Companies

Top 50 Gastropubs

Enterprise lease wins highest new entry on gastropubs list

26-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge’s gastropub the Coach in Marlow has rocketed onto the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list as this year’s highest new entry for the first time.

Wetherspoons

Late night levy: JDW to review last call time in Camden venues after council pushes ahead with levy

26-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Wetherspoons will consider whether to stop selling alcohol at midnight in its Camden venues after the borough pushed ahead with controversial plans to introduce a late-night levy (LNL.)

JDW

Wetherspoons estate 'likely to shrink for first time in history'

26-Jan-2016 By MC Allegra FS, James Wallin

For the first time in its history, JD Wetherspoon’s estate is likely to shrink this year, a leading analyst from Morgan Stanley has predicted.

Kerridge: saluting the very best of British gastropubs

26-Jan-2016 By Tom Kerridge

It was amazing to be invited back to host the Top 50 Gastropubs Awards again — it’s an event that I think is the best awards ceremony in the pub sector.

Food

Anger over Fuller's plans to reopen former live music venue as food-led pub

25-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Fuller’s has come under fire from campaigners fighting to keep a South East London pub as a grassroots music venue.

Mexican not just for Monday as sales of tortilla dishes rise

22-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Mexican food sales have risen steadily over the past six years, with the number of tortilla dishes on menus rising by 20% since 2010, according to the latest Horizons statistics.

Flooding

Heineken continues support of flood-hit pubs

22-Jan-2016 By Mike Berry

Heineken has continued its support for pubs and other on-trade customers in the north-west following the extensive flooding in the area over the festive period.

What’s next for vegetarian food in pubs?

22-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

More people are considering meat-free dishes when they eat out and want to see more choice on the menu. Michelle Perrett unearths a potential new order

10 things you need to know about selling vegetarian food

21-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

More people are considering meat-free dishes when they eat out and want to see more choice on the menu. Here are 10 things to consider when putting vegetarian options on your menu.

City News

Charles Wells eyes growth as it improves licensee retention rate

21-Jan-2016 By James Evison

 Charles Wells has announced an increase of 4% in operating profit before costs - and plans to continue to invest in its estate.

Training

CPL tells its customers 'it's good to talk'

21-Jan-2016 By Mike Berry

CPL Training is to start offering customers lower prices to book by phone than online.

Food

Bidvest relaunches own brand after name change

21-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Foodservice giant Bidvest has relaunched its own brand portfolio of food, drink and non-food products, less than a year after the hospitality supplier changed its name.

Apprentices

David Cameron commends Greene King for apprenticeship work

20-Jan-2016 By M&C Allegra

Greene King has been recognised by the Government for its commitment to apprenticeships.

NewRiver Retail

NewRiver in 2015: Buying, selling and Co-ops on pub land

20-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

NewRiver Retail has reported a strong performance in 2015, a year that saw the company buy 360 pubs, hand over land for Co-Op convenience stores and sell on one pub for a profit.

People News

Heineken appoints new MD of Star Pubs & Bars

19-Jan-2016 By Mike Berry

Star Pubs & Bars has appointed a new managing director to directly represent the c.1000-strong tenanted and leased pub business on the board of parent company Heineken UK.

Pub boycotts Samuel Smith's following unpopular decision to block temporary bridge on its land

19-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

The owners of a Yorkshire pub have refused to sell beer brewed by pub company and brewer Samuel Smith's after it refused to allow a temporary footbridge to be built on its land following the Boxing Day floods.

Legislation

ACVs: 'Unprecedented' support for pub facing closure after 2,300 people back nomination

14-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

A Norwich pub facing closure has received an 'unprecedented' level of support after 2,300 people backed an application to have it listed as an asset of community value (ACV).

Tackling the seasonal problem: how EATDRINKSLEEP increased turnover and occupancy in the off-season

14-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

EATDRINKSLEEP co-owner and director Edmund Inkin has told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser of the group’s success after tackling the problem of seasonal trade head on.

Britain's nearest pub to France acquired by Shepherd Neame

14-Jan-2016 By M&C Allegra

Kent-based family brewer and pub operator Shepherd Neame has acquired The Coastguard in St Margaret’s Bay, near Dover.

New World Trading Company

Potential for 'hundreds' of Botanist sites

14-Jan-2016 By M&C Allegra

Chris Hill, the managing director of New World Trading Company, has told PMA sister title M&C there is potential for “hundreds” of sites under the company’s Botanist brand.

Samuel Smith brewery labelled 'outrageous' and 'contrary to community spirit' by local MP

12-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Tadcaster pub chain and brewery Samuel Smith has been blasted by Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams and faced criticism from the local community after it refused to allow a temporary footbridge to be built on its land following the devastating Boxing Day...

Independents face tough year against large chains

12-Jan-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Independent food operators worried about competing with larger groups need to "fight back" by demonstrating their individuality in 2016, an industry expert has advised. 

Tied pubs

Former Enterprise licensee ends boycott & goes free of tie for first time in 200 years

11-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

A licensee is selling draught beer for the first time in two years thanks to the end of a dispute with Enterprise Inns, which led to the publican removing the pub's beer pumps.

'UB40 pub' closed for seven years to re-open

11-Jan-2016 By James Evison

A pub which was associated with the pop act UB40 is set to re-open, more than seven years after closing its doors.

Shepherd Neame

Ex-Rolling Stones & Le Gavroche chef takes on Canterbury pub

11-Jan-2016 By James Evison

An award-winning chef who has catered to rock stars such as the Rolling Stones has taken on Shepherd Neame pub, The Granville, in Lower Hardres, Canterbury.

