Professional advice crucial for tied tenants
The importance of professional advice when taking on and running a tied pub has been stressed by the pubs code adjudicator (PCA).
News
PROPERTY ROUND-UP
PROPERTY: Beautiful Pubs completes £1m redevelopment of The Old Horse
This property round-up includes mentions from Admiral Taverns, Wren Pubs, JD Wetherspoon and more.
THE LOW & NO PROJECT
Weight loss drugs linked to lower alcohol spend and fewer drinking occasions
The growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs is beginning to reshape alcohol consumption.
What the 2026 Publican Awards winners had to say
This year’s Publican Awards champions shared their delight on their wins.
Brakspear expands L&T estate with three Surrey pubs
Brakspear has acquired three pubs in Surrey from Grosvenor Pubs & Inns.
THE CASK PROJECT
Theakston launches Barista Stout in cask format
Independent Yorkshire brewery T&R Theakston has launched its popular Barista Stout in cask format.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Partnership Pub Company (501+ sites): Greene King
Building on a long-established reputation as a trusted partner in the leased and tenanted sector, with around 1,000 partnership pubs, Greene King has grown its franchised division to 100 sites through the food-led Hive and wet-led Nest brands to offer a...
Publican Awards 2026 Best Partnership Pub Company (up to 500 sites), sponsored by Diageo: Laine Pub Company
Founded 30 years ago and now operated as an autonomous arm of the Punch Pubs empire, Laine has established itself as a specialist operator of pubs and bars aimed at Generation Z.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Sustainable Pub Company: St Austell Brewery
St Austell Brewery has been named Best Sustainable Pub Company in recognition of a mature, strategically embedded and future-focused approach to environmental leadership.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Pub Operations Team, sponsored by Asahi: Hickory’s Smokehouse
Judges were impressed with the strong structure, processes and initiatives of Hickory’s passionate and dedicated ops team, which alongside its huge passion for its people, is driving the brand’s ongoing success.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Pub Employer (501+ employees), sponsored by Illy: Butcombe Group
This year’s Best Pub Employer (501+ employees) impressed judges with its strong values, innovative approach to training and people-first attitude.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Pub Employer (up to 500 employers), sponsored by Carlsberg Britvic: Barons Pub Company
The 11-strong Surrey pubco Barons has reinforced an established reputation for nurturing talent and motivating its teams with its win in this year’s awards.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Pub Brand/Concept, sponsored by Funkin: BOX, Arc Inspirations
Arc Inspirations’ BOX brand has continued its rapid evolution as one of the UK’s most dynamic pub bar concepts, marked most notably by the opening of its seventh site – its first in London and its debut in the south of England.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Premium Food Offer, sponsored by Damm UK: Ardent Pub Group
Ardent Pub Group stood out to judges for its clear commitment to delivering truly premium pub dining, underpinned by strong culinary principles and a genuine passion for hospitality.
Publican Awards 2026 Best New Site, sponsored by Heineken UK: Molly Mc’s, Windmill Taverns
With an irrepressible sense of energy, Windmill Taverns has created something quite special with the launch of its latest new site.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Managed Pub Company (51+ sites), sponsored by Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I: Urban Pubs & Bars
Founded in 2014 by Nick Pring and Malcolm Heap, Urban Pubs & Bars has expanded rapidly through a combination of individual acquisitions and portfolio purchases.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Managed Pub Company (2 to 50 sites), sponsored by Molson Coors: St Austell Brewery
St Austell’s win in this category comes in the year that the company celebrates its 175th anniversary, but it was a reward that recognised the management team’s strategic skill, hard work and substantial investment rather than one weighted with big...
Star operator reflects on 30 years of service
A Star Pubs licensee in Buckinghamshire has been recognised for three decades of “tremendously uplifting” service.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Experiential Operator, sponsored by Sky Business: Incipio Group
A bold commitment to creating unforgettable social spaces saw Incipio Group take the title of Best Experiential Operator.
MA Labour Report launch: What are the top benefits for pub staff?
As The MA Labour Report launches today, we delve into a snippet of data from a new survey carried out by The Morning Advertiser (The MA).
Publican Awards 2026 Best Food Offer, sponsored by Square: Urban Pub & Bars
Urban Pubs & Bars stood out to the judges for its ability to achieve record-breaking profits and excellent like-for-like food sales growth across the multitude of different menus at its now 69-sites.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Drinks Offer, sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
Winning the same category at the Publican Awards three years in a row is almost unheard of but Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars has done just that, taking home the Best Drinks title once again.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Community Pub Operator, sponsored by Atmosphere TV: Oak Taverns
Oak Taverns has been recognised for the heartfelt, community-first ethos that has shaped the business since its inception.
PUBLICAN AWARDS 2026
VIDEO: Stars on show talk about Publican Awards and the future
As more than 1,500 guests flocked to The Publican Awards last week, we had a quick chat with a few of the operators and trade body representatives.
