Companies

TCG to refurb flagship Tattershall Castle

05-Jan-2015 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Managed pub operator TCG has outlined a £1.7m capex programme to revamp two of its venues.

Wetherspoon and Heineken resolve drinks supply row

05-Jan-2015 By Mike Berry

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has resolved its row with Heineken over its drinks supply agreement, just under a month after the pubco announced it had ended its 35-year relationship with the brewer.

Pubs join forces to donate to Tower of London project charities

30-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs from five rival companies have teamed up to make a joint donation to The Tower of London Remembers Project.

BII regional chair resigns over 'concerns' about new direction of body

23-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A regional chair of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has resigned after “voicing misgivings” regarding the new direction of the organisation.

Eating-out spend up in November

23-Dec-2014 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Eating-out spend saw year-on-year growth in November, with the average household increasing spend by £3 (4%) to £76, according to the latest Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker.

Manchester licensee ‘in limbo’ after train station extension plans

23-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A Manchester publican fears for his business after plans to extend a railway station are set to close his pub.

London multiple operators launch microbrewery

22-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A south-west London pub has launched a new five-barrel microbrewery.

Farm Frites Development Chef Awards now open for entries

22-Dec-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

The UK’s top multi-site chefs are being encouraged to enter the second annual Farm Frites Development Chef Awards.

Beer sales expected to rise 1.3% in 2014

22-Dec-2014 By James Wallin

After five years of decline, volume sales of beer for 2014 are expected to rise 1.3% to 4.24bn litres, according to new research from Mintel.

Waltham Forest considering borough-wide Article 4 Direction for pubs

22-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Waltham Forest Council is looking into issuing an Article 4 Direction on all pubs in the London borough, following a petition from local residents after five pubs in the area were lost in five weeks.

JD Wetherspoon acquires Head of Steam in Liverpool

19-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon has secured its fifth site in Liverpool – the Head of Steam at Lime Street station.

Drinks industry exceeds one billion alcohol unit reduction target

19-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

The drinks industry has exceeded its target of removing one billion units of alcohol in the market two years early, a new report shows.

JDW makes internal FD appointment

19-Dec-2014 By Mark Wingett

JD Wetherspoon has looked internally to cover its vacant finance director role, promoting Ben Whitley, who has been with the company since 1999, on an interim basis.

Video: ITV's Tonight programme on survival of British pub

18-Dec-2014 By Jo Bruce

ITV’s ‘Tonight’ programme, screened on ITV last night (Thursday, 18 December), focused on the threat to the British pub.

St Austell chefs in food photography workshop

18-Dec-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Head chefs from across St Austell’s 170-strong pub estate have been given a lesson in how to photograph their food using only a smartphone.

Winners of the ALMR Operations Managers Awards revealed

18-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

Menesh Modhwadia of New Inventive Pub Company and Darren King of Greene King Pub Partners have been named Area Manager and Business Development Manager of the Year respectively, in the ALMR’s Operations Managers Awards.

McMullen pays bonuses to more than half its tenants

17-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Hertfordshire-based brewer and pub operator McMullen has paid out bonuses of up to £10,000 to more than half its tenants for driving tied sales above expectations.

Bromley pub the Porcupine saved from conversion into Lidl

17-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A much-loved Bromley pub has been saved from conversion after the Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal by Lidl against the local council’s decision to refuse planning permission.

Lawyer warns publicans over personal licence renewal deadline

17-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell and Helen Gilbert

A leading licensing lawyer has urged English and Welsh publicans to act swiftly in renewing their personal licences, following new figures that show thousands of Scottish licences are set to be revoked after holders failed to meet Government deadlines.

Be At One to launch ‘Try January’ campaign

17-Dec-2014 By Jessica Mason

Be At One, the Piper-backed cocktail chain, is planning a new marketing campaign for the new year called “Try January”.

BII launches roadshows to help licensees grow their businesses

16-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The British Institute of Innkeping (BII) is launching a series of roadshow events to help licensees develop their businesses.

Wine bar faces prosecution after liquid nitrogen cocktail almost kills drinker

16-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

The director and one employee of a bar where a teenage girl was seriously injured after drinking a liquid nitrogen cocktail have been charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Enterprise revamps website with focus on new recruits

16-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Enterprise Inns has revamped its website in a bid to boost recruitment among potential publicans.

Robinsons brews up a new look

16-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

Family brewer Robinsons is undergoing a company-wide brand revamp commencing with a new logo and its biggest pub investment commitment to date, with fresh signage throughout its estate.

JD Wetherspoon cleans up at toilet awards

16-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

JD Wetherspoon has won ten accolades at the Loo of the Year Awards 2014.

