations to boost online bookings and adapt to the changing needs of the smartphone generation.

Robinsons to segment pub estate into six trading styles

17-Jun-2013 By John Harrington & Phil Mellows

Robinsons, the Cheshire-based brewer and pub operator, is to segment its pub estate into six trading styles as part of a modernisation programme under new operations director Dave Harrison.

Brakes launches food and menu advice guide for pub chefs

17-Jun-2013 By Lesley Foottit

Foodservice supplier Brakes will offer pubs advice on the food they serve in a new initiative to increase food profit.

Spirit pub installs pay-and-display ticketing to deter non-customers

17-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

A Sprit-owned pub in Northampton has installed pay-and-display ticket machines to deter non-customers from using its car-park.

Pub chefs warned to buy food carefully to combat inflation

14-Jun-2013 By Lesley Foottit

Pub chefs have been urged to make good buying choices as a defence against ‘runaway food inflation’.

Greene King donates £15k to Pub is the Hub Community Services Fund

14-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pub operator and brewer Greene King has donated £15,000 to Pub is the Hub’s Community Services Fund which aims to help UK pubs diversify.

MA300: New Moon Pub Company aims for eight sites within 15 months

14-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

New Moon Pub Company is planning to have eight sites open in the next 12-15 months.

MA300: McMullens boss accuses Government of 'rape and pillaging' the industry

14-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The MD of McMullens has accused the Government of “rape and pillaging” pub businesses with its taxation policies.

Greene King admits second thoughts over Flame Grill pub sign branding

14-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Greene King has admitted is reviewing its decision to change traditional pub signs with modern ones across its 85-strong Flame Grill branded estate.

JDW pubs gain top FSA hygiene scores

13-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, says 85% of its eligible pubs have gained the maximum five star rating in the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Scores on the Doors food hygiene scheme.

Enterprise and Black Lion licensee war of words over beer boycott

13-Jun-2013 By Helen Gilbert

A row has erupted between Enterprise Inns and one of its tied tenants, who last week called for pubs to stop buying draught beer from pubcos for one day a month.

MA300: Real Pub founders Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap plan return to the pub sector

13-Jun-2013 By Rob Willock

Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap, founders of London-based Realpubs which was sold to Greene King in 2011, are targeting a return to the pub industry in early 2014, Pring revealed at the MA300 event.

Bramwell identifies sites for Wild Lime Bar & Kitchen concept

12-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Bramwell Pub Company has identified a large number of sites within its estate where Wild Lime Bar & Kitchen, its new “aspirational” all-day drinking and casual dining concept, would work.

Star Pubs & Bars multi-million pound Bristol investment

12-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Star Pubs & Bars, the Heineken-owned leased pub operator, is to re-open nine pubs in the Bristol area during the remainder of the year after a combined investment of more than £3.6m.

Brewhouse & Kitchen raises £5m for growth

12-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Brewhouse & Kitchen, the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) venture led by Convivial Pubs chief executive Kris Gumbrell and former Mitchells & Butlers (M;B) executive Simon Bunn, has completed its £5m fundraising drive as it targets three more...

BBPA annual awards now open for entries

12-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Member companies are now able to enter the annual British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) awards, which take place on 9 October at London’s Park Plaza.

BISC statutory code hearing: licensees need confidence in PICAS

11-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees need to have confidence that outcomes of the Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service (PICAS) will be enforced, according to the leader of a group of licensees.

Interest grows in Atmosphere Bars and Clubs sites

11-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Numerous expressions of interest for the remaining 13 operating Atmosphere Bars and Clubs assets have been received, “some of which are being furthered”, administrator Deloitte has said in an update to M&C Report.

BISC statutory code hearing: BII chair says licensees should have choice over tie

11-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The chairman of the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) has said that licensees should be able to decide whether or not they want to be tied.

CAMRA admits error in pubco tenant earnings statistics

11-Jun-2013 By Mike Berry

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has admitted a "classification error" in its pub tenant earnings data which revealed three in five licensees tied to pubcos with more than 500 pubs earn less than £10,000 a year.

Parkers Arms' Stosie Madi wins Craft Guild of Chefs Pub Chef Restaurant Award

11-Jun-2013 By Lesley Foottit

Stosie Madi of the Parkers Arms in Newton in Bowland, Lancashire took home the Craft Guild of Chefs Pub Chef Restaurant Award at last night’s ceremony.

Enterprise boss Ted Tuppen challenges CAMRA's tenant income statistics

10-Jun-2013 By Rob Willock

Enterprise Inns has refuted the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA’s) assertion that 84% of licensees tied to the big pubcos earn less than £15,000 a year, claiming that less than 2% of its estate has “publican profit potential” below that level.

Loungers profits up with more new sites in the pipeline

10-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

Loungers, the Bristol-based café/bar group led by Alex Reilley and Jake Bishop, has reported a 41% rise in EBITDA before central overheads to £4.42m in the year to 30 April as it opened nine sites in the period.

Video: New anti-drink driving campaign shocks 'pub-goers'

10-Jun-2013 By Mike Berry

The government's latest anti-drink driving campaign - launched last week - was filmed in a north London pub and aims to get its message across through the 'shock factor'.