Companies

Noble Inns plans five sites

09-Dec-2011 By John Harrington

The operator of an award-winning London gastropub says he plans to run an estate of around five sites under his new company Noble Inns.

Landlords urged to prepare empty pubs for winter

09-Dec-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Empty pub owners have been warned to prepare their property for the winter to avoid damage in harsh weather conditions.

Pubs in Bedford join forces for anti-knife campaign

09-Dec-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Pub, bars and clubs in Bedford town centre have teamed up to run an anti-knife campaign in the run up to Christmas.

Seating complaint costs pub £6,000

08-Dec-2011 By Adam Pescod

A licensee in Norwich has slammed a local optician who he claims has cost him close to £6,000 by pursuing a complaint about the outdoor seating area at his pub.

New pubco targets 50 sites

06-Dec-2011 By Mark Wingett

Cirrus Inns, a new pub company featuring Mark Askew, outgoing executive head chef at Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) and Polly Dyson, former finance director at Geronimo Inns, has been set up with plans to create an estate of up to 50 pubs with accommodation...

Brakspear eyes London pubs

06-Dec-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Oxfordshire-based pub operator Brakspear has seen beer volumes double after spending £500k revamping three of its central London pubs and said it would like to take on more sites in the capital.

UCL to open five sites in 2012

06-Dec-2011 By John Harrington

Urban & Country Leisure (UCL), the group led by entrepreneur Ross Sanders, plans to open five sites in 2012 as it announces its latest disposal.

Licensee fears drop in trade after breathalyser licensing condition

06-Dec-2011 By Adam Pescod

A licensee in Wales is worried about a drop in trade at his pub after he was forced to install a breathalyser as a condition on his licence.

Jeremy Clarkson in “Figure of Speech” whoopsie…

05-Dec-2011 By Mark Daniels

The following article contains a personal opinion. Please don’t shoot me for it. Last week, some people went on strike to protect their pensions and a television personality well-known for his comically outspoken points of view said something about it.

BIS: Information demanded over BBPA deal

05-Dec-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The All-Party Save the Pub Group is demanding information from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on its negotiations with the industry and the subsequent deal to self-regulate the pubco-tenant relationship.

Surrey pub wins top Fuller's award

05-Dec-2011 By Adam Pescod

The Queen’s Head in Farnham, Surrey, has been awarded the top accolade by Fuller’s in the London brewer and pub operator’s Pub of the Year awards.

Pub chefs warned over undercooked chicken liver

02-Dec-2011

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is reminding publicans to cook chicken livers thoroughly when making pâté.

Fake IDs: Countering the counterfeit

02-Dec-2011 By Peter Coulson

I am sad to see Andrew Chevis of Citizen Card still having to bang the drum for acceptance of the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) system to be made obligatory in some way.

Licensees urged to check loan details

02-Dec-2011

Licensees are being urged to check any financial products they have attached to their mortgages or loans as they could find themselves facing huge financial costs.

Enterprise: 'Tenants being misled in lease disputes'

01-Dec-2011 By Adam Pescod

Enterprise Inns has hit out at organisations and individuals who, it claims, are giving misleading advice to tenants over lease disputes.

In at the deep end

01-Dec-2011 By Rob Willock

So there I was, all set to write a gentle comment piece to mark my official first week as editor of the Publican’s Morning Advertiser, saying what an honour it is to be joining the industry and thanking those I have so far met for making me feel welcome…...

Masterchef finalist joins pub

01-Dec-2011 By Lesley Foottit

A finalist of a national TV cooking competition has taken the post as head chef of a Newcastle pub.

Greene King revenues pass £0.5bn

01-Dec-2011 By John Harrington

Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, has reported H1 revenues of more than half a billion pounds for the first time, with the managed division and food sales in particular being credited for the growth.

BIS: An Interview with Brigid Simmonds

01-Dec-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The Government’s response to the controversial Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC) report into the pubco-tenant relationship last week revealed that it would not introduce a statutory code of practice overseen by an adjudicator.

Nottingham pubs get street ambassadors

01-Dec-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs, bars and restaurants in Nottingham city centre are getting an extra boost to pull in the punters as street ambassadors provide recommendations to tourists.

Tim Martin "perplexed" by Ted Tuppen's tax claims

01-Dec-2011 By Adam Pescod

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) chairman Tim Martin has described comments made by Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen on tax and regulation as “confused thinking”.

Musical copyright: Baying at the moon over code

30-Nov-2011 By Peter Coulson

I think that Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), is right when she calls for some kind of voluntary code on musical copyright fees.

Robertson to leave BII

29-Nov-2011 By Michelle Perrett

British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) chief executive Neil Robertson is to leave the organisation after three years to take up the role as director of training at apprenticeship providers, Babcock International.

Scotland to research the impact of minimum pricing

29-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A university in Scotland is to research the effects of minimum pricing on the country’s heaviest drinkers.

Welham joins Spirit

29-Nov-2011

Chris Welham, operations director at Greene King, will join Spirit Pub Company as managing director of its c.550-strong leased division next February

Discrimination in the trade

28-Nov-2011 By Peter Coulson

Last week’s thought-provoking article by Dave Daly in The Guv’nor column was full of common sense about the long-standing issue of racial discrimination. In it, he counselled against going to the law, suggesting such matters should be kept in-house, and...

