Operations

Pub food: business boosters

15-Jun-2011 By PubChef

Ideas for driving food and drink sales including a meet the butcher event and seasonal business lunches.

Fat Cat: Creating a heritage brand

14-Jun-2011 By Phil Mellows

Fat Cat founder Matt Saunders talks to Phil Mellows about how the brand has survived and the group's gastropub ventures.

BII mentor service for all members

14-Jun-2011 By Adam Pescod

The BII is launching a mentoring service that will offer extra support to all its members in dealing with the demands of the pub trade.

No Saints seeks £2.1m for growth

14-Jun-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

No Saints, the leisure group run by ex-Luminar boss Stephen Thomas, has launched a new round of fundraising for a further £2.1m towards its...

The danger of digital gaming

13-Jun-2011 By John Appleton

The advent of 'digital' AWP machines could decrease the profit from pub gaming machines, warns John Appleton, director of electronic leisure at...

Anger at night pub Olympics delivery plan

09-Jun-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Proposals for night-time only deliveries in London during the Olympic Games have angered trade leaders, who have claimed it would be a logistical...

Is live music off the hook?

07-Jun-2011 By Peter Coulson

Publican's Morning Advertiser legal expert Peter Coulson believes things are definitely moving in the right direction in regard to live music.

Lost Property...?

06-Jun-2011 By Mark Daniels

Mark Daniels considers what to do with his stash of lost property and how to return an item to an owner.

Marston's wins franchise agreement accreditation

06-Jun-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Brewer and retailer Marston's has won British Franchise Association accreditation for its Retail Agreement. Marston's introduced the Retail...

No Saints to unveil its Wonder brand

06-Jun-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

No Saints, the leisure group run by former Luminar boss Stephen Thomas, has added a further brand to its fledgling portfolio — Wonder — after...

BII's call to tied tenants over machine income

02-Jun-2011 By Ewan Turney

The BII has urged tied tenants to be aware of how pubcos are treating machine income in regard to rental negotiations.

10 ideas for...female pub attractions

02-Jun-2011 By Sheila McWattie

Sheila McWattie looks at ideas to give women what they want from your menu — from ladies nights to ale education.

The Premier League's lessons for the pubcos

01-Jun-2011 By Steve Haslam

Multiple award winning lessee Steve Haslam compares Premier League football clubs with the pubcos.

Banks slammed for strict pub loans criteria

01-Jun-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Banks are being increasingly "pernickety" about lending to pubs, experts claim as figures released by the Bank of England show that Britain's top five banks fell short of their target to lend £19bn for the first three months of the year.

The Garrison: make the host of it

27-May-2011 By Jessica Harvey

Clive Watson and Adam White, co-owners of the Garrison, a friendly, Michelin-tipped gastropub.

Can the BII ever be an impartial policeman?

27-May-2011 By Robert Sayles

Robert Sayles questions whether the BII is the right body to police the industry in his latest Publican's Morning Advertiser blog.

ASA warns sports bar over promotional texts

26-May-2011 By Adam Pescod

A sports bar in the West Midlands was warned by the ASA after sending an unsolicited text message promoting Arsenal v Barcelona.

Nightclub king signals big market change

26-May-2011 By The PMA Team

The traditional nightclub has been well and truly side-swiped by a half dozen different crunching factors, says The PMA Team.

British Gas slated over 97% bill hike

26-May-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has vowed never to deal with British Gas again after he received a renewal supply contract offering a 97% increase.

Drinkaware develops new online drink diary

25-May-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Drinkaware has developed MyDrinkaware - an easy-to-use online unit calculator and drink diary. The tool provides feedback on risk levels based on...

Al's coaching tips: knowledge is power

24-May-2011 By Alastair Scott

This month Alastair Scott looks at how staff expertise is vital to help your pub prosper in terms of food service.

Everards operating profit rises 2.1%

23-May-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Leicestershire brewer and pub operator Everards saw operating profit rise 2.1% in the 52 weeks to 25 September 2010, discounting an exceptional...

£5,000 fine for underage gaming

23-May-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees could face a £5,000 fine if they are caught allowing under-18s to use gaming machines in their pubs. The warning has been issued as an...

