Companies

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles voices support for CAMRA

29-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The secretary of state of Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Eric Pickles has voiced his support for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), saying that he recognises the importance of pubs.

Hall & Woodhouse to splash the cash on pub refurbs

26-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Hall & Woodhouse, the Dorset brewer and pub operator, is to spend £3m refurbishing 20 pubs this calendar year.

Four in 10 customers spending less on drinking in pubs, says Mintel

26-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Just over four in 10 (43%) consumers spent less on drinking in pubs and bars in January 2013 compared with the same period in 2012.

Spirit Pub Company reports 1.4% rise in like-for-like sales in managed division

25-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Spirit Pub Company has reported a 1.4% rise in like-for-like sales in its managed division in the 28 weeks to 2 March 2013, with like-for-like net income in its leased estate down 2.9%.

Punch Taverns to review POS support offered in cask packs

25-Apr-2013 By Jordan Chamberlain

Punch Taverns is looking to review the point of sale (POS) support offered in its Punch Finest Cask Packs, after a forum with licensees.

Only five free-of-tie leases were granted though Punch, Enterprise and Marston’s in 2012

24-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Only five free-of-tie leases were granted though Punch Taverns, Enterprise Inns and Marston’s in 2012, the first Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Pub Benchmarking Survey has revealed.

Guild of Master Victuallers' former leading member Brian Rees has died

24-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Brian Rees, the former leading member of the Guild of Master Victuallers (GMV), passed away yesterday after a period of illness.

Fat Cat Cafe Bars in administration

24-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Fat Cat Café Bars and Fat Cat Restaurants, the companies led by Matt Saunders, have been placed in administration.

BBPA: pubs should have business rates assessed annually

24-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is calling on the Government to allow pubs to have their business rates assessed on an annual basis.

Powder Train failure report highlights operational weaknesses

23-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Powder Train, the pub operator that had worked with high-profile chef Marco Pierre White, had “unsustainable EBITDA levels” and “severe liquidity issues” in the months prior to its collapse in February, a new report says.

Timothy Taylor appoints former Mitchells & Butlers MD to board

23-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Timothy Taylor, the Keighley based brewer, has appointed Mike Bramley to the company’s board of directors.

Coca-Cola Enterprises job losses to hit pub delivery service

23-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has confirmed that it is planning on 288 job losses, after plans to end its delivery service to pubs, restaurants and others in the foodservice sector.

Statutory code: Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen defends leased sector

23-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen and Punch executive chairman Stephen Billingham have defended the leased sector.

Six Fat Cat bars up for sale

22-Apr-2013

The majority of the Fat Cat Café Bars, the Derby-based pub company led by Matt Saunders, have been placed on the market.

Licensees warned to apportion energy bills between business and domestic

22-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Licensees signing up with new energy suppliers are being urged to ensure they have correctly apportioned their energy usage between domestic and business.

Campaign for Real Ale launches book to highlight British pub architecture

19-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has launched a new book to highlight the “hidden gems” of British pub architecture.

Punch Taverns dismisses pre-pack administration option

19-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns has reiterated to stakeholders that a pre-pack administration of the company “cannot be executed” and such a move is not in their interests.

Pubs on London Marathon hopeful of trouble free event in wake of Boston bombings

19-Apr-2013 By Jordan Chamberlain

Pubs situated on the London marathon route are hopeful of good trading despite concerns about security in the wake of the the Boston bombing.

Top speakers lined up for Tenanted Pub Company Summit

19-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

A stellar line-up of figures from across the tenanted pub sector and beyond are to speak at a major conference in London on 17 June.

PMA multiple operators' club goes from strength to strength

18-Apr-2013

Promoting innovation and retail excellence in the pub industry, the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s multiple operators’ business club has added another 50+ members — making it the MA300.

Harveys assesses case for pub disposals

18-Apr-2013

Harveys, the East Sussex brewer and pub operator, is considering the future of some of its country pubs that are proving to be less viable businesses, joint managing director Hamish Elder has said.

Punch Taverns to the rescue after licensee allegedly flees with punters' money

17-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Punch Taverns has stepped in after a former licensee allegedly made off with deposits from customers for a chartered plane to take them to a football match.

Marston's expects trading to be down

17-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Marston’s, the brewer and pub operator, has said it expects trading in the three months to the end of March to be slightly below last year, as it gives details of how it will segment its pub estate for trading updates.

Licensee at Coach & Horses in Kibworth, Leicestershire, to enter world of politics

17-Apr-2013 By Jordan Chamberlain

Well-known Punch licensee Andrew Southerden is to leave the pub trade to enter a life in politics.

Judge to rule on Enterprise Inns dispute with PICA-Service licensee

17-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The licensee in the third case to go to the Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service (PICA-Service) against Enterprise Inns has gone to county court to accuse the pubco of not assessing her rent properly.

