BII NITA overall winner crowned
15-May-2009
Scottish independent retail chain CJ Lang has been crowned 2008 BII NITA Supreme Award winner.The retailer picked up the award at this week's BII...
15-May-2009 By Peter Coulson
Various police forces and local authorities are taking their own ideas and just going ahead, says Peter Coulson.
14-May-2009 By Ewan Turney
The BII has expressed its "disappointment" over claims by the BEC that lessees have very little confidence in it because of a conflict of interests.
BII welcomes BEC support for rent review scheme
14-May-2009
The BII has welcomed supprt for an Independent Expert Determination Service in the Business and Enterprise Committee report into pub companies.The...
BII chief: "Government will never help us
12-May-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
The chairman of the BII has urged licensees to stand on their own two feet and not expect help from the government. Speaking at the annual BII lunch...
08-May-2009 By Peter Coulson
Pubs are subject to the same rules of hygiene as any other catering establishment, warns Peter Coulson.
Comment: Cologne tour teaches service lessons
08-May-2009
Looking at how other cultures do drinks and pubs can often throw light on our own ways of doing business.Over the bank holiday weekend, I spent a...
08-May-2009 By Peter Coulson
Youngsters using a fake proof of age to buy alcohol face little deterrent compared to licensees who may lose their livelihood, says Peter Coulson.
06-May-2009 By Gerry Price
Gerry Price, leaseholder of the Inn at West End, Surrey says staff disciplinary hearings are a stressful business for all concerned. Things have been...
30-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
Now more than ever, what goes on outside the pub is in the spotlight, says MA legal editor Peter Coulson.
30-Apr-2009 By Gemma McKenna
Thousands of licensees face a hike in business rates as the Business Rates Supplement Bill moves one step closer to becoming reality. BRS, which...
24-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
Price is not a key element to over-indulgence — it depends entirely on the circumstances and the venue, says Peter Coulson.
Drugs in Pubs: Seven steps to a drug-free pub
24-Apr-2009
People using or dealing drugs in your pub can spell disaster. As most responsible operators will be aware, if your punters are caught with illegal...
24-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
It is great to see that National Pubwatch has started to campaign for the protection of licensees from thugs, says Peter Coulson.
How to Tweet-talk your pub customers with Twitter
23-Apr-2009
Pubs are well known as hubs of their local community, where locals and licensees hold court, offering opinions on the issues of the day and sharing...
Why is it so hard to find training?
21-Apr-2009
If you're a licensee looking to find out more about training, what courses are out there, which are the best ones and who they need to be accredited...
Best Bar None chief aims to step up profile
21-Apr-2009 By James Wilmore
Best Bar None's (BBN's) chief executive has argued the scheme is too much of a "well kept secret" and that he hopes to see it double in size in a...
National Skills Academy: Change through training
20-Apr-2009
While consumer confidence rises and falls with the economy, there are some problems that pubs always have to face. Along with red tape and the view...
Training: Whitbread boosts skills development
20-Apr-2009
Last month saw the launch of the 'Whitbread Model' , a six-month apprenticeship developed in conjunction with Awarding Body Edexcel and the People...
Temperature control: The point of careful calibration
20-Apr-2009
Food plays a major role in the success of almost any hospitality business and with that success comes the legal duty to carefully control the way...
17-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport measure aimed at helping village halls and community centres to allow alcohol sales at events, says Peter Coulson.
New starters in the workplace: Get staff off on the right foot
17-Apr-2009
Setting aside time for an induction is well worth it. It immediately makes new members of staff feel part of the team, gives them a sense of...
Gas safety: Safety first in the cellar
17-Apr-2009
In many a workplace, the biggest threat to life often comes from things you can't see - particularly when working in a confined space. In the...
17-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
Oldham has acted above its powers in its bid to review the licences of all 22 town centre venues, says Peter Coulson.
Help yourself to more trade
16-Apr-2009
In this climate it defies belief that any publican would not use every avenue available to them to grow their business. Yet many don't. It's time to...
