Opinion & Interviews

Level the burden: Andy Slee of SIBA has called for fairness on taxation

OPINION

Unfair tax system must be fixed

By Andy Slee, chief executive, Society of Independent brewers (SIBA)

In a free market economy, Governments help things that are good for society and tax things that aren’t. Life should really be that simple.

Property refurbs: this week's round-up features Robinson's, Star Pubs & Bars, Admiral Taverns and Punch

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Robinsons and Almond Pubs invest £500k into Manchester site

By Rebecca Weller

In this week's property round-up, Almond Pubs director Vicki Williams discusses the new look for the Fletcher's Arms in Manchester and ongoing "conversations" about future partnerships with Robinsons Brewery.

Community payback: Stroud Brewery boss Greg Pilley says local sourcing for staff and suppliers has reciprocal result

OPINION

Can't afford to save the planet?

By Greg Pilley, managing director, Stroud Brewery

How often do you find yourself having to balance your values against cost?

Property passport: Operators open sites across the globe

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

BrewDog eyes Asia expansion after Hong Kong launch

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

It's been a big month for BrewDog, with new sites launching in Hong Kong and Amsterdam, and now the operator is looking to further spread its wings into Asia.

Sobering view: non-alcoholic occasions should be seen as an opportunity says Hari Fell

OPINION

Sober October deniers’ pubs will struggle to survive

By Hari Fell, Tudor Farmhouse Hotel, Clearwell, Gloucestershire, and founder of NoLo Cocktails

As a hotelier of 20 years and having given up alcohol more than four years ago, I read Gav Young’s opinion piece ‘A Pub is for life not for 10 months of the year’ with dismay.

Standing out: Little Door & Co managing director and co-founder Kamran Dehdashti (left) with director and co-founder Jamie Hazeel

OPINION

Company culture: how we can stand out from the pack

By Kamran Dehdashti and Jamie Hazeel, founders, Little Door & Co

In the current economic climate, many hospitality businesses are finding the conditions tougher than ever – margins are being squeezed across the board, and revenue is less reliable and consistent than before.

Operator opinion: Gav Young of the Plough and Barleycorn in the Isle of Wight has his say on Sober October

OPINION

'A pub is for life, not for 10 months of the year'

By Gav Young, the Plough and Barleycorn, Isle of Wight

As if ‘Dry January’ wasn’t enough, the geniuses at Macmillan have joined in with Sober October. I guess when your CEO earns in excess of £190,000, originality is too much to ask!

Property refurbs: this week's round-up features Admiral Taverns and Stonegate

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Historic Notting Hill pub restored to 'former glory'

By Rebecca Weller

In this week's property refurbishment round-up, we spoke to operator of the Walmer Castle in Notting Hill about the historic pub's restoration while reopening's from Admiral Taverns, Inn Collection Group and Slug & Lettuce also feature.

Treasured jewel: Shepherd Neame invests more than £2.5m into its pub estate (Pictured: the Tom Cribb pub in London)

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Shepherd Neame MD: 'pub's should reflect their heritage'

By Rebecca Weller

Pub refurbishments should reflect market trends while honouring their history, Shepherd Neame managing director Jonathon Swaine told The Morning Advertiser, as the pubco invests more than £2.5m into its estate.

Hidden costs: Karen Errington of top gastropub the Rat at Anick outlines how rising prices are impacting her business

OPINION

'It's much harder to keep people happy'

By Karen Errington, the Rat, Anick, Northumberland

When I was asked to write an opinion piece on the issues that affect us in the industry today, it was nigh on impossible to write about anything other than rising costs and the struggle for us small businesses to stay viable.

Good timing: Bath Pub Company co-founder Joe Cussens (pictured) told the MA he was looking forward to doing something different following St Austell acquirement

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

'Good timing' for St Austell takeover of Bath Pub Co

By Rebecca Weller

After a “tumultuous few years’” in the sector, managing director and co-founder of the Bath Pub Company, Joe Cussens, told The Morning Advertiser (MA) it was time for a “new chapter” for both him and the business.

Operator opinion: 'It’s quite depressing that none of the parties are offering any solution to the continuing UK labour shortages', says Brendan Padfield

OPINION

Batten down and call out Brexit

By Brendan Padfield, owner, the Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk

As autumn beckons, sadly further clouds appear to be gathering for the hospitality sector. Many of our team at the Unruly Pig are not alone facing whopping increases in their mortgage payments from October to December, which will significantly adversely...

Value offer is still great quality: Mick Howard, whose role includes overseeing the Just Add Talent model pubs

BIG INTERVIEW

Why the JAT model is a Star for Heineken’s pubco

By Gary Lloyd

In the week Star Pubs & Bars announced it was set to boost the number of it Just Add Talent model pubs by 67%, operations director Mick Howard explained more about the move and what he would like to see from the current Government to help the sector.

Building a rapport: securing guest taps in pubs crucial to success for small breweries (pictured: Titsey Brewery new taproom)

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Top tips from Titsey on brewing success

By Rebecca Weller

Building a strong rapport with local communities to secure guest ale taps in pubs is crucial to the success of a small brewery, but quality and marketing are top of the list for Kent-based Titsey Brewery.

How is Tom Kerridge facing industry challenges?

Big Interview

Government needs to do more: Kerridge

By Ed Bedington

“There’s a huge amount the Government could and should be doing,” according to leading chef and pub operator Tom Kerridge, with a key issue being a reduction in VAT.

What does the future hold for CAMRA?

Big Interview

'There's no silver bullet'

By Ed Bedington

With challenges facing the sector and pub closures rising, how can CAMRA play a positive role to help the sector move forward?

New rules: the change came into force on 1 August (image: Getty/Henrik Sorensen)

OPINION

What does the alcohol duty change mean for pubs?