Proper Pubs MD: ‘Community pubs are resilient but must evolve’
Community pubs remain resilient as value‑seeking consumers turn to local venues, but the sector must keep adapting to survive, Proper Pubs managing director Nathan Wall told The Morning Advertiser (The MA).
Fuller’s: Horner to replace Smith as CFO at ‘highest-quality pub estate in UK’
Fuller, Smith & Turner (Fuller’s) has appointed Katie Horner as its new CFO at what one financial expert has described as “arguably the highest-quality pub estate in the UK”.
Stonegate reports ‘material uplift’ in profit margin
Stonegate Group has reported a decline in revenue for the 16 weeks to 18 January, but a boost in profits.
NEOS transitions two new sites to core concepts
NEOS Hospitality has confirmed plans to transition two new sites into its immersive bar brands.
UTILITY UPDATE WITH NATIONWIDE ENERGY
Energy update: Trump extends Strait of Hormuz opening deadline
US president Donald Trump has again extended the window for Iran to fully open the narrow channel through which 20% of global oil and gas flow.
OPINION
OPINION: Why are guests taking a table but not buying a meal?
Now, it’s not really my usual MO to be spiling the beans on the customers but lately I seem to have adopted a bit of devil-may-care attitude in that I don’t have the usual filter over what I might say.
PUBLICAN AWARDS 2026
Party pics - did our snappers get you?
As The Publican Awards ceremony drew to a close, there was still time to party.
Heartwood eyes £100m turnover with efficiency-led rooms strategy
Heartwood Collection is accelerating growth in its pubs-with-rooms operation to offset rising costs, with £40m capex planned and a £100m turnover target, CEO Richard Ferrier told The Morning Advertiser (The MA).
EXCLUSIVE: Everards boasts strong results despite challenging environment
Brewer and pub operator Everards has announced a “strong financial performance” in its latest annual results amid a “a challenging economic backdrop for pubs and hospitality”.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Brewing Pub Company, sponsored by Thatchers: Robinsons Brewery
With a heritage stretching back to 1838, it’s fair to say that Robinsons knows what its doing when it comes to running a brewery and a pub estate.
Publican Awards 2026 Business Leader of the Year, sponsored by Poppleston Allen: William Lees-Jones
An overwhelmingly popular choice for Business Leader of the Year, William Lees-Jones struck a chord with voters for his outspoken campaigning, and continuing to drive his family business onto greater and greater success.
Publican Awards 2026 Best Accommodation Operator: Chestnut
Chestnut delivers a distinctive pub‑accommodation offer across its 25 sites in the east of England, 22 of which provide overnight stays.
Pubs over the years: What were the news stories shaping the sector in March 5, 10 and 15 years ago?
We’ve take a look back at the biggest stories that were affecting the sector in March 2011, 2016 and 2021.
OPINION
OPINION: Introducing a food offer without breaking the bank
Introducing food into a wet-led pub can feel daunting, especially when budgets are tight and staffing pressures are at an all-time high.
PUBLICAN AWARDS 2026
Publican Awards 2026: Social media highlights
The hospitality sector came together to celebrate the best in the business on Wednesday 25 March 2026.
JDW to expand overseas operations
Pub behemoth JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is set to open two new airport pubs in Spain.
2026 Publican Awards winners unveiled
This year’s winners of the industry Oscars have been revealed with businesses up and down the country honoured.
LICENSING HUB: LEGAL WITH POPPLESTON ALLEN
Can pubs host raffles at Easter events?
With spring fast approaching many operators will be thinking about hosting Easter activities at their pubs and may be thinking about holding a raffle.
Inception to launch games parlour concept in the City
Inception Group is converting part of its Mr Fogg’s City Tavern into an experiential gaming site this spring.
LICENSING HUB: LEGAL WITH POPPLESTON ALLEN
Licensing tips to help pubs maximise summer trade
We finally had two consecutive days of sunshine, which led me to sit outside my local enjoying a pint, something many more of us will be looking to do in the forthcoming weeks.
Take advantage of Tyson Fury’s return to the ring
The return of Tyson Fury to the boxing ring is a great chance to increase footfall and takings at your pub or bar.
THE CASK PROJECT
OPINION: Why nitro will be good for cask
The rise of nitro beer, led emphatically by Guinness and a stout category now delivering over 20% growth in both volume and value, is often framed as a symptom of cask’s struggles. And in part, that’s fair.
PUBLICAN AWARDS 2026
Publican Awards taking place today
Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to find out who the winners of this year’s Publican Awards are.
What are the rules around displaying drinks prices?
Following a parliamentary motion calling for compulsory displays of alcoholic drinks prices, The Morning Advertiser has outlined the obligations on operators around how the information is illustrated.
Market Halls secures £11m in funding
Market Halls has secured £11m in funding from OakNorth to support the next phase of its national growth strategy, including the acquisition of additional sites.
Survey: Help shape industry calls for energy support
A trade association is calling on hospitality operators support in assessing the levels of concern across the sector on rising energy prices.