Spirit opens first pub under new 'premium label'

17-Apr-2013

Spirit Pub Company has launched the first site under its new “premium label” at The George in Haverstock Hill, north west London

City of London introduces code of practice for pubs and bars

16-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The City of London Corporation – the municipal body for the Square Mile – is introducing a ‘code of good practice’ and ‘traffic light system’ for licenced premises this April.

Hospitality sector 'increasingly confident' about job creation

16-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Hospitality and leisure businesses are increasingly confident about being able to create new jobs, according to a new survey by Barclays.

Cains to add pubs after £50m development plan

16-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Cains will be looking to add to its pub estate after completing a planned £50m project to develop its Liverpool brewery into a major tourism, leisure and retail destination, managing director Sudarghara Dusanj has told M&C Report.

Fentimans - a correction

15-Apr-2013

In our issue of 11 April [and on our website on 12 April] we incorrectly reported that a bottle of Fentimans Ginger Beer had exploded at the Wrygarth Inn, Great Hatfield.

Pub licensee beats beer allergy

12-Apr-2013 By Snifter

Ever heard of the publican and beer sommelier that's allergic to beer?

London pubs on weekend riot alert ahead of Margaret Thatcher funeral

12-Apr-2013 By Helen Gilbert

London pubs have been urged to prepare for potential disorder this weekend in light of reports that anarchists are plotting to ‘re-enact’ the poll tax riots ahead of Lady Margaret Thatcher’s funeral next week.

Greene King BDMs complete post-graduate degree

12-Apr-2013 By Jordan Chamberlain

A group of nine business development managers from Greene King have completed a post-graduate degree in Multi-Unit Leadership and Strategy at Birmingham City University (BCU).

Historic Plymouth pub ordered to paint over 16th Century beams

12-Apr-2013 By Jordan Chamberlain

Historic Plymouth pub, the Minerva Inn, could be made to cover its 16th Century wooden beams and ceilings in fire-retardant paint after local council inspectors visited the premises.

Specialist gin bar opens in London

12-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

A specialist gin bar has opened in London which even makes its own tonic water.

ALMR appoints new chief executive

11-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has appointed a new chief executive – David McHattie, a former operations director at Fuller’s and The Restaurant Group, and operations manager at Mitchells & Butlers.

Pubco regulation: Are all bets off?

11-Apr-2013 By Rob Willock

It almost seems apt that, on the weekend of the Grand National, the pubco regulation debate got caught up in Party Politics (winner, 1992).

Christopher Basten is national chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs

10-Apr-2013 By Antonia Hawken

Christopher Basten has been appointed chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs (CGC).

Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin accuses Greene King of being "frightened of competition"

10-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has accused Greene King of being “frightened of competition” and wanting to “preserve a local monopoly” by seeking a judicial review against a planned Wetherspoon pub in Stirling.

The Big Interview: David Hawksworth, FLVA

09-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

David Hawksworth was recently crowned the new president of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA). He talks to Gurjit Degun about getting a fair deal for licensee.

Six finalists unveiled for BII 2013 Licensee of the Year Award

09-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The BII has unveiled the six finalists for its 2013 Licensee of the Year award.

Best Bar None appoints national director

09-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Best Bar None (BBN), the national award scheme, has appointed Simon Jackson as the new national director. He will report directly to chief executive, Tim Hulme and will take up the post at the beginning of May 2013.

Maclay Group focuses on more acquisitions

09-Apr-2013

Maclay Group, the Scottish pub and bar operator, is homing in on three more acquisitions as it looks to have a rolling programme of five or more each year, managing director Steve Mallon has told M&C Report.

Oxfordshire pub reopens after it was saved from closure by local community

09-Apr-2013 By Helen Gilbert

An Oxfordshire pub that was saved from closure by its own customers opened its doors last week.

Pub industry has "open door" to supportive Chancellor, claim senior industry figures

08-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

The pub and beer industry now has an “open door” to a supportive Chancellor George Osborne, who was last week presented with a number of suggestions about how the Government can help the trade, according to senior industry figures.

Punch Taverns reports improving trends

05-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Punch Taverns, the tenanted and leased pub operator, has reported another quarter of improved trends in the business, although profits, revenue and EBITDA all declined across the 28 weeks to 2 March 2013.

New sites for Fever Bars

05-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Fever Bars, the retro music-bar operator, has acquired a package of three sites from the troubled late-night bar operator Yellowhammer.

Harvester signs deal with MOTO

04-Apr-2013

Harvester, the Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) chain, is teaming up with Moto Hospitality, Britain’s biggest motorway services operator, for the first trial in the UK of a franchised full service restaurant, which will opening at Moto’s Donington Park...