By Eddie Murphy, managing director, PLS

By now you will understand from 1 August, alcohol duty has been changed by the Government in the UK, leaving aside much of the technical details (mainly for producers) please see a summary of the primary issues affecting publicans.

Property: artist impression demonstrates what the Major Oak pub will look like

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Yorkshire Pub Stuff takes on sixth Star lease

By Rebecca Weller

Northern England based multisite operator, Yorkshire Pub Stuff, has taken on its sixth long-term lease with Star Pubs & Bars.

Impact of new alcohol duty rules on pubs

OPINION

Thanks for next to nothing, Mr Prime Minister

By Ed Bedington

The days when Rishi Sunak was viewed as the white knight of the pub trade, riding to the rescue with furlough, VAT cuts, business rates holidays and (maybe) Eat Out To Help Out are now something of a dim and distant memory.

Interview with Great British Beer Festival champion Elland Brewery

GBBF 2023

VIDEO: Interview with GBBF champion Elland Brewery

By Gary Lloyd

West Yorkshire-based Elland Brewery is a three-person operation – yet this tiny business took the coveted title of Champion Beer of Britain at this week’s Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). Here, the trio tells The Morning Advertiser about the victory...

New York-style: Free pizza will be on offer every Friday at Incipio's new bar

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Incipio Group to launch New York themed bar

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Incipio Group, the hospitality business behind eight London destination sites, has announced it will launch a New York themed bar, The 411, in September.

Opinion: retention in a challenging environment (pictured: Emma Harrison of the Three Hills at Bartlow)

OPINION

Team retention in a challenging environment

By Emma Harrison, managing director of The Three Hills at Bartlow

The hospitality industry is under tremendous pressure. None more so than this year, with extraordinary cost rises across every single area of the business, including a mandatory increase in the minimum wage of 10% for anyone aged 23 and up.

How pubcos engage with the pubs code

OPINION

Championing code compliance

By Fiona Dickie, pubs code adjudicator

The role of the pubs code adjudicator is varied and one part of it involves taking time to understand how the regulated pub companies run their businesses and how they embed their code duties into their relationships with their tied tenants. The regulator...

Asking questions: bringing education to the masses key for beer industry (Pictured Ed Hughes and Sam Lyne)

INTERVIEW

Education key to changing beer perceptions

By Rebecca Weller

The beer industry needs to bring education “to the masses” to help boost the category and support firms through recruitment and costs challenges.

Beer expert: British Guild of Beer Writers chair Emma Inch

Opinion

Understanding the realities of writing about beer

By Emma Inch, chair of the British Guild of Beer Writers

Do you remember that meme that did the rounds on social media a few years ago with the heading ‘what people think I do versus what I actually do’?

Cruz control: Will Rice says people are going out less but the good news is when they do go out, they spend more money

Feature – Heineken UK

FEATURE: Providing better experiences in thriving pubs

By Gary Lloyd

As Heineken UK commits £3m in funding to help selected pubs cover the costs of their first energy-saving audit plus £5,000 towards the any improvements needed, we caught up with interim on-trade director Will Rice to talk about that and much more.

Are pubcos exploiting rate relief?

OPINION

Are pubcos going to exploit rate relief?

By Phil Dixon, trade adviser

It was ‘Black Country Bus’ Syndrome: Two, one million pounds turnover local publicans contacting me in the matter of a few days.

Enhanced experiences: soft drinks provide operators with a big opportunity to boost margins (Credit: Getty/Alessandro Biascioli)

INTERVIEW

Impact of cost-of-living crisis on soft drinks category

By Rebecca Weller

Habits towards soft drinks in the on-trade are changing as consumers increasingly "seek out" value for money and healthier options amid the cost-of-living crisis and a surge in wellness trends.

Say cheese: many cheeses can be matched with a huge variety of cider and perry styles

OPINION

Matching cheeses with ciders

By Andy Swinscoe, co-owner of The Courtyard Dairy

Cider and cheese are traditional bedfellows.

Operator opinion: Dom Hope-Smith is the director and co-founder of Carnival Brewing Company in Liverpool shares his views on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's comments about cheaper beer prices (image: Colin Lane)

OPINION

Sunak’s smoke and mirrors won’t bring down the cost of a pint

By Dom Hope-Smith, director and co-founder, Carnival Brewing Company

During a recent trip to Japan on his way to the G7 summit, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave a press interview in which he was quoted as saying: “We reformed the alcohol duties that mean this summer you will be able to get cheaper beer in pubs. These are...

Political delusions on cheap beer are damaging

OPINION

Delusions of cheaper beer is beyond naive Prime Minister

By Ed Bedington

You have to wonder if politicians really believe the things they say because our Prime Minister’s recent comments about how one of the benefits of Brexit has been the delivery of cheaper beer does seem to fly in the face of reality.

Diageo md reflects on first year in job

Big Interview

The undercover boss

By Ed Bedington

There won’t be many captains of industry that look to stay close to the coalface, but for one top boss, playing an undercover role behind the bar is key to understanding his business.

Interest rate rise hitting pubs will not tackle inflation

OPINION

Strangling hospitality demand not the solution to inflation

By Ed Bedington

The idea that raising interest rates to try to curb consumer spending in pubs, bars and restaurants is another slap in the face for a sector that seems to have become the whipping boys for the authorities.

Community focus: director of Admiral Taverns’ Proper Pubs division Mark Brooke

BIG INTERVIEW

FEATURE: Communities reliant on last bastion

By Gary Lloyd

Pubs are the “last hub standing” in UK communities, says director of Proper Pubs Mark Brooke, and it is vital they are allowed to continue doing what they do.

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