BrewDog rolls out coffee offer

08-Jan-2016 By M&C Allegra

BrewDog is now offering coffee from each of its UK bars with takeaway and packs of pre-ground beans also available.

Greene King pub stops salmonella scare from becoming TripAdvisor disaster

07-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

A Greene King pub forced to close after a salmonella scare has reopened.

Comment

Wetherspoons founder hits out on VAT: 'It's the maths, stupid'

07-Jan-2016 By Tim Martin

Despite leaving the VAT Club, Tim Martin speaks out in typically forthright fashion on the tax burden of the pub trade. 

Fuller's saves the day for iconic pub closed for more than two years

06-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Locals fighting a spirited and long-running campaign to save an iconic south-east London pub are celebrating after it was bought by Fuller's.

Analysis

A tale of two cities - the story of City Pub Co

05-Jan-2016 By James Wallin, MC Allegra FS

How one pubco successfully runs an 'east' and 'west' operation - and how they plan to go nationwide.

Pub openings gallery

Pictures: Pub openings - December 2015

05-Jan-2016 By Oli Gross

The Publican's Morning Advertiser looks at pubs which were renovated and reopened in December 2015.

City news

Enterprise Inns invests £2m into managed tenancy model

04-Jan-2016 By MC Allegra FS

Enterprise Inns is investing £2m into its managed tenancy model Beacon and restructuring to make it a dedicated national operating division within its leased and tenanted business.

Trends

Healthy food options: what's coming in 2016?

04-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

As more people decide they know what’s best for their own health, Alison Baker looks at how pubs can offer food and drink to meet requirements

Trends

The top pub food for 2016? Jamaican Jerk and 'dude food'

04-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Turtle Bay’s planned rollout across the UK will drive demand for Jamaican Jerk in pubs, Spirit Pub Company’s former menu development executive Carl Newey has predicted.

Trends

Top 12 food trends for 2016, reveals Mintel

04-Jan-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Alternatives to meat and dairy will be the top of consumers’ priorities this year, according to market researchers Mintel.

Christmas

Harvester donates 5,000 meals to local causes

22-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Harvester, the Mitchells & Butlers-owned chain, has treated a multitude of charities local to its 230 sites to free Christmas meals. 

Laine Pub Co grows FY sales 9%

22-Dec-2015 By James Evison

The Laine Pub Company, the Luke Johnson backed operator of pubs in Brighton and London, has recorded sales increases of 9% in the year to 30 June.

Coca-Cola

Greene King: Free soft drinks for designated drivers this Christmas

16-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

Designated drivers will be rewarded for their efforts with free soft drinks at pubs this Christmas.

gastropubs

Closure: Great British Menu winner to shut award-winning Hampshire gastropub

15-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Acclaimed chef James Durrant has announced he plans to close his Hampshire gastropub the Plough Inn, Longparish.

MA300 club

MA300 members to debate NLW at Nottingham event

15-Dec-2015 By Mike Berry

The new national living wage is set to have a big impact on the trade in 2016, and the next MA300 business club will host a debate on the topic.

Yorkshire pub chef slams police after assault arrest

14-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

A North Yorkshire chef has slammed police who arrested him after he confronted a man he discovered near a fire at the pub where he lived and worked. 

Eight finalists announced for Parliamentary Pub Chef Awards

14-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Eight UK pub chefs have been named as finalists in the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group’s Parliamentary Pub Chef awards.

Analysis

Flexitarian diets set to rocket in 2016

10-Dec-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

The popularity of flexitarianism is set to reach new heights in 2016, following recent figures from consumer analyst Mintel that showed 35% of Brits now identified as ‘semi-vegetarian’.

All day dining boosts pub food sales

10-Dec-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

As consumers become increasingly demanding and more inclined to turn their backs on traditional mealtimes, pubs need to change tack to keep pace. Nicholas Robinson reports on an All Day Dining Event that looked in detail at this trend

Big Interview

Greene King's Rooney Anand: "People running their own pub businesses have to be pretty hard-nosed"

10-Dec-2015 By Ed Bedington

Greene King might be off the beaten track in the sleepy Suffolk town of Bury St Edmunds, but that has not stopped it from making waves throughout the wider UK market.

Christmas charity

Alice in Wonderland 'chocolate masterpiece' created by Yorkshire licensee

09-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

A Yorkshire licensee who makes a chocolate masterpiece every Christmas has based his most recent on the Lewis Carroll novel and Disney feature film, Alice in Wonderland.

JD Wetherspoon pulls out of VAT Club

08-Dec-2015 By James Evison

JD Wetherspoon has pulled out of campaigner Jacques Borel's VAT Club.

Chef Focus

Behind the scenes at Heston Blumenthal's pub, the Hinds Head

08-Dec-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Heston Blumenthal-owned Berkshire pub the Hinds Head, in Bray, came 14th in 2015’s Top 50 Gastropubs awards. Daniel Woolfson gets the lowdown on head chef Janos Veres

Buy British

Pubs should ‘follow McDonald’s food labelling lead’

08-Dec-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

More pubs should follow the lead of fast-food chain McDonald’s and make a bigger play of sourcing and labelling British meat, the results of a recent consumer poll have revealed.

PGB report

Pubco audit: Concerns over BDM training and new agreement waivers

07-Dec-2015 By Mike Berry

There is still room for improvement in the training of business development managers (BDMs) by pubcos as less than two thirds are properly qualified, according to the annual compliance report by the Pub Governing Body (PGB).