Companies

Operator news

Spirit reveals profit rise

29-Apr-2015 By Mark Wingett, M&C Allegra

Spirit Pub Company, which is set to become part of Greene King, has this morning reported a 1.5% increase in like-for-like sales across its managed division, with net sales up 4.5% and EBITDA up by 6% to £59.8m.

Pubs code

Punch accused of ‘scaremongering’

29-Apr-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Pubco threatens legal action over MRO.

London-based operator rebrands

28-Apr-2015 By Mark Wingett

Renaissance Pubs has confirmed that it is changing its name following a trademark dispute.

New menu for M&B chain

27-Apr-2015 By James Evison

Sizzling Pubs' new menu includes a collection of on-trend food.

Four pubs in 40 best restaurants list

27-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Four pubs have ranked in a list of the 40 best restaurants in Britain according to some of the country’s top chefs, compiled by the Observer Food Monthly.

Property

North-west pub market finally back on right path

24-Apr-2015 By David Sutcliffe, Fleurets

After a period of pub disposals and a weak property market, there are some signs of recovery in the North-west pub property market.

operator news

Winner of Enterprise Inns' Pub Idol competition announced

23-Apr-2015 By Michelle Perrett

A 20-year-old nail technician was celebrating after winning Enterprise Inns talent show Pub Idol on behalf of her local, the Centre Spot pub in Base Green, Sheffield.

comment

Mitchells & Butlers' battle at the Fighting Cocks

23-Apr-2015 By Roger Protz

Despite roaring trade, one licensee may be forced to call time on his methodology.

Operator news

Disco Bars Group expands to six sites

23-Apr-2015 By James Wallin

Midlands-based nightclub operator Disco Bars Group has acquired two new sites and plans to add another two this year.

Operator news

Young's Spring Grove reopens

22-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Young’s site the Spring Grove, Kingston-Upon-Thames, has reopened after a period of refurbishment with a new food offer.

Training

Nestle Professional Toque d'Or competition crowns winners

22-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Westminster Kingsway College’s team of hospitality students were announced as winners of the Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or competition last night, the college’s third win to date.

Petition to save Camden pub gains 4,000 signatures

22-Apr-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A petition to save Camden based pub The Black Cap has attracted over 4,000 signatures in two days.

Operator news

Punch delivers profits

22-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Punch Taverns has reported a 0.5% rise in like-for-like income in its core estate for the 28 weeks to 7 March 2015 and EBITDA down from £108m for the period last year to £105m this year.

Operator news

Dorbiere to invest £1m in refurbs

21-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Dorbiere — the operator of pubs across the Midlands and Northern England — is investing £1m in refurbishing its existing estate.

Training

People 1st call for chef training promotion

21-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Skills and workforce development charity People 1st has called on members of the hospitality industry to do their bit to combat falling numbers of new chefs.

operator news

Norfolk duo unleash Animal

21-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The owners of an award-winning Norfolk restaurant have bought independent pub group Animal Inns, taking control of the Wildebeest Arms at Stoke Holy Cross, and the Mad Moose on Warwick Street, Norwich.

Operator news

M&B launches Sizzling Pizza, Pub & Carvery

21-Apr-2015 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is to launch a new concept this week which will be a combined and evolved version of its Crown Carveries and Sizzling Pub formats called Sizzling Pizza, Pub & Carvery, M&C Report has learnt.

Licensing

JDW wins late night levy appeal

21-Apr-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

JD Wetherspoon has won an appeal against Newcastle City Council’s refusal to allow the company to vary three of its pubs’ hours to avoid paying a late-night levy.

Openings

George Orwell 'prole's pub' to reopen...with Cornish touch

20-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The Cornwall Project has re-opened Fitzrovia pub the Newman Arms, with the aim of turning it into a “classic West End boozer” with a menu showcasing high quality Cornish produce.

Chefs

Top 50 Gastropubs chefs to create exclusive menu

20-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Four top pub chefs who ranked in The Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s Top 50 Gastropubs 2015 are set to put on an eight-course fine dining menu at this year’s Eat Drink Bristol Fashion festival.

Comment

Guv'nor: Work harder to keep students spending

20-Apr-2015 By Lee Price

Students in Aberystwyth do like to be beside the seaside, but the cost of education has led to a fall in numbers, and brought about a more conservative approach to spending.

