News

FOOD SAFETY

Zero-star food hygiene ratings significantly down across pub sector

02-Sep-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

The number of pubs given the lowest possible food hygiene rating by the Food Standards Agency has consistently dropped over the past four years, new data reveals.

PUNCH

Punch reveals new food-led pub concept

01-Sep-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Punch has announced the launch of a new food-led pub concept called Village Pub & Kitchen as part of its retail division, Falcon.

Autistic child “told to eat outside” Sizzling Pubs site

01-Sep-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A child with autism was told to eat outside a Welsh Sizzling Pubs site after his family brought their own food for him into the pub.

In association with Booker

Inside the King's Head, Napton

30-Aug-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

When a husband and wife team revamped their pub’s food offer, it was the great produce at consistent prices from cash-and-carry store Booker that made their vision a reality.

Food safety

Barbecue pub slams “nanny state” after zero food hygiene rating

30-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A Surrey pub has spoken out against the “modern nanny state” after receiving a zero food hygiene rating.

Food

RSPCA rescues chip-stealing parrot from pub garden

30-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A rare African parrot was rescued by the RSPCA after it flew into a pub garden and stole leftover chips from customers.

Lancashire pub named in Good Food Guide’s top 50 UK restaurants

25-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A Lancashire gastropub has been named as one of the top restaurants in the country by the Good Food Guide.

Breastfeeding

Pub apologises to breastfeeding mother

24-Aug-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

A Greene King pub has issued an apology to a breastfeeding mother after a member of staff asked her to breastfeed her baby in the toilet

Property

Second Wetherspoon pub plan in city refused

24-Aug-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

A second Wetherspoon pub in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, has been refused for the second time in less than a year.

Investment

Punch invests £1.2m into north-east pubs

22-Aug-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

Pubco Punch has revealed it has invested more than £1.2m into pubs in the Whitby and Scarborough area since August 2015.

Food Safety

Mitchells & Butlers pub fined £100,000 for mouse infestation

22-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) was slapped with a £100,000 fine after environmental health officers uncovered an infestation of mice at one of its Birmingham pubs.

The Craft Beer Co

Craft Beer Co secures another London site

21-Aug-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

London-based pubco the Craft Beer Co has secured a new site in the city’s Limehouse.

NEW OPENING

Chez Bruce chef to lead kitchen at new London gastropub

19-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A chef who cooked at some of London’s top eateries will take up residence at a new pub in Deptford later this month.

Beer

Craft beer and vegetarian food pairing

19-Aug-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Vegetarian food and craft beer pairings have been thrust into the limelight by the US Brewers Association’s executive chef Adam Dulye, who showcased the diversity of the nation’s brews and meat-free food coupling.

NEW OPENING

Michelin star pub chef launches new ‘curious tavern’

16-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

The chef patron of one of the Top 50 Gastropubs in the UK has launch his third site.

Health & safety

Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey’s pub evacuated due to ‘strange burning smell’

15-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey’s Staffordshire pub had to be evacuated after reports of a ‘strange’ smell coming from its cellar.

New ETM gastropub to feature sports lounge and hairdressers

15-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

London-based gastropub group ETM has announced the opening of a new pub featuring a restaurant, sports lounge and barbers.

Technology

Snapchat your food and drink for better sales

15-Aug-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Operators must embrace newer social media outlets such as Snapchat and Instagram, and ditch older forms like Twitter to maximise food and drink pairings, a research organisation has said.

Burger and craft beer pairing with Pub Love

12-Aug-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

London-based pub group Pub Love and its Burger Craft pop-up brand have launched a new beer and burger pairing menu that focuses on twinning burgers with beer styles rather than brands.

What's the future of curry in the pub?

11-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

While pub giant JD Wetherspoon is now the biggest seller of ‘classic’ curries in the UK, the rise of street food has led to a new interest in pairing craft beers with more ‘authentic’ versions in the independent pub sector

Pub changes 'all about meat' sign after vegetarians complain

08-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A County Durham pub has changed a sign that read “it’s all about meat” to please vegetarians who found it distasteful.

Marketing

Pub labelled sexist for 'hot girls eat free' poster

04-Aug-2016 By Oli Gross

A pub has been labelled sexist for advertising free meals for attractive women.

ONLINE REVIEWS

'Bragging or moaning' online reviews slammed by academics

01-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Online ratings should in no way be considered an accurate way of assessing a pub or restaurant, according to leading academics.

Fire ravages kitchen of CAMRA award-winning pub

01-Aug-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Firefighters rescued a man from a Kent pub after its kitchen burst into flames early on Sunday morning (30 July).

Christmas

Bidvest Foodservice launches new Christmas range

29-Jul-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Consumers eat out across all dining occasions more at Christmas than any other time of the year and demand more free-from options, giving operators the opportunity to make more money over the festive period.

