Companies

Shepherd Neame appoints new finance director

Shepherd Neame appoints new finance director

By Mark Wingett

Shepherd Neame, the Kent-based brewer and pub operator, has appointed Mark Rider, former head of finance, food at Sainsbury’s, as its new finance and IT director.

Shoreditch pub to put clocks forward at weekend

Shoreditch pub to put clocks forward at weekend

By Adam Pescod

Whilst the rest of the country prepares to put its clocks back this weekend, an East London pub will be bucking the trend by putting its own clocks forward an hour.

The thicket that is gambling law

The thicket that is gambling law

By Peter Coulson

Some of you may not agree, but I have a great deal of sympathy for local authority licensing officers. With their councils strapped for cash and looking to cut services, they still have to cope with a multitude of licensing problems, not just to do with...

Shining light on the best in a changing industry

Shining light on the best in a changing industry

By The PMA Team

It has always been the way. At any given moment in any given market there are winners and losers. No matter how dire the market conditions are, somebody — invariably quite a few people — will be prospering.

M&B confirms Ivell as chair; Blood steps down

M&B confirms Ivell as chair; Blood steps down

By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has confirmed that industry veteran Bob Ivell will take on the role of its executive chairman with immediate effect.

M&B names new concept TUK CHO

M&B names new concept TUK CHO

By Mark Wingett

Mitchells & Butlers’ (M&B) new South-East Asian cuisine concept will be called TUK CHO, with a first restaurant under the brand set to open in Ealing, west London, in December.

Yummy Pub Co acquires third site

Yummy Pub Co acquires third site

By The PMA Team

Yummy Pub Co, the award-winning company led by Carlsberg marketing executive Tim Foster and Anthony Pender, is set to open its third pub.

Luminar falls into administration

Luminar falls into administration

By John Harrington, M&C Report

Luminar, the troubled nightclub operator, has fallen into administration after its banks withdrew support.

My Pub: A shining pub star

My Pub: A shining pub star

The chance to acquire the freehold of their leased pub, Ye Old Sun Inn, at Colton, in North Yorkshire, enabled Ashley and Kelly McCarthy to turn a successful business into a stunning one. Tony Halstead reports.

Morgenrot appoints Carl Plath as new MD

Morgenrot appoints Carl Plath as new MD

Wine and beer importer, the Morgenrot Group, has appointed Carl Plath as its new managing director after the sad death of the much loved and respected Ray Flynn last month.

An Ever So Sensible revamp

An Ever So Sensible revamp

The Horse & Groom in Lincoln is set to receive a £250,000 overhaul as part of plans unveiled by new operators the Ever So Sensible group.

Wetherspoon is tops for customer service

Wetherspoon is tops for customer service

By Gurjit Degun

JD Wetherspoon has been named as Britain’s best pub operator for customer satisfaction in the second major national study by customer experience specialist Nunwood.

Coulson: 'Minor variations could fall foul of licensing officers'

Minor variations, major grief

By Peter Coulson

I am continuing to receive reports from licensees in many parts of the country about the refusal of minor variations to their premises licences.

Fuller’s acquires £16m Marston’s package

Fuller’s acquires £16m Marston’s package

By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Fuller’s, the London brewer and operator, has announced it is to acquire a five-strong package of pubs from rival Marston’s, in a deal worth £16m.

Tavistock’s new gastropub franchise

Tavistock’s new gastropub franchise

By John Harrington, M&C Report

Tavistock Leisure, the Sunderland-based bar, restaurant and hotel operator, has unveiled plans to rollout a chain of gastropubs and restaurants via a “franchise-style” scheme.

Hi-Spirits buoyed by turnover rise

Hi-Spirits buoyed by turnover rise

Spirits company Hi-Spirits has posted operating profit of £168,986 in the year to 31 December 2010, with turn-over up £700,000 to £8.1m.

Aston Manor reports dip in profit

Aston Manor reports dip in profit

Birmingham-based cider maker Aston Manor Brewery saw a slight dip in pre-tax profits in 2010, despite turnover rising 49.8% to £79.25m.

Pub hosts faced ruin after loan fraud

Pub hosts faced ruin after loan fraud

Two hosts faced bankruptcy and were forced to live in a friend’s spare room for three months after being caught in the clutches of a multi-million pound fraudster.