Health & safety: Don't play with fire
15-Apr-2009
If there is one word guaranteed to strike a raw nerve for the hospitality industry it is… 'fire'. The high cost of a fire is often counted in lives...
09-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
The manner in which the new minor variations procedure has been changed shows just how far the pendulum has now swung against the licensed trade in Parliament, says Peter Coulson.
03-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
MA legal editor Peter Coulson considers the one-size-fits-all approach to licensing.
Minimum price "essential" to stop "ridiculous" prices, says top doctor
03-Apr-2009 By James Wilmore
Senior Scottish doctors have backed government plans for a minimum price, with one saying it is "essential" to stop shops selling alcohol at...
03-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
MA legal editor Peter Coulson considers whether police should be able to object to a licence on health grounds.
03-Apr-2009 By John Harrington
The BII aims to make its low-cost rent adjudication system a pan-industry initiative. The BII Council last night gave support to the Independent...
Drinks giants launch new training scheme
02-Apr-2009
The giants of the drinks trade have partnered to launch a major new barstaff training scheme.Coordinated by Cask Marque, companies including Diageo,...
National Skills Academy to promote leading industry courses
02-Apr-2009
A new initiative to promote the hospitality industry as a career and identify the best training available has been launched by the National Skills...
Pub manager saves guests from inferno
01-Apr-2009
A pub manager has been hailed a hero after helping guests escape safely from a fire caused by an arson attack.Andrew Ward, manager of the Wadworth...
Darling u-turn on rates could offer pubs hope
01-Apr-2009 By James Wilmore
Pubs facing a massive hike in their business rates bill have been offered some hope after a partial U-turn by Chancellor Alistair Darling. Licensees...
30-Mar-2009 By John Harrington
Hosts are urged to ensure doorstaff display their licences correctly after recent checks showed some breaking the law by having badges concealed...
26-Mar-2009 By Peter Coulson
Blanket CCTV is not a licensing requirement, says Peter Coulson.
26-Mar-2009 By Peter Coulson
Demonising alcohol and those who sell it is a short-term measure, says Peter Coulson.
26-Mar-2009 By Andrew Pring
A new and inexpensive form of lessee-friendly rent adjudication is set to be discussed by the BII next week. The scheme, which could revolutionise...
20-Mar-2009 By Peter Coulson
Employers need to keep on top of the latest rules and regulations in regard to employees, says Peter Coulson.
Hunt is on for the top BDMs
20-Mar-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Trade group the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has started the hunt for its 2009 Operations Managers of the Year.The awards are...
BII members in favour of minimum pricing
19-Mar-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Members of the BII are in favour of minimum pricing, according to chief executive Neil Roberston. The BII boss, who took over from John McNamara...
BII backs minimum pricing
19-Mar-2009 By John Harrington
The BII has given its backing to plans for a minimum pricing of alcohol. The issue remains on the radar after Gordon Brown said he wasn't keen on the...
Spirit Group fined for hygiene breaches at Stratford pub
16-Mar-2009
Spirit Group has been fined £29,500 after being found guilty of eight food hygiene breaches at the Wobbly Wheel pub near Warmington,...
06-Mar-2009 By Peter Linacre
Peter Linacre says it is time to question the models we use following the trouble experienced by banks.
Mark Daniels: Be nice to your Business Development Manager...
06-Mar-2009
I don't like the amount of money I'm currently paying in rent. I don't like the price difference between my pubco supplier and the nearby cash &...
Complaints about drinks products soar
06-Mar-2009
The number of complaints recorded by industry watchdog the Portman Group has surged to its highest annual level in the past decade.According to the...
BII signs two new corporate members
05-Mar-2009
BII has signed up two new corporate members, HIT Training and Business In Sport and Leisure (BISL). BISL represents around 100 companies in the...
Pete Brown: Who really cares about the future of the pub?
02-Mar-2009
Every week the pub trade press carries tirades from disgusted publicans about the plight of the pub. There's a fair chance that these missives will...
27-Feb-2009 By Peter Coulson
the Government has chopped and changed its stance on the power to impose conditions on premises licences by the Home Secretary and local licensing authorities, says Peter Coulson.
