Opinion & Interviews

Little interview

Beer sommelier: ‘I want to shape the future of the category’

30-Apr-2019 By Robert Mann

Being a beer sommelier is an important role that relies on them being one step ahead of what's happening in the market as well as keeping a close eye on consumer trends.

Opinion

What’s in a name? Understanding the re-categorisation of bitter

24-Apr-2019 By Pete Brown

Studies show certain words can be off-putting in food and drink so what can brewers do to improve their lot?

Big interview

'We live and die by what’s in the glass'

17-Apr-2019 By Stuart Stone

Martin Dickie and James Watt, founders of BrewDog – the brand that has plenty of bite to match its infamous bark – talked about how business is booming at the company AGM in Aberdeen

Big interview

'The ultimate success of Beacon is if I say, I’ve got to go now, I’ve got no pubs'

11-Apr-2019 By Ed Bedington

Struggling pubs are something we read about on a regular basis, with many pointing the finger of blame at large pubcos, but one big company is doing the exact opposite and working hard to revitalise those operations and it would surprise many to know...

Opinion

Why traditional pubs need protection

08-Apr-2019 By Sophie Atherton

In touch with the past – why traditional pubs are a vital history lesson we must all learn from.

Opinion

What makes the relaunch of Carlsberg Pilsner so extraordinary?

27-Mar-2019 By Pete Brown

As all businesses cut their offerings to the functional minimum, Carlsberg throws a spanner in the works

Opinion

My shout: pubs and brewers lead the way in apprenticeships

19-Mar-2019 By Brigid Simmonds

Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, discusses the importance of getting apprenticeships right in the hospitality sector

Opinion

How pubs can heal us at heart-breaking moments

19-Mar-2019 By Sophie Atherton

Beer writer Sophie Atherton pays tribute to the pub’s role in soothing the bereaved

International Women's Day

Opinion: we must ensure parity is for all

08-Mar-2019 By Nikkie Sutton

This issue of The Morning Advertiser is one that is particularly close to my heart and includes a topic that is particularly prevalent at the moment – empowering women.

Opinion

My Shout: Pubs are platforms for communities

05-Mar-2019 By Mike Clist

Mike Clist, CEO of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), discusses the vital role pubs play among friends and communities.

Opinion

The cheap shot by supermarkets

05-Mar-2019 By Pete Brown

The continuous cycle of forcing suppliers to sell goods for less will end up backfiring on greedy merchants

Big interview

More small breweries closing than opening, says SIBA chairman

06-Feb-2019 By Nicholas Robinson

Ian Fozard may have quite a lot on his plate with major changes at his Rooster’s Brewery, but that hasn’t stopped him from also campaigning for radical change to beer tax and small breweries relief in his role as chairman of SIBA

Opinion

Why Dry January is working for me

28-Jan-2019 By Pete Brown

Improved technologies in de-alcoholising beer means people can enjoy products that used to be unpalatable

Opinion

Making tax digital – how will pubs be affected?

23-Jan-2019 By Barry Dovey

Barry Dovey, managing director of BDCMA Accountants, explains what publicans need to know about HMRC's Making Tax Digital policy.

Opinion

Turning food waste into extra cash

22-Jan-2019 By Nick Burns

Nick Burns, food development manager at Robinsons Brewery, highlights how his company has tackled food waste and how pubs can convert it into extra cash.

Opinion

How do operators think pubs will change in 2019?

22-Jan-2019 By MA Editorial

The Morning Advertiser asked three pub operators to look ahead and forecast what changes we could see in the on-trade over the next 12 months.

Big Interview

Forty years in the pub industry with ‘whizz kid’ turned publicans’ champion, Phil Dixon

10-Jan-2019 By Ed Bedington

Phil Dixon recently celebrated a career in the pub industry spanning four decades. Now taking retirement, he reflects on his experiences, and how things have changed for the licensed trade over that time

Opinion

Could Brexit mark British wine’s coming of age?

08-Jan-2019 By Vicky Bullen

Vicky Bullen, CEO of brand design agency Coley Porter Bell, wonders whether Brexit could finally mark the mass acceptance of British wine.

Opinion

My shout: ‘businesses should approach the year with a spirit of bold curiosity’

04-Jan-2019 By Kate Nicholls

Next year will be tough for businesses, but we should focus on the positives, says UKHospitality’s chief executive Kate Nicholls.

Opinion

Don’t blame the tie for pub closures

04-Jan-2019 By Pete Brown

Pete Brown reads between the lines to give his analysis of why a quarter of our pubs have vanished in 10 years

Opinion

What role have planning permissions played in record pub closures?

02-Jan-2019 By Alex Bateman

Alex Bateman, head of planning at independent property real estate advisory business SHW, weighs up what role the planning environment has played in the record number of pub closures

Opinion

Politics and the pub: what should operators look out for in 2019?

19-Dec-2018 By MA Editorial

The Morning Advertiser asked industry experts to predict what policy changes could affect the on-trade in 2019.

Opinion

What could 2019 hold for the pub property market?

19-Dec-2018 By MA Editorial

The Morning Advertiser asked industry experts to forecast how the pub property market will shape up in 2019.