313 Drinking Banning Orders issued, confirms Home Office

28-Nov-2011 By Adam Pescod

The Home Office has reported that 313 Drinking Banning Orders (DBOs) have been issued on conviction since the facility became available to local authorities last year.

Enterprise wins Brulines court case against Fair Pint founder

25-Nov-2011 By Adam Pescod

A company owned by Fair Pint founder Karl Harrison has been ordered by the High Court to pay Enterprise Inns an initial £65,000 in costs after it lost a legal battle with the pubco over use of the Brulines flow monitoring system.

Fuller's reports like-for-like sales rise

25-Nov-2011 By Mark Wingett

Fuller’s, the London-based brewer and pub operator, has this morning reported a 3.9% rise in like-for-like sales across its managed pubs and hotels division for the 26 weeks to 1 October 2011.

Admiral launches 'right to buy' option

25-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Admiral Taverns has introduced a right-to-buy option for selected tenants who will have the opportunity to purchase the freehold of their pub from three years into a lease.

PASS could be 'pointless'

25-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

If the Home Office does not do more to force licensees and doorstaff to accept the Proof-of-Age Standards Scheme (PASS) accredited cards, then PASS is “pointless”.

Bolton Pubwatch goes digital

25-Nov-2011 By Adam Pescod

Bolton’s Pubwatch scheme has become the UK’s first to adopt a digital-only approach to tackling crime and antisocial behaviour in pubs and clubs.

Geronimo boosts Young's half year results

24-Nov-2011 By Mark Wingett

Young’s, the London-based pub operator, has reported a rise in half-year sales on the back of its acquisition of Geronimo Inns last December, good trading in its existing estate and strong growth in profits across it hotels.

BIS: CAMRA accuses Government of weak reforms

24-Nov-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The Government response to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee report will not be enough to avert the “disaster” facing thousands of British pubs, claims consumer group CAMRA.

BIS: ALMR "deeply disappointed"

24-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has expressed “deep disappointment” at the news that the Government has decided not to regulate the behaviour of the major pub companies.

Brook to exit Spirit arm

23-Nov-2011 By Mark Wingett

Peter Brook, the leased pub industry veteran, is to step down as managing director of Spirit Pub Company’s 550-strong leased division.

Loungers set for 29 sites by end of 2012

23-Nov-2011 By John Harrington

Loungers, the fast-growing café/bar restaurant group, is expected to reach 29 sites by the end of 2012 as it announces eight new openings next year.

Vituperate At Will

23-Nov-2011

Last night, I ended up asking somebody to leave the pub because one too many expletives had passed their lips. Now, I’m no prude, am prone to the occasional profanity myself, and rarely only ask people to stop swearing at the bar if I feel it is offending...

Airing views on conditions

22-Nov-2011 By Peter Coulson

My recent article about minor variations provoked a strong reaction among readers who have suffered their own problems and knock-backs when they have tried to make a small change to their premises licence.

'Free the British Pub Rally' to put pressure on pubco reform

22-Nov-2011 By Adam Pescod

The All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group is running a ‘Free up the British Pub’ rally at the House of Commons tonight.

Lewis expected to launch new attack on M&B

22-Nov-2011

Millionaire Joe Lewis is expected to launch a fresh attack on the management of Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) on the back of its full-year results.

Enterprise Inns to expand 'Project Beacon'

22-Nov-2011

Enterprise Inns is to expand its Project Beacon ‘managed tenancy’ and will look to develop other concepts and franchise-style agreements.

Amber Taverns secures new funding

21-Nov-2011 By Mark Wingett

Amber Taverns, the Preston-based operator of wet-led freehold pubs, has secured £5m in new funding to enable it to push towards its aim of operating a 100-strong estate by 2014.

Lava & Ignite Northampton will not reopen, confirm administrators

21-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Luminar administrator Ernst & Young has confirmed it will not reopen the Lava & Ignite in Northampton.

First Greene King pub converted to Realpubs concept

18-Nov-2011

The first Greene King pub to be converted to the Realpubs concept opened yesterday (17 November), with at least 12 more conversions planned over the next 18 months.

Be At One maintains rapid growth

18-Nov-2011

Be At One, the 12-strong London-based cocktail bar chain, has reported a 40% rise in pre-tax profits on turnover up 24% to £8.58m in the year to 31 March 2011.

I leave you with 10 industry plus points

17-Nov-2011 By The PMA Team

This is my last leader after 10 years on the magazine and much has changed in the pub sector in my time here. I thought I’d offer up 10 positives about the industry.

Private-equity investors: what we look for in the pub sector

16-Nov-2011 By John Harrington

A capable and passionate management team that knows its business and has a clear strategy for growth — those are the most important things private equity looks for when investing in the pub sector.

Key operational figures leave Mitchells & Butlers

16-Nov-2011 By Mark Wingett

Mitchells & Butlers has announced that three leading members of its operational team are to leave the company as part of plans to simplify its organisational structure under the leadership of Bob Ivell.

Pubs in squatters warning

16-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Pub owners are being warned of an increase in squatters targeting empty commercial property after the Government introduced legislation making it illegal to squat in residential buildings.