Operations

Pub company CEO defends business model: Part 3

Pub company CEO defends business model: Part 3

By Robert Sayles

Last week the city was rocked by news that recently retired pubco CEO and long time friend Roland Rodent had emerged from retirement to oust his successor William Weasel following a shareholder revolt.

Davison: Spend an hour a day thinking how to improve your pub

Davison: Spend an hour a day thinking how to improve your pub

By Phil Davison

As anyone who has read my columns will know, I strongly believe that proper marketing and customer relationship management are the keys to success, and the only measurable ways of ensuring it continues for your business.

Cheaper Sky sports for pubs stocking Coors brands

Sky strikes deal with Molson Coors

By Robyn Black

A new deal between Sky and brewer Molson Coors offers independent outlets up to one-third off the price of their Sky subscription, a freeze on the price of Carling until December 2013 and free WiFi.

Olympics: Making the most of the Games at your pub

Olympics: Making the most of the Games at your pub

By Sonya Hook

Whatever you might feel about the Olympics, the event is impossible to ignore. Right from the opening ceremony on 27 July through to the Paralympics, which runs from 29 August until 9 September, there will hour upon hour of live sporting coverage beamed...

Isn’t talk of credit a little premature?

Isn’t talk of credit a little premature?

Well it seems that credit was being tossed around in abundance last week. No sooner had fellow blogger Mark Daniels suggested we acknowledge the positive changes taking place within the BII than PMA editor Rob Willock pops up and asks us to give property...

Time to champion the BII’s positive changes

Time to champion the BII’s positive changes

Are you mad? was a common question after my election as a regional chairman for the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping). I often ask myself that, but not on this occasion. I have been proud to be a BII member, to serve on its council, and now be a chairman.

S&NPC creates sports guide for lessees

S&NPC creates sports guide for lessees

By Michelle Perrett

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (S&NPC) has created a guide for its licensees called Sport for Success to help them promote televised sport.

The Big Interview: Karen Murphy

The Big Interview: Karen Murphy

"I don’t like football. It bores me to tears, sorry.” Coming from a landlady who successfully fought a six-year legal battle against the Premier League for the right to show cheap televised football in her pub, these words were somewhat unexpected.

Never underestimate social media's power

Never underestimate social media's power

By Michael Kheng

Do you use Facebook and/or Twitter? If not, why not? If you do, do you use it to your advantage and to its full potential?Social media such as Facebook and Twitter is becoming a great way, in some case the only way, to get your message across.

Mellows:

Drink, death and damned press agencies

By Phil Mellows

One in eight deaths in the UK is caused by alcohol. This story was splashed across the media last week. So it must be true. But it’s not. They all got it wrong. How could that have happened? Here’s my reconstruction.

Price:

Running pubs teaches you a thing or two

By Gerry Price

I have been in this pub for over 12 years and I was at my last one for just over 11. Although this might suggest that I have staying power, it would also suggest that I must have made a few decisions along the way, not all of which would have been good...

What’s the next step beyond gastropubs?

What’s the next step beyond gastropubs?

By Jesse Dunford Wood

Over a dinner I cooked last week, a friend of mine was telling me about his newly-launched local pub. “You know, they have duck on the menu, real proper gastropub it is,” he said. The word makes me cringe somewhat, but it did make me think.

The benefits of micropubs

The benefits of micropubs

By Robert Sayles

‘It appears to have everything prospective publicans crave; low start up costs, choice of location, competitive rent and FOT on a fantastic range of cask ales. It's the way to go for many of those thinking about entering the trade, isn’t it?’

Take precautions to avoid noise nuisance complaints

Take precautions to avoid noise nuisance complaints

There are operators who have experienced uncomfortable discussions with environmental health officers about a neighbour’s complaint of noise nuisance and even been threatened with an abatement notice.

Don’t be complacent, plan for the summer

Don’t be complacent, plan for the summer

By Steve Haslam

What a difference a year makes — and I’m not talking about the economy, changes in legislation or anything else directly related to the industry. No, it’s the great British weather. April 2011 saw wall-to-wall sunshine, Easter, Mothers’ Day and a royal...

Health & safety in pubs: Top Tips

Health & safety in pubs: Top Tips

An unclean venue is undoubtedly a turn-off for consumers and operators can no longer conceal below-par conditions since the introduction of the food hygiene rating scheme (FHRS).

Top tips on increasing your pub profits with desserts

Top tips on increasing your pub profits with desserts

By Fiona McLelland

It can often be the first thing diners drop in hard times, but there are ways to put the last course at the forefront of people’s thinking. Fiona McLelland finds out how  to increase profit through desserts

Top 10 tips: Getting your drinks offer right for the summer

Top 10 tips: Getting your drinks offer right for the summer

Weather conditions on these shores are erratic at the best of times, but this year it’s more unpredictable than ever. March, which was officially the third warmest on record, was quickly replaced by April’s seemingly endless showers. One can only guess...

Keep the focus on maintaining your existing customers

Keep the focus on maintaining your existing customers

By Phil Davison

With many publicans, there is too much focus on luring new customers, and not enough on retaining existing ones. Many pubs’ marketing strategy hinges on tempting new punters, and often means investing in un-targeted advertising, with no real way of determining...

Top tips for saving energy in your pub

Top tips for saving energy in your pub

Conserving energy in your pub could also help cut costs. Angela Needle, head of energy consultancy at British Gas Business, shares her top tips

BII members call for smoking signage to be axed

BII members call for smoking signage to be axed

By Michelle Perrett

BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of removing ‘smoke-free’ signage from their pub premises, in a survey carried out as part of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge.

Put community at the heart of all that your pub does

Put community at the heart of all that your pub does

By Nigel Anstead

The pub trade has been under pressure for a few years now and yet business rates are becoming exorbitant, we have ever-increasing overheads, and — don’t forget — it’s that time of year for price rises from breweries.

Top 10 ways to increase bar snack sales at your pub

Top 10 ways to increase bar snack sales at your pub

By Sheila McWattie

With the decline of three-course dinners and the rise of the all-day grazer, the humble bar snack has emerged victorious. Sheila McWattie looks at 10 ways to increase your snack sales

Follow us

Property of the week

Pub Trade Guides

View more

Webinars

Upcoming editorial webinars

Headlines

Promotional Features

The Lock In Pub Podcast