Little Interview

Junior sous chef: 'Working in a pub is so rewarding'

06-Dec-2018 By Robert Mann

At a time when it is claimed 18 pubs are closing for good each week, one chef says the key to a successful and sustainable pub is with its food.

Opinion

What roles can cryptocurrency and blockchain play in hospitality?

05-Dec-2018 By Terry Fisher

Terry Fisher, chief marketing officer at BestBitcoinExchange.io considers what impact blockchain and cryptocurrency could have on the hospitality sector.

Opinion

Gearing up for hospitality's new 'arms race'

04-Dec-2018 By Kris Gumbrell

Business has never been more competitive, and we are now in a new ‘arms race’ – the search for skilled team members.

Opinion

Pubs need a formal scheme to help diversify

04-Dec-2018 By Sophie Atherton

Is it time the Government formally encouraged pubs to widen their remit in order to boost business?

The Big Interview

BrewDog bound Ben Lockwood optimistic for UK on-trade

04-Dec-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Mitchells & Butlers’ beer and cider procurement manager Ben Lockwood’s passion for the sector has propelled him to the top of his game. But what’s next for the man who knows almost everyone in the trade now he’s moving to BrewDog?

The Big Interview

Pub boss: As a sector ‘we need to change our image’

26-Nov-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Pub has become a bit of a dirty word over the years. Not from within our sector, of course, but it has been loaded with negative connotations by outsiders who have been quick to cast their aspersions on the trade.

Opinion

When it comes to insurance - less is NOT more

23-Nov-2018 By Brendan Padfield

Brendan Padfield, owner of the Unruly Pig in Bromeswell, Suffolk, advises caution and generosity when it comes to insuring your business.

Opinion

In the brand scheme of things

21-Nov-2018 By Pete Brown

As JDW distances itself from being a ‘brand’, Pete Brown looks at why its identity is, in fact, its key strength

Little interview

Pub trade going through 'natural reduction' to meet new trends

20-Nov-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Author and business mentor Karen Green told The Morning Advertiser what she's learnt about getting a hospitality business off the ground.

Opinion

Those young 'uns are your future

19-Nov-2018 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's editor, Ed Bedington, gives his thoughts on the 'age-old debate of children in pubs'.

Little interview

‘If pubs don't stand for anything, they will fall for everything’ says marketing guru

19-Nov-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Pubs need to have a clear brand, which staff should be aware of and represent, according to a marketing and branding expert

Little interview

More than two-thirds of hospitality workers are proud to be there

16-Nov-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Some 70% of those working in hospitality are proud to work in the trade, according to research from Nestlé Professional.

Little interview

A ‘glass or two of wine’ breaks down artistic barriers

15-Nov-2018 By Stuart Stone

Gordon Collett, founder of 'sip and paint' business ArtVine, explained why pubs offer the ideal environment for hobbyist art.

Opinion

Why I still work in a pub

15-Nov-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

For me, my local pub means so many things. It’s the place where I met my soon-to-be husband; made relationships with some of my best friends; somewhere I can walk into at any time of the day (or night); and it’s also where I feel safe and part of a community.

Little interview

Hospitality job opportunities are endless, says B&K boss

15-Nov-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Hospitality provides a set of transferable skills for employees opening up endless opportunities, Brewhouse & Kitchen co-founder Kris Gumbrell told The Morning Advertiser.

Opinion: Pete Brown asks if advertisers are giving bang for your buck?

20-Jun-2018 By Pete Brown

Beer writer Pete Brown reveals it was the marketing of beers in years gone by that first drew him to the industry

In association with Sky

Opinion: Landmark case as sellers of ‘Kodi type devices’ face prison

23-Apr-2018 By George Lawson, head of commercial piracy for Sky

George Lawson, head of commercial piracy for Sky reflects on a landmark case instigated by the Premier League, working in partnership with Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT).

Opinion: Sophie Atherton discusses how to get stars in bars

15-Mar-2018 By Sophie Atherton

My experience at the hands of some bar staff points to a problem in the recruitment process within the industry.

Big Interview

Charles Wells reveals estate expansion and brewery details

13-Mar-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

After selling its brewery and several key brands for £55m to Marston’s last year, Charles Wells is setting its sights on the future with pub acquisitions and the rollout of new beers from a modern brewery.

Opinion: Pete Brown thinks respect is long overdue

28-Feb-2018 By Pete Brown

Why industry misogynists, racists and homophobes are not only offensive, they are missing out on pub takings.

My Pub: the UK's most dog-friendly pub, the Fox and Hounds, Reading

29-Jan-2018 By Georgina Townshend

Managers Jayne Tilsley and Miles Teece know a thing or two about keeping families and their four-legged friends happy. After winning multiple awards for keeping our canine companions content, Tilsley talks about what makes the UK’s most dog-friendly pub...

The Big Interview: Nick Light, Ei Publican Partnerships managing director

21-Dec-2017 By James Wallin, MCA

Ei Group has transformed its business in the wake of the pubs code but tenanted and leased pubs remain the bulk of its portfolio. Ei Publican Partnerships managing director Nick Light reveals what the tied model looks like in a post pubs-code era

Opinion: TripDespiser strikes again

18-Dec-2017 By Pete Brown

A reasonable approach to unreasonable on-line reviews is the best policy in order to make it clear to observers that the reviewer is the one in the wrong.