Fuller's pays for tenants to join BII

20-May-2011 By Ewan Turney

Fuller's is the first to pay for all of its tenants to be members of the BII for the duration of their stay with the company.

RPI leases: get your maths right

20-May-2011 By Daniel Mackernan

The pubcos have increasingly introduced RPI leases, but tenants need to take an appropriate view on the initial rent, argues Daniel Mackernan of...

Perc up your profits

19-May-2011 By Lesley Foottit

PubChef looks at how a tea and cake offer can help drive afternoon sales at your business and what's new.

Clawing back your losses

18-May-2011 By Peter Coulson

Some licensees may not be aware of is the controversy surrounding the whole question of civil recovery, says Peter Coulson.

Family pubs: learning from the big boys

17-May-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Taking kids to the pub is a nice idea, but it can become an uncomfortable ordeal. Michelle Perrett looks at what experienced operators can teach pubs...

Easter and Royal Wedding boosts managed chains

17-May-2011 By Ewan Turney

The bumper Easter and Royal Wedding weekends boosted like-for-like sales by 3.8% amongst 21 major pub and restaurant chains, according to the Coffer...

Business boosters: Month of love, Beer Academy & Tea-time club

16-May-2011 By Lesley Foottit

PubChef takes an in-depth look at an array of good ideas out there to help you boost your food business.

Britvic: working on a warmer welcome

12-May-2011 By Phil Mellows

Britvic's Paul Linthwaite believes pubs can do more to improve their hospitality and that soft drinks are key to making customers feel they belong.

A rich day in terms of fantastic trading ideas

12-May-2011 By The PMA Team

PMA editor The PMA Team reflects on the great ideas put in place by this year's four BII Licensee of the Year finalists.

BII Licensee of the Year: It's the final countdown

10-May-2011 By PMA Reporter

Read our profiles of the enterprising finalists who are all in with a chance of winning the 2011 BII's Licensee of the Year Award today.

Lingley crowned BII Licensee of the Year

10-May-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Darran Lingley of the Five Bells in Colne Engaine, Colchester, Essex, has been named the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) licensee of the year.

Top tips on how to recruit for pub staff

09-May-2011 By Dawn Redman

Recruitment costs are the bane of many operators' lives, but a few changes to recruitment and retention methods can mean significant reductions,...

Business boosters: fashion shows and cheese and wine

06-May-2011 By Lesley Foottit

PubChef takes a look at some top ideas for driving food sales at your pub — featuring wine and cheese nights and a fashion show.

All the fun of the wine fair

05-May-2011 By Robyn Black

This year's London International Wine Fair — 17-19 May — promises so much more than just some wines to try, reports Robyn Black.

Banks and stores are putting pubs in peril

04-May-2011 By Michael Kheng

Michael Kheng looks forward to the day when supermarkets sell alcohol at a responsible price and banks look after pubs.

Pub food: business boosters

04-May-2011 By PubChef

Ideas for driving food and drink sales at your pub including a corner shop. a time-specific promotion and psychic readings. Corner shop Where:...

RPI: pub rent rises by another route

03-May-2011 By Gary Mallen

New pub company leases that offer annual rent increases in line with the Retail Price Index should be treated with scepticism, argues Garry Mallen....

BII offers pubs a mediation 'lifeline'

28-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

A former pubco tenant has hailed the BII's new mediation service as a "lifeline" after he clawed back £34,000 from his pub company.

Potential of pub and bar snacks

27-Apr-2011 By Lesley Foottit

There's £400m of potential snack sales being lost every year through pubs, but Lesley Foottit has some ideas to help boost sales. Gone are the days...

What a 5% VAT rate would mean for me

26-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

As the PMA's campaign to reduce VAT to 5% for the hospitality sector continues, four multiple operators tell Ewan Turney that a cut would help create...

Innovate: Notts pub offers 1981 prices for Royal Wedding

26-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Roy Wood, of the Cross Keys, Upton, Nottinghamshire, has decided to offer drinks at 1981 prices for the royal wedding. "Everyone is doing themed...

Accreditation scheme launched for pub accountants

26-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A new accreditation scheme, backed by senior people in the trade, is being launched next month to help licensees choose a reputable pub accountant....