Harvester diner fuming over 'disgraceful' lack of options

28-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A couple on a dinner date at a local Harvester were stunned when they were told there was essentially nothing available from the menu apart from chicken.

Star Pubs & Bars launches specialist food workshops

26-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Star Pub & Bars has announced the launch of a series of specialist food workshops designed to enhance the skills of its licensees who want to improve their food offer.

EU REFERENDUM

Post-Brexit pessimism: hospitality bosses' confidence crashes

25-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Optimism for the eating and drinking out sector has crashed since Britain voted to leave the European Union in June, exclusive research claims.

new opening

Hedonist's Guide founder opens new gastropub with acclaimed chef

25-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

The founder of A Hedonist's Guide To... has opened a new pub in Cornwall with a menu co-created by one of the top gastropub chefs in the country.

COFFER PEACH BUSINESS TRACKER

Pub chains outperform casual dining despite 'sluggish' growth

20-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Pub chains outperformed casual-dining establishments in June largely thanks to Euro 2016 screenings, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

"They just don't care": getting to grips with no-shows

19-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

“This sounds horrible,” laments Heath Ball, owner of the Red Lion & Sun in London's Highgate, “but I just don’t think they care.”

FOOD SAFETY

Operators warned to "wash all salads" following E.coli deaths

18-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Public health experts have urged operators to be vigilant and "wash all salads" when preparing and serving mixed salads after two people died of E. coli.

Punch and Just Eat partner for pub food delivery schemes

14-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Punch has announced a new partnership with digital takeaway service Just Eat to allow licensees to have fresh food delivered to and from their pubs.

Fit for the Queen? Her Majesty dines out at Edinburgh pub

14-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

The Queen stunned staff and locals alike when she dropped into an Edinburgh pub for lunch last week.

Top Portuguese chef to cook 'nose to tail' dinner at London pub

13-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

High-profile chef Nuno Mendes is set to cook a five-course meal based on Fergus Henderson’s revered British cookbook Nose to Tail Eating at Hackney pub the Marksman later this month.

Food safety

Brexit: EU allergen rules 'not going anywhere'

12-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Licensees should not expect allergen legislation handed down from Brussels to change in the near future, despite Britain’s impending exit from the European Union, a leading food-safety expert has stressed.

Staff

Chef sacked for 'feeding vegans animal products' taunt

12-Jul-2016 By Oli Gross

A chef has been sacked for taunting vegans with boasts about secretly adding animal products to meals.

Turn down that racket: pubs urged to reduce noise levels for diners

11-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A leading charity has urged food businesses to cut down on potentially off-putting background noise levels.

New head chef at Daniel Clifford’s Essex gastropub

07-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Double Michelin star-winning chef Daniel Clifford has announced the appointment of a new head chef at his recently opened Essex pub the Flitch of Bacon.

Skills Summit

"Even a kitchen porter is vital" - Fuller’s food chief talks chef shortage

07-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Hiring and retaining skilled chefs is still a crux for countless businesses across the sector. The Morning Advertiser's food & drink writer Daniel Woolfson sat down for a ‘fireside chat’ with Paul Dickinson, head of food at Fuller’s, and Gavin...

Fuller’s takes over popular Docklands gastropub from ETM

07-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

London-based pub company Fuller’s has bought Docklands gastropub the Gun from ETM Group.

Food safety

New food safety guidelines after grandmother ‘dies of suspected food poisoning’

06-Jul-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Food safety and hygiene experts are set to reveal a nationally recognised guide to legal hygiene practices, days after a woman died of suspected food poisoning linked to eating at a pub carvery.

Marston’s pub “attempted to block FOI request” for food-hygiene report

04-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A Derby pub has tried to prevent a damning food hygiene report from being released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Toby Carvery: breach of duty after "giving hundreds of customers norovirus"

01-Jul-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Mitchells & Butlers has admitted a breach of duty to a group of 280 customers who fell ill with norovirus after visiting a Toby Carvery site in Exeter last year.

Licensee stunned to receive zero hygiene rating for falling behind on paperwork

30-Jun-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

A licensee has spoken of his dismay at being slapped with a zero food hygiene rating for paperwork and structural issues.

Star Pubs & Bars to invest £250k in food support programme for licensees

30-Jun-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Star Pubs & Bars has announced plans to invest £250k into helping develop its licensees' food offers over the next year.

TV chef Simon Rimmer's gastropub burgled just days after opening

29-Jun-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Celebrity chef Simon Rimmer’s new pub the Viking has been burgled just a few days after opening its doors to the public.

How to build a food offer from scratch

Pubs do Deliveroo food delivery, here’s how…

29-Jun-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Creating a good pub food offer is the ‘Holy Grail’ for many wet-led operators, but getting the customer traction can’t always be possible. PubLove jumped the struggle by developing a separate brand and now delivers across London, boss Ben Stackhouse tells...