Spirit tenant gets 28% rent cut

Spirit tenant gets 28% rent cut

By Ewan Turney

A Spirit Pub Company tenant has secured a 28% reduction in rent after threatening to take the case to arbitration.

Don’t roll over, fight for what you believe

Don’t roll over, fight for what you believe

Following the recent highly publicised partial success in the European Court of Justice by Hampshire licensee Karen Murphy and the Premier League on the issue of satellite screenings of football, should we all not be thinking now is the time to stand...

MP becomes Barman

MP becomes Barman

By Mark Daniels

I’ve written before about how much I enjoy taking on new staff, training them, nurturing them to the way I want them to work behind the bar, and watching them flourish.

Glendola profits up 150%

Glendola profits up 150%

By John Harrington, M&C Report

Glendola Leisure, the bar, club and restaurant operator led by Alex Salussolia, saw profits surge in the year to 26 March 2011 after a reorganisation of the business.

‘No reason’ for SIA fees rise, says BII

‘No reason’ for SIA fees rise, says BII

Neil Robertson, chief executive of the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping), says he sees no reason why licence fees for doorstaff should increase under the new licensing regime that’s set to go live in 2014.

British Pub Week: Get Involved

British Pub Week: Get Involved

By Adam Pescod

Licensees have been given an added incentive to participate in British Pub Week, which will take place from 28 October to 6 November.

Greene King and M&B — perfect partnership?

Greene King and M&B — perfect partnership?

By The PMA Team

The move by Joe Lewis to decide against tabling a bid for Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) will surprise many who thought an offer ahead of the 17 October deadline was a foregone conclusion.

BBPA defends pubcos to MPs

BBPA defends pubcos to MPs

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has written to every MP to refute claims from the Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC) that the beer tie is causing pubs to close.

Findlay: ‘Stop sucking pubs dry’

Findlay: ‘Stop sucking pubs dry’

By Michelle Perrett

The Government needs to help the pub and brewing industries rather than sucking them dry, argued Ralph Findlay, chief executive of Marston’s and chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), last week.

Tye named chief executive at Spirit Pub Company

Tye named chief executive at Spirit Pub Company

By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Spirit Pub Company has reported a 5.2% rise in like-for-like sales across its managed estate for the year to 20th August and confirmed that chief executive Ian Dyson will be succeeded by his current deputy Mike Tye on 16th December this year.

Punch: good year of progress

Punch: good year of progress

By Ewan Turney

Punch Taverns, the leased and tenanted operator, has reported its first growth (0.9%) in average net income per pub for three years as it continues to downsize its estate from 5,000 to 3,000 pubs.

Dunsmore to step down as C&C chief executive

Dunsmore to step down as C&C chief executive

C&C Group, the Irish drinks company, has announced that John Dunsmore will step down as its chief executive at the end of the year and will be succeeded by its current chief operating officer and finance director Stephen Glancey.

Consultation due: Respond now, says Peter Coulson

Reforms are just window dressing

By Peter Coulson

Nothing changes much in Government. I well remember the Labour administration producing a long list of the ‘reforms’ that they intended to bring to licensing, most of which were already under discussion when they started the exercise, and several of which...

RPI rises to 5.6% in August

RPI rises to 5.6% in August

The Retail Price Index (RPI) measure rose to 5.6% from 5.2% in August, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Whitbread sees profits rise

Whitbread sees profits rise

Whitbread has reported a 15.2% rise in underlying profit for the six months to 1 September. Underlying profit before tax for the group was £174.9m (2010/2011: £151.8m) on revenue up 10.7% to £891.3m.

BBPA to move offices

BBPA to move offices

By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is about to move into offices at Brewers’ Hall, in the City of London.

Publican Awards 2012: Submit your entries now

Entries open for Publican Awards 2012

Entries are now being sought for the Publican Awards 2012. The Morning Advertiser’s merger with the Publican earlier this year to create the Publican’s Morning Advertiser has seen us taking over the biggest event in the pub industry calendar — the Publican...

Piedmont withdraws interest in M&B

Piedmont withdraws interest in M&B

Piedmont, the investment vehicle of Bahamas billionaire Joe Lewis, has withdrawn its interest in Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the managed pub operator.

Pub operator Kheng in dispute with PPL

Pub operator Kheng in dispute with PPL

A multiple pub operator has entered a legal dispute with music royalties company PPL over refunds relating to one of his premises which closed on 1 January 2011.

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