High Street fortunes pick up after Christmas sales surge
New Year delivered a much-needed dose of optimism to the high street retailers as strong Christmas trading marked a turnabout in the sector.As...
Archives for January 6, 2005
Talking the strain
We asked top industry figures three key questions about the current state of the industry to find out what some of the big players in the business...
Has JDW dropped a Belgian bolleke?
Beer-drinking circles were buzzing last month when Wetherspoon's announced it was launching the famous Belgian beer De Koninck on draught throughout...
CBE honour for Payne's 30-year stint
One of the licensed trade's best-known figures, Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations chief executive Tony Payne, has been awarded a CBE in...
Big rise in directors' earnings at W&DB
Total remuneration to the board of executive and non-executive directors at Wolves & Dudley Breweries (W&DB) increased by just over 30% to...
Horse
drawn Derelict for three years, the White Horse is now an award-winning destination dining venue. Mark Taylor meets the couple who transformed the...
Trade digs deep for tsunami victims
by John Harrington Pubcos, drinks firms, individual licensees and punters have been digging deep and doing their bit to raise money to help the...
Eire faces daytime drink ad ban
Alcohol advertising on daytime TV is to be banned in the Irish Republic under legislation that will go before Parliament in the next few months. The...
Upwards-only rents curbed by committee
Pubcos have been warned not to exploit their position of economic strength over tenants by the Trade & Industry Select Committee. The committee's...
Trojan Horse of reform reveals its true nature
This is set to be the most crucial year for licensing in the modern generation, yet it begins with so many uncertainties. These have been stimulated...
Licensees lashout over committee report
Licensees feel that they have been cheated after the Trade & Industry Select Committee failed to recommend decisive action to rein back the pub...
Buyers will lead way but no room for gloom
The year 2005 will no longer be a sellers market and those looking for buyers for their pubs must be prepared to consider realistic offers. That's...
Plastic fantastic
Glass bottles could well become a thing of the past in pubs when the Licensing Act comes into force. Tony Halstead visits a packaging supplier who...
The dark side of Camra
Not everyone likes the new blondes', but that just shows what a mixed bunch beer drinkers are, says Andrew Jefford The letters page of Camra's...
Ray gets risqué for charity
"Tough-guy" actor Ray Winstone has bared all to help his local pub raise money for the Prostate Cancer Charity. Winstone stripped down to the bare...
New Year's Eve not a rip off' says Yates
The trade has hit back at claims that pubs are becoming increasingly unpopular on New Year's Eve because they are seen as a "rip off and a hassle"....
MPs table motion for full liquid pint
by Ewan Turney MPs have tabled an early day motion calling for the introduction of full-pint legislation. The motion, put forward by Labour MP...
Spirit changes wine and cask-ale ranges
The Spirit Group is revamping the range of cask ales it offers to consumers. The managed pub operator is changing its line-up to introduce more...
Consent for staff rooms?
QWe are renovating two of the rooms in our pub for use as staff bedrooms. They were previously used for storage and are marked on the plans of the...
Charles Wells favours new premium Kirin
by Dizziana Rossi Charles Wells is introducing a premium version of its Kirin beer in a bid to get wider distribution in top-end pubs and bars. The...
The boy done not too bad
The Trade & Industry Select Committee's pubco report is a curious mixture of naivety and crassness but also spot-on accuracy of judgement....
Licensing Act delay on the cards?
Is the Government going to be forced to postpone the First Appointed Day for licence transition? It is set for 7 February, which is exactly a month...
Beer with food week bulletin
The first Beer with Food Week takes place from 14 to 20 March, championed by the Morning Advertiser and PubChef magazine. Beer with Food Week will...
Met police chief leads fresh reform criticism
by Ewan Turney The Government's liberalisation of licensing hours received another high-profile verbal bashing over the festive period with London's...
Martin O'Neill has simply represented the pubcos'
I predicted after the first stage of the verbal evidence that the Trade & Industry Select Committee inquiry into pubco power would come to...
It was like being breathalysed after a night out when you'd
Wolverhampton & Dudley was another pubco that could confidently blow into Martin O'Neill's bag. Its business practices are progressive and...
Reform delay fears increase
Trade experts have expressed fears that the date of the First Appointed Day for the Licensing Act could be pushed back following the failure of the...
Tadcaster hits growth target
Tadcaster Pub Company has reached its target of building an estate of 50 pubs by the end of 2004, achieving an objective set at the company's launch...
Why the list should always come first
How you choose and order your wine list speaks volumes about your establishment. I can tell the lists "ordered" from the wine merchant a mile off....
Low-alcohol Carling launched by Coors
by John Harrington Coors Brewers hopes to exploit what it sees as the untapped potential for low-alcohol beer by spending £1m launching a 2% abv...
Adam & Eve changes hands
A pub reputed to be the oldest in Lincoln has changed hands. The Adam & Eve Tavern has been trading as a pub since the early 1700s with a...
Takeaways face behaviour curbs
Antisocial behaviour in town centres should be reduced in a new move to licence takeaways from this year. Kebab shops, burger bars and hotdog vans...
Liverpool smoking bill in Lords arena
The House of Lords is set to debate Liverpool City Council's plan for a complete ban on smoking in public places in the city next month. Liverpool...