Thierry Henry joins Sky Sports

16-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from football and will join Sky Sports as a football expert and ambassador from the start of 2015.

Fancy that! The quirkiest stories of 2014

15-Dec-2014 By The PMA Team

The Publican's Morning Advertiser takes you on a journey through a collection of the most interesting, quirky and comic stories of 2014.

Home Office stats show rise in number of licensed premises

15-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

The number of licensed premises in England and Wales has risen 3% in the last five years to reach 204,300 as of 31 March 2014.

Tom Kerridge’s head chefs to take centre stage at IFE

15-Dec-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

The head chefs at both of Tom Kerridge’s pubs are to take part in a cooking demonstration at the UK’s largest food and drink event next spring.

Licensee of X Factor winner's local pub praised for assisting singing career

15-Dec-2014 By James Evison

The publican of the Swan in West Wickham has been praised for helping launch the career of this year's X Factor winner, Ben Haenow.

Trade bodies urge Chancellor to 'Drop the Duty' on wines and spirits

15-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) and Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has launched its campaign to lobby for a 2% cut in duty on wine and spirits.

Enterprise Inns halts lessee’s assignment ‘because of MRO’

15-Dec-2014 By Rob Willock

An Enterprise Inns lessee has had her assignment process halted by the pubco at the last minute because of uncertainty surrounding new government legislation.

CHEF FOCUS

2014 in review: Leading pub chefs take on additional sites

14-Dec-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

A sure sign of a successful pub operator is the ability to branch out into new ventures. In the second PubFood review of 2014, welook at those existing pub chefs who have been busy empire-building over the past 12 months.

Maggi make charity call for chef 'festive selfies'

12-Dec-2014 By Helen Gilbert

Maggi has called on chefs to post festive selfies in aid of industry charity Hospitality Action.

Pint purchase app released by publican

12-Dec-2014 By Helen Gilbert

A Thornton Heath publican has launched a new ‘pub credit’ website that allows people to buy their mates a pint remotely.

Saved Spurs pub seeking manager

12-Dec-2014 By Helen Gilbert

Local residents who saved Tottenham's Antwerp Arms from potentially being turned into flats are now looking to recruit staff.

Michelin chef Tom Sellers' re-opens former pub of DJ Chris Evans

12-Dec-2014 By Jo Bruce

The new pub of Michelin-starred chef Tom Sellers opens today (12 December).

Greene King 'dragon's den' backs pub poetry and 80s concept

12-Dec-2014 By James Wallin

A Greene King tenant has secured backing from the pubco to roll out a concept bringing together poetry and pubs as part of a 'dragon's den' style contest.

First community-owned pub on housing estate to re-open

12-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

Britain’s first ever community-owned pub on a housing estate is re-opening after a three-year campaign by residents.

East London licensee hit with £5k fine for illegal Sky Sports coverage

11-Dec-2014 By James Evison

The licensee of the Acorn pub in east London has been convicted for showing Sky Sports illegally - and has been ordered to pay £5615 in fines and costs.

BBPA confirms it will not challenge MRO in pubs code

11-Dec-2014 By James Wallin

The British Beer & Pub Association has confirmed it will not seek to overturn the inclusion of a mandatory market rent only option in the pubs code, and accepts it will now become law.

Publican slams council over 'unlawful' licensing errors

11-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A north London licensee has hit out at basic licensing errors made by his local council that sought to unlawfully restrict his trading hours over the festive period.

Pubs predict bumper Christmas trading

11-Dec-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs are hopeful of a bumper festive season with Christmas bookings for many up on last year.

Crimestoppers issues warning to publicans about advertising scam

10-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers has issued a warning about an advertising scam targeting publicans.

Report calls on Gov't to cut tax and red tape to stop pub closures

10-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

A new report by the Institute of Economic Affairs has called on the Government to reduce VAT, halve alcohol duty, amend the smoking ban and scrap cumulative impact zones in order to help stop pubs closing.

Oakman grows to 12 sites with new Greene King lease

09-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

Oakman Inns & Restaurants has taken on its first Greene King lease to bring the company to 12 sites.

Pubs urged to unlock revenue potential of camping

09-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

Pubs are being encouraged to turn unused land into campsites and unlock a potential new revenue stream.

Wetherspoon's ditches Heineken after row over Irish pub drinks supply

09-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

JD Wetherspoon has announced that it is ditching Heineken across its entire 926-strong pub estate with immediate effect, after the drinks group refused to supply Heineken lager and Murphy’s stout to the company’s new pub in Dun Laoghaire in the Republic...

Brighton multiple operator trials urban demographic concept

08-Dec-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

A multiple operator who is trialling a new concept with Brakspear aimed at an 'urban demographic' says he would like to work with the company to roll it out.