Rich pickings
Looking beyond the usual suspects can inject a sense of occasion to your festive beer list. Beer guru Jeff Evans picks out some gems to inspire your...
Archives for September 21, 2005
Uncorking wine's true potential
Drinkers will be looking for ways to push the boat out when celebrating, so Christmas is a great time to introduce them to new varieties, says wine...
Get the drinks in
Ordering your drink supplies early will take some of the stress out of Christmas, says ALEX McGILL, from stocktakers Venners Christmas can be...
EH seeks help to run first pub
English Heritage is looking for a successful food operator to run its first pub. The body, which is responsible for maintaining and preserving...
Offering a warm welcome to all
Cross Keys, Erdington, West Midlands There aren't many places where you can find a secretary, a mechanic, a teacher, a darts player and an OAP...
Spirit races clock to get licences for 560 staff
by The PMA Team Managed operator Spirit Group is battling against time to get personal licences for 560 staff, the Morning Advertiser has learnt....
Expand your customers' wine horizons
Widening your drinks offer is a great way to make your pub stand out. Here are some suggestions, courtesy of Andrew Jefford I am and I say this in...
Trade calls on government to delay licensing review
Plans for an early review of the Licensing Act have been condemned from both inside and outside the trade.Following pressure from local authorities...
Councils push for more hours power
by John Harrington Local authorities will push for a greater say over licensing when the guidance notes for councils come under review next year....
Smoke debate with
MPs 'in four weeks' by Tony Halstead MPs could be debating a proposed pub smoking ban within four weeks, according to 'authoritative sources within...
JDW boss named pub personality with most impact
Tim Martin has been voted as the individual from the pub trade who has made the biggest impact on the industry in the past 30 years.In a poll of...
Keeping his Head
Hugh Crossley's main goal is to keep the Duke's Head regulars happy but his seasonal menu is also pulling in East Anglia's boating tourists from the...
Fear for pub
after £7,000 electric bill The Buck in Morley, near Wymondham, Norfolk, may have to close after licensee John Plumpton received a £7,000 'catch-up...
Well-heeled spark
rise in objections Licensees in some parts of the country are finding it harder to get extended opening hours than some national newspapers claim....
Leasehold prices head north
With freehouses a rare commodity in the north, leasehold property prices are soaring, reports Tony Halstead Like other regions of the UK, the north...
Meet your spirit guide
Spirits are perennial favourites in the winter months, especially at Christmas, but which should you stock and how can you use them? Rosie Davenport...
Thousands back call to 'Lay off my Local'
Morning Advertiser campaign gets off to a thunderous start by John Harrington Thousands of pub regulars are delivering a noisy 'Lay off my Local...
Look out Daily Wail, the gloves are off
I hang my head in shame. Last week, I launched the 2006 Good Beer Guide, a disgraceful, near-pornographic tome that encourages people to go to that...
Try your luck at the Horseshoes
A north London pub renowned for its floral displays is offered for sