Opinion & Interviews

Opinion

Successfully managing the 12 drunks of Christmas

10-Dec-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Sophie Atherton ponders the balance between merry and drunk and feels for licensees who are trying to draw a line between the two states.

Big interview

People don't consider Cobra 'craft' because its been established for 30 years

09-Dec-2019 By Stuart Stone

Cobra founder Lord Karan Bilimoria reflects on getting his business off the ground and how it continues to expand its range after ten years in partnership with Molson Coors.

Opinion

Preventing losses in the pub sector caused by fraud and staff error

06-Dec-2019 By Malcolm Muir

Malcolm Muir, consultancy director at Venners, explains how a few simple procedural tweaks can have a significant impact on an operator’s bottom line.

Opinion

Could awarding shares to pub employees help the sector’s recruitment and retention crisis?

05-Dec-2019 By Catherine Gannon

Catherine Gannon, founder of Gannons Solicitors, reviews the option of share schemes as an employee incentive.

Little Interview

Isolated operator in his 60s gains a friendly lifeline

29-Nov-2019 By Nicholas Robinson

The Morning Advertiser, in association with the Licensed Trade Charity, is exploring the help available to those in the trade who are facing various issues. In our first piece, M&B employee relations manager Billy Spong explains how he's helping...

Big Interview

Ei Group eyes 100 managed sites a year

29-Nov-2019 By Nicholas Robinson

With a growing portfolio of managed businesses under its belt, how does Ei Group strategy and retail director James Croft view the future?

Opinion

'If you want to retain the wide-eyed joy of the early days, you have to work at it'

25-Nov-2019 By Pete Brow

Pete Brown rocks out on ‘Dip Day’, a rollicking bus ride exploring the history of Lagunitas in Petaluma, California.

Little Interview

UK drinkers ‘cynical and sceptical’ of no-and-low alcohol beer

25-Nov-2019 By Stuart Stone

Despite British drinkers being generally less receptive to lower ABV brews than consumers on the continent, Lucky Saint founder Luke Boase believes the gap could soon close.

Big interview

'Time capsule' concepts can help bring the pub into the 21st century

11-Nov-2019 By Stuart Stone

Known for its stylish and innovative venues, Inception Group has 11 sites, with more planned. Here, co-founder Charlie Gilkes tell us how the operation began, where the ideas come from and what to expect in the future

Opinion

Don’t allow your pub to be an election battleground

11-Nov-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Sophie Atherton offers a word of caution for licensees tempted to nail political colours to the mast

Opinion

Exploring the right language around cask is an urgent priority

21-Oct-2019 By Pete Brown

Pete Brown looks at how 1,000 cask drinkers view the terminology surrounding ‘Britain’s national drink’

Exit interview

'I’m not a person who believes we can keep every pub open'

18-Oct-2019 By Stuart Stone

Outgoing British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Brigid Simmonds examines her time in the role.

Big interview

'Please judge us on our track record' says Stonegate boss

11-Oct-2019 By Ed Bedington

It’s been a tumultuous year in the pub trade on the acquisition front but the news that Stonegate was bidding for the much larger Ei Group still caught many by surprise. One of the leading architects of the deal Simon Longbottom reveals all.

Opinion

Why pubs should take a firm stance on ethical and environmental issues

09-Oct-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Sophie Atherton is glad to see pubs taking a stand on the environmental problems facing the world.

Opinion

Agile alcohol brands will fare best

08-Oct-2019 By Tom Bell, We Hustle consultancy

We Hustle consultancy’s Tom Bell says alcoholic drinks brands leading the way in innovation will see the biggest and best cut through. Here is his analysis of what to expect in the coming months.

Opinion

Government help is vital for pubs

07-Oct-2019 By Simon Longbottom

For centuries, pubs have constantly demonstrated their ability to evolve and adapt to reflect the changing needs of society, according to Stonegate Pub Company chief executive Simon Longbottom.

