Companies

GK/Spirit Deal

Greene King: ‘Business as usual’ at Spirit pubs

30-Jun-2015 By Mike Berry & Ruth Williams

Greene King boss Rooney Anand insists it’s “business as usual” for tenants and lessees following the completion of the biggest deal in the pub sector for 10 years.

Pub design

CAMRA celebrate pub design excellence

30-Jun-2015 By Mike Berry

The Castle at Edgehill in Oxfordshire has won two awards at the Campaign for Real Ale's Pub Design Awards 2015.

Admiral boosts support for new licensees

29-Jun-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Admiral Taverns is launching a new agreement designed specifically to deliver extra support and help for new licensees or those taking their first Admiral pub. 

Leisure tracker

Drinks sales growth outstrips food again in May

29-Jun-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Allegra

For the second time in three months spend on drinking out grew faster than eating out in May, the latest Greene King tracker shows.

Enterprise Inns announce cellar keeper of the year

26-Jun-2015 By Michelle Perrett

A 71-year-old licensee at London’s Nightingale pub has been named Enterprise Inns’ first Cellar Keeper of the Year.

Whitbread appoints new development chef for Beefeater

25-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Whitbread Restaurants has announced the appointment of Paul Fletcher to the role of brand research and development chef for its Beefeater chain.

Pub & Bar Careers website launches

25-Jun-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Allegra

Pubandbarcareers.com, a new website showcasing the range of career opportunities in the sector, has been officially launched.

Campaigns

London licensee fights to revitalise high street

24-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A London licensee has urged other publicans to follow her lead by organising campaigns to help revitalise their local high streets.

City News

Greene King completes Spirit acquisition

24-Jun-2015 By Mark Wingett, M&C Allegra

Greene King has officially completed the £774m acquisition of Spirit Pub Company to create what is described as “a real force to be reckoned with”.

Former Tesco exec joins Greene King

23-Jun-2015 By Ruth Williams, MC Allegra FS

A former Tesco executive has joined Greene King in the newly created role of communications director.

NTIA report: Regulation 'unfairly harming' late night venues

23-Jun-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Late night venues are being unfairly harmed by regulation and reduced opening hours, a report by sociologist Professor Frank Furedi on behalf of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has revealed.

Be At One introduces app payment

22-Jun-2015 By Laurie Macdonald

Be At One has added new features to its smartphone app that enable guests to upload credit and speed up payment at the bar.

Tom Kerridge to release new cookbook

22-Jun-2015 By Jo Bruce

Tom Kerridge is launching a third cookbook in September.

Menu insight

First look: the Gipsy Queen's menu

22-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Great British Pub of the Year winners Susie Clarke and Joel Czopor’s new site the Gipsy Queen, Kentish Town, officially opens its doors to the public on Friday 26 June.

Punch Taverns

Minister at opening of transformed community pub

22-Jun-2015 By Oli Gross

A Nuneaton pub welcomed the community pubs minister to its opening on Thursday (18 June) following a £162,000 refurbishment.

How to run a successful seasonal business

22-Jun-2015 By Laurie Macdonald

Seasonal businesses are a difficult task to take on. While the prospect of an almost guaranteed busy on season is attractive, the trails of a slow off season can challenge even experienced publicans. Laurie MacDonald takes an in depth look at how to make...

Charnwood pubco on market for just under £5m

22-Jun-2015 By Mark Wingett, MC Allegra FS

Charnwood Pub Company, the Albion Ventures-backed, seven-strong chain, has been placed on the market with a combined price of just under £5m.

Pub Opening

GBPA winners double up as new pub opens

19-Jun-2015 By Mike Berry

The award-winning duo behind the Great British Pub of the Year the Grafton have opened their second pub, the Gipsy Queen.

Chef Focus

Award winning chef talks shop: "I'd cook a decent burger for Elvis Presley"

18-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The newly crowned Craft Guild of Chefs Pub Restaurant Chef of the Year 2015 Ray Brenner, of Hampshire gastropub the Chequers, in Eversley Cross, talks tongs, posh egg and chips, and cooking for the king of rock ’n’ roll with Daniel Woolfson 

Food offer

Sussex licensees open new "steampunk" country pub

18-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Tony Leonard and Dom McCartan, owners of the Snowdrop Inn, Lewes, have reopened the Roebuck, in Laughton, Sussex with a new food offer after taking on a private lease for the site and giving it a major refurbishment.

Brakspear recognises top tenants

18-Jun-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Oxfordshire-based pub operator Brakspear has rewarded tenants at five of its pubs in its annual awards.

TV Sport

Tom Kerridge on why food and sport are a match made in heaven

17-Jun-2015 By Sky Sports Preview Magazine

When it comes to matching food, drink and live sport successfully, the Coach – run by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge – covers all the bases.

Opinion

Respect to those that create the proper pub atmosphere

17-Jun-2015 By Jeffrey Bell

My second career ended on 27 May 2015 when I sold my leasehold and business at the Finborough Arms, Kensington, west London.

Full Greene King pubs for sale list announced

17-Jun-2015 By MC Allegra FS

Greene King has revealed the full list of 16 pubs to be sold to address competition issues over its acquisition of Spirit Pub Company.

Two pub chefs win at Craft Guild of Chefs Awards

16-Jun-2015 By Jo Bruce

Peach Pub Company head chef Ray Brenner, head chef at the Chequers at Eversley Cross, Hampshire, won the Pub Restaurant Chef Award.

Marston's pull out of Wolverhampton pub sale following pressure from locals

16-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Marston’s have pulled out of the sale of a landmark Wolverhampton pub following a heated campaign from locals.

Big Interview: Spirit Pub Co's Mike Tye

15-Jun-2015 By Phil Mellows

As Mike Tye nears the end of his time at Spirit Pub Company, Phil Mellows finds out about what he’s achieved, his hopes for the merger with Greene King and his chances of playing more golf.

Pub company loses review into ACV listing

12-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Pub company Faucet Inn has lost a review into whether to uphold the Dartmouth Arms listing as an asset of community value.

Young chef patron launches new "Masterchef-style" competition

11-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

One of the youngest pub landlords in the UK has launched a “Masterchef-style” competition to discover new culinary talent.

Iconic Camden pub occupied by squatters

11-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

An iconic Camden pub has been reportedly occupied by squatters following its closure last month.

Residents of hamlet with less than 100 people pledge to buy their local

10-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Residents of a Kent hamlet, home to less than 100 people, have pledged to raise the £450,000 needed to buy their local pub.

Brewdog unveils four new bar concepts

10-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Brewdog have announced four new concepts - Shuffle Dog, Dog Eat Dog, Dog House and the Newington Fix-to alongside their craft beer bars.

PoundPub franchises by August

10-Jun-2015 By MC Allegra FS

Mike Wardell, the founder of PoundPub, has said the deal with ABInBev to provide “premium products at bargain prices”, has paved the way for the company to launch its franchise offer on 1 August.

Expert insights

Chef focus: Wadworth's king of the kitchen

08-Jun-2015 By Jo Bruce

Scott Ferguson, head development chef at Wadworth, tells the PMA about what makes his kitchens tick

Enterprise plans 'mini stadium' pub atmosphere for Rugby World Cup

08-Jun-2015 By Oli Gross

Enterprise is supporting its licensees to turn their pubs into ‘mini-stadiums’ to drive customer involvement during the Rugby World Cup.

Stonegate acquires Maclay Inns portfolio

06-Jun-2015 By M&C Allegra FS

Stonegate Pub Company has announced a re-strengthening of its estate with the acquisition of 15 sites formerly operated by the Maclay Group, the Scotland-based pub, bar and hotel operator, which was placed into administration earlier this year.

Brewdog

Brewdog cave in to pressure from Hull residents

05-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Brewdog are on the hunt for a site in Hull after an overwhelming response from fans in the city.

Fuller's sales up 6.3% in managed and 5% in tenanted

05-Jun-2015 By M&C Allegra FS

Fuller’s recorded like-for-like sales growth of 6.3% in its managed arm for the year to 28 March with like-for-like profits up 5% in its Tenanted Inns division.

Fuller's chef wins group awards

04-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Jade Clark, who cooks at the Fisherman’s Haunt, Dorset, has been named Fuller’s Chef’s Guild Scholarship Chef of the Year 2015.

Greene King

Greene King beats charity target by £600,000

03-Jun-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Greene King has raised £1.6 million for Macmillan cancer support in the past three years, beating its target of £1 million.

JD Wetherspoon

JDW hits back over ‘inaccurate’ comments on traveller case

03-Jun-2015 By M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has hit back at ‘inaccurate’ newspaper coverage of the second case in a month in which the company had to apologise to a group of travellers.

Awards

Licensees of the Year 2015 crowned

02-Jun-2015 By Mike Berry

Husband and wife team, Keith and Diane Marsden from the Prince of Wales in Birmingham, have been named as the 2015 Licensees of the Year.

Mitchells & Butlers and Help for Heroes give food discount for Armed Forces

02-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Mitchells & Butlers chains Crown Carveries, Sizzling Pubs and O’Neills have announced the launch of new charity initiatives for British Armed Forces members.

Keith Knowles named Yummy Pub Co. chairman

02-Jun-2015 By Jessica Mason

Beds and Bars CEO Keith Knowles has become the new chairman of Yummy Pub Co.

Enterprise Inns launches 'pubs in bloom' competition

02-Jun-2015 By PMA

Enterprise has announced the start of its 2015 pubs in bloom competition, which will be rolled out across the company’s whole estate.

Young Punchbowl Inn chef in running for serious acclaim

01-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

A young pub chef has qualified for the semi-finals of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Young National Chef of the Year competition.

Ex-British Larder chef joins Oakman Inns

29-May-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Ross Pike, former co-owner of Suffolk gastropub the British Larder, has been appointed as the 13-site pub group’s new chef director.

ETM Group's the Gun gets new head chef

29-May-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

ETM Group site the Gun, Docklands, has announced the appointment of a new head chef.

JDW

JDW forced to apologise to travellers for the second time in a month

29-May-2015 By M and C Report

JD Wetherspoon has been forced to apologise, for the second time in a month, to a group of travellers refused entry to its pubs.

Charity

LTC golf tournament tees off

28-May-2015 By Mike Berry

An exciting golf tournament for pubs and breweries has teed off, giving breweries, publicans and their customers the chance to play at fantastic courses across the country.