Why super-regionals must stay home
Is the British brewing industry on the verge of yet another major upheaval? Wolverhampton & Dudley has bid £46m for Jennings in Cumbria. The...
Archives for April 27, 2005
Spirit's
stumble The UK's largest managed operator, Spirit, which has just in excess of 2,000 pubs, has reported a decline in profits in half its estate. The...
50 wines that all sell
I first heard about the George, in Petersfield, Hamp-shire, in this very publication. It was featured in the 20 January issue, a finalist in the MA's...
W&DB insists Jennings brewery is 'secure'
Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&DB) insists the future of Jennings Brothers' brewery and beers will be secure if its £45.8m bid...
Former JDW managerloses case
A former JD Wetherspoon manager, who didn't take action after a female pub worker reported being sexually harassed, has lost his claim for unfair...
Irish trade fears plans for cafe bar licences
by MA reporter A major row is brewing between Irish publicans and the Irish government over planned new legislation that will see the creation of a...
Parties fire final shots in election campaign
Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have fired their final shots of the election campaign in a bid to address the issues affecting...
Licensees join fight to tackle pirate TV footy
by Tony Halstead Licensees are helping soccer bosses win their battle against pirate TV screenings of Premier-ship football. More than 50 calls are...
I feel like a guinea pigin this inflexible system
I have been a multiple licensee for more than 25 years and have been increasingly overwhelmed by the red tape. My main frustration has always been...
Whitbread confirms consumer slowdown
Publicly-quoted pub stocks were hit hard on Tuesday after Whitbread's preliminary results confirmed a consumer slowdown in the pub-restaurant sector....
Drinks supply on coaches
QThe members of our association have been debating illegal practices by local clubs and particularly asked me to seek guidance on the question of...
Door staff at Ultimate stuck in SIA quagmire
by Tony Halstead Door staff have seen an average of two rejections for every successful application for new security badge licences, Ultimate...
Man shot after leaving Merseyside pub
A man was shot in the thigh in the car park of a Merseyside pub in the early hours of Saturday. Police believe the 21-year-old had been drinking...
M&B's franchise estate poised to top 100-mark
by Tony Halstead Managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers is marketing 22 further pubs as franchise leases. If all the pubs are successfully...
Rise of Richard the Third
Sometimes the best ideas come in small packages. PHIL DIXON explains why a third of a pint is good for business "OK guru and industry expert, what...
Battle of the cheeses
To serve and protect British cheese comes first at the Coastguard in its own battle of Waterloo with the French. JOHN HARRINGTON reports from the...
DTI clamps down on more rogue recruitment companies
The Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) is continuing its clampdown on rogue recruitment companies.Tudor Inns Ltd, based in West Yorkshire,...
Which political party do you think wouldbest suit the licens
Graham Rowson Plungington Tavern Preston, Lancs "In terms of duty and tax, all parties tend to hit the brewing and pub trade, so I do not believe...
Freedom for Pubs Association vows to renew its fight
A trade group has vowed "the fight goes on" in its bid to end the beer tie.The Freedom for Pubs Association (FFPA), which was set up last August, is...
The London eye
It's not just beer that dominates in Belgian pubs, men also seem to have the upper hand Swapping the grey skies of London for the even greyer and...
The muscles from Brussels
It was a question of too little head and too few beers in London pubs for the man from Belgium Frederic Langers sighs and strokes his ginger-bearded...
Labour and
the trade In the final instalment of the Morning Advertiser's probe into the pub polices of the main political parties, JOHN HARRINGTON speaks to...
Trading places
Can licensees pick up any tips from our Belgian cousins when it comes to serving beer, or are the Brits best behind the bar? Interbrew set up a...
Heineken taste-test bus takes Stella head on
by Emma Waddingham Heineken has vowed to challenge Stella Artois' position in the premium lager sector by claiming it tastes better than the market...
Cabinet Office to study implementation of Licensing Act
The spiralling amounts of paperwork and bureaucracy surrounding the new licensing regime have prompted an investigation by the government's red tape...
Drink Talking: Ian McKerracher
Pubcos must do more to encourage tenants to open gastropubs says Ian McKerracher, licensee, the Helyar Arms, Somerset.Some time ago I became...
Tapa' menu
Salmon salad niçoise Piri piri, char-grilled chicken Smoked chicken and bacon Caesar salad Red pepper and spinach Spanish tortilla Potato,...
Poor advice adds to
transition confusion By now, many readers will have received a bundle of information from their local council on the new licensing regime. It will...
Best in show
As the London International Wine & Spirits Fair fast approaches, Adam Withrington prepares for a show which could well be a daunting...
ALMR slams Act as incompetent
by Tony Halstead The Government has been accused of selling the pub industry short by failing to deliver on major trade issues. Association of...
Follow the rules over plans
One of the other main problems which has surfaced during the trickling in of applications is the question of adequate plans. There are two issues...
Licensees left out of pocket
Scores of would-be licensees who paid out for the promise of a pub placement have been told they are likely to find themselves thousands of pounds...
Vigilance matters
With the average British pub losing £100 a week in cash and stock theft, GRAHAM RIDOUT reveals how you can stay one step ahead with improved...
New tool to find local produce
Food From Britain has launched a new tool to allow chefs easy access to local food suppliers. The find-my-nearest online feature allows caterers to...
Trade trio set up Lancaster Brewery
Brewing is to return to thehistoric city of Lancaster next month thanks to a £130,000 venture set up by a trio of prominent trade personalities....
Jamie ups demand for healthy pub food
Jamie Oliver's campaign to improve school food has created an upsurge in parents and children requesting more wholesome food in pubs, according to a...
Legal advice: Working arrangements for parents
Are you aware that staff can request more flexible working arrangements to care for a child?By Martin Donoghue of thePublican.com's team of legal...
Warning over rogue business rate appeal firms
Licensees who want to fight for a review of their business rates should be wary of rogue companies offering to lodge appeals on their behalf.Many...
Doing it yourself just doesn't measure up
I am often asked if the industry still needs traditional style stocktakers now that so many licensed businesses have moved over to a full-blown EPoS...
Talks begin to get fairer Sky charges
Trade wants end to rateable value banding system by Tony Halstead Satellite broadcaster Sky is being urged to sit down and hammer out a fairer...
Toad conversion by October: EP
by The PMA Team Eldridge Pope, now called EP and owned by serial entrepreneur Michael Cannon's SDA Limited, will have converted its Toad high-street...
Retailers should unite in High Street Charter'
by John Harrington Pub and club operators should join together to create a High Street Charter to encourage social responsibility in the high...
Regulars ensure yolk's on barmaid
Barmaid Harriet Sluman just couldn't resist throwing an egg at John Prescott's battle wagon last week. The deputy PM was leaving a rally in Rushden,...