Little interview

Arsenal deal is ‘incredible platform’ for Camden Town Brewery

26-Sep-2019 By Stuart Stone

Camden Town founder Jasper Cuppaidge discusses his brewery becoming the main pour at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and work planned at the beer maker’s original site beneath Camden’s arches.

Big interview

‘We’re not into world domination’

26-Sep-2019 By Ed Bedington

A change of tack from the men behind Three Cheers has seen the pubco build a little empire in London and enjoy a productive partnership with Ei Group.

Opinion

Is this the last time I drop the ‘c-bomb’?

24-Sep-2019 By Pete Brown

The term ‘craft’ has never had a genuine definition in the beer world – now the Aussies are treading a different path.

Opinion

'Beer made as a fashion statement is as bad as beer made purely for profit'

10-Sep-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Sophie Atherton considers whether craft has gone too far and why the best beers are those brewed with integrity

Big Interview

'It’s important that we are who we are and not part of a multinational'

09-Sep-2019 By Stuart Stone

A love of beer – English in particular – was the catalyst for Tom Lucas’s entry to the on-trade. After quitting university, he now holds the reins at West Berkshire Brewery.

Little interview

Cannabis-based drinks set to boom at pubs

29-Aug-2019 By Emily Hawkins

The Morning Advertiser talked to one of the only UK breweries producing cannabidiol (CBD) beers how to stock and sell the up-and-coming drink.

Opinion

Great British Beer Festival: the leopard is changing its spots

29-Aug-2019 By Pete Brown

Pete Brown looks at the evolution of the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Great British Beer Festival (GBBF)

LITTLE INTERVIEW

Pubs ‘don’t have to reinvent the wheel’ for non-drinkers

22-Aug-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Introducing a strong offer of non-alcoholic drinks is easier than pub operators might assume, according to the founder of spirit alternative supplier Stryyk.

Little Interview

Busy drinkers leading low-ABV trend

14-Aug-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Co-founder of Small Beer Brewery, James Grundy, explains that low-alcohol beer has found a growing fanbase in modern pubgoers who are too busy to have a hangover the next day.

Little interview

Lunar launch – don't be scared of hard work, long hours and tough decisions

14-Aug-2019 By Stuart Stone

After announcing the company's first site, The Morning Advertiser spoke to The Lunar Pub Company’s Hubert Beatson-Hird about his nascent on-trade venture.

Opinion

Great for beer, great for pubs – CAMRA is in festival mood

06-Aug-2019 By Tom Stainer

The Great British Beer Festival opens its doors this week for a five-day celebration of British beer, cider and perry. Tom Stainer, chief executive, Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) tells us more.

Opinion

Building trust in beer and pubs

06-Aug-2019 By Sophie Atherton

When the pub and beer industry is able to offer trust to customers, the payback is often seen through loyalty

Little interview

Adoption of non-alcoholic craft has taken ‘surprisingly little education’

05-Aug-2019 By Stuart Stone

Based in New England, US, Athletic Brewing’s founder Bill Shufelt talks possible UK expansion and the positive impact of low-and-no alcohol beer.

Little interview

What trends are driving the ‘slow-moving’ beer category?

05-Aug-2019 By Stuart Stone

Marston’s head of consumer marketing Louise Fleming discusses what’s fuelling lager growth and how to entice younger drinkers to the cask category.

Opinion

The difference between a good and excellent operator

29-Jul-2019 By Paul Pavli

Recently I was at a conference and, after one of the presentations, the presenter was asked ‘what they thought the difference was between good and excellent operators?’

Big interview

How ‘a year’s experience’ turned into a 30-year career

12-Jul-2019 By Ed Bedington

He came for some experience, but 30 years later, Star Pubs & Bars property and strategy director Chris Moore, remains dedicated to the pub sector, and is leading the charge on investment within his expanded estate

LITTLE INTERVIEW

‘I want to redefine pub culture’ says south London operator

09-Jul-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Brimming with energy from the success of his first site, a south London pub operator has said he wants to open pubs that cater to every layer of the diverse communities they serve.

Opinion

Twisting tap: making the most of free water

09-Jul-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Beer writer Sophie Atherton explains how, with a simple twist, pubs can turn free tap water to their advantage

Little interview

Martyn Cozens: beer is our passion

03-Jul-2019 By Robert Mann

With more than 350 years of brewing heritage, combined with a lasting connection to drinkers and a healthy dose of modern business is what makes, according to Molson Coors, a leading global brewer.

Opinion

How can pubs stay relevant in our new and future social landscape?

28-Jun-2019 By Pete Champion

Pete Champion, group partner and creative strategy director at international branding and retail interior design agency I-AM, discusses how pubs can remain an important thread in the fabric of our evolving society.

Little interview

Sandro Bottega: Prosecco is the greatest wine in the world

26-Jun-2019 By Robert Mann

Present in more than 130 countries worldwide with its own wines and spirits, Bottega Spa stands out for its production of Prosecco and well-known sparkling wines.

Big interview

Curious Brewery is as disruptive as anyone

24-Jun-2019 By Stuart Stone

The difference between punk idealists BrewDog and Chapel Down’s Curious Brewery is not quite as vast as one might believe. Gareth Bath explains what’s happening with his new calling

Opinion

Can Marston’s ‘cathedral of brewing’ be described as craft?

24-Jun-2019 By Pete Brown

The definition of craft beer is difficult to say the least so can an archaic, yet beautiful, brewing practice make one?

Opinion

Has Wahaca’s 'walk-out policy’ damaged years of positive hospitality jobs PR?

18-Jun-2019 By Nicholas Robinson

A reputation can take years to build and a matter of minutes to destroy; a phrase that was sadly demonstrated this week.

Big interview

Consumers more passionate than ever about aesthetics, experience and sustainability

17-Jun-2019 By Nicholas Robinson

Using online booking systems such as Bookatable not only draws customers through an easy-to-use service, it also offers data insight that can be of particular interest to pubs and restaurants.

Opinion

When is a pub not a pub?

10-Jun-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Sophie Atherton wonders if the pub is in the eye of the beholder after a friend has a confusing experience

Opinion

What really is behind the 2,000-per-year pub decline?

30-May-2019 By Ted Bruning

It goes without saying (doesn’t it?) that a reduction in beer duty would help Britain’s pubs, currently disappearing at a rate approaching 2,000 a year?

Opinion

Pour effort: beer is an aesthetically challenged product

28-May-2019 By Pete Brown

The service of beer is often much maligned – and with good reason – but it doesn’t have to be presented poorly

Big Interview

How do you like them apples?

23-May-2019 By Stuart Stone

Hawkes is treading the craft path of cider and its positioning on the Bermondsey Beer Mile is a move to appeal to more discerning tastes. ‘Chief Hawker’ Simon Wright reveals all

Little interview

What do pub owners need to know about ‘challenger’ banks?

21-May-2019 By Stuart Stone

Ambreen Khasru, head of business banking at Monese, discusses what a ‘challenger bank’ is and how its services can benefit pub and hospitality business owners.

Big interview

When is a micropub not a micropub?

20-May-2019 By Phil Mellows

Small pub operator BeerHeadZ offers something different to the norm. Phil Ayling and Martin Johnson explain the ethos behind their tiny chain.

Little interview

Experimental cider flavours guided by innovation in gin

07-May-2019 By Stuart Stone

Emmy Webster and Marc Charles of Brothers Drinks discussed Mallets Cider’s partnership with the Glastonbury Festival and the influence of other drinks categories on new cider launches.

Opinion

Why did so many pubs close in 2018?

07-May-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Beer writer Sophie Atherton ponders the reasons behind the loss of hundreds of pubs across the UK.

Little interview

Number of new gins joining the category is ‘staggering’

03-May-2019 By Stuart Stone

Adrian Taylor, head of on-trade for Roust – the company behind Russian Standard vodka and Zubrowka Polish vodka – discusses 2019’s emerging drinks trends.