PEOPLE NEWS

Property director steps down from M&B

20-Apr-2015 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Paul Kotrys has stepped down as property director at Orchid, which is part of Mitchells & Butlers, to take up a role at property agency James A Baker, the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report understands.

Charity

Marston's launches Give Back Week

17-Apr-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Marston’s has launched a fundraising week across its pubs with the aim of raising £350,000.

City Pub Company to spend £15m on estate

17-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

The City Pub Company will spend its Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) fund of £15m in the next six months on building a pub estate, co-founder David Bruce has told the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report.

property

Pensions freedom stirs lease market

17-Apr-2015 By Ed Jefferson and Stephen Taylor

Investors turn to bricks-and-mortar pubs in order to secure better returns from their pension pots

Pub food

BrewDog starts doing breakfast

17-Apr-2015 By M&C Report

BrewDog is making its first foray into the breakfast market at its Leicester site, which opened yesterday.

Strong Easter rescues disappointing March for eating out sector

17-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Easter weekend like-for-like sales across the eating and drinking out sector were up 5.1% year-on-year, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker, but followed the first monthly drop in like-for-like sales for two year.

PUB chefs

Nominees for Craft Guild of Chefs Awards announced

16-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Four pub chefs have been shortlisted as nominees for the 2015 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards.

Awards

Great British Pub Awards 2015: open for entries now!

16-Apr-2015 By PMA

The search is now on for Britain's best pubs, organised by the Publican’s Morning Advertiser.

Awards

Enterprise launches 2015 Community Heroes awards

15-Apr-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Enterprise Inns has launched its Community Heroes awards for 2015, which it claims will see a record number of publicans receiving cash prizes to spend on local communities.

MA300

TLC Inns plans Grand Central expansion and ops director appointment

15-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Steve Haslam, managing director of TLC Inns, has told the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report that the lack of good quality pub sites on the market has led the company to focus on its Grand Central concept, which could...

AWARDS

Fuller's announces Master Cellarman winners

15-Apr-2015 By Emily Sutherland

The Huntsman and The Butcher’s Arms have been announced as the latest Fuller’s pubs to achieve Master Cellarman status.

BUSINESS PREVIEW

Mark Sargeant: Duke William pub to be 'accessible to all'

15-Apr-2015 By Emma Eversham

Mark Sargeant is planning for his first pub - The Duke William - to be an accessible and welcoming environment where customers will be able to order 'simple pub food done well' alongside local ales, drinks and bar snacks.

Hawthorn seek staff for craft beer concept

14-Apr-2015 By M&C Report

Hawthorn Leisure, the pub group backed by May Capital, is launching a craft beer concept called Artisan Tap, in Scotland, M&C Report has learnt.

Chefs

Fuller's chef joins City Pub Companies

14-Apr-2015 By Jo Bruce

Pub companies City Pub Company East & City Pub Company West have appointed a new executive chef.

Enterprise Inns to reveal strategy

14-Apr-2015 By M&C Report

Enterprise Inns has said it will reveal details of its strategy to grow its managed and commercial property estates in response to the demands of the pubs code.

Council seeks legal action over demolished pub

13-Apr-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

Westminster City Council said it will look into taking legal action against a developer after a Maida Vale pub was demolished, despite the fact the authority had rejected an application to replace the building with flats.

Second Enterprise site for Great British Pub of the Year winners

13-Apr-2015 By Mike Berry

The team behind the Great British Pub of the Year, the Grafton, have doubled up and taken on their second pub.

My Pub

My Pub: Jolly Gardeners, Earlsfield, London

10-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

MasterChef 2010 winner Dhruv Baker talks to Daniel Woolfson about how he and business partners Adam Pomaro, Luke Pomaro and Stephen Robb took the helm at the Jolly Gardeners, in Earlsfield, south London, restoring it to its former glory.

Veteran St John chefs to open "proper London boozer" the Marksman

10-Apr-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Two chefs who previously worked at top chef Fergus Henderson’s acclaimed St John eatery are set to re-launch Hackney pub the Marksman in May.

PEOPLE NEWS

Stonegate appoints M&B man to top role

10-Apr-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Managed pub operator Stonegate has announced that Nick Andrews, currently brand operations director at Mitchells & Butlers, will join the company as managing director of its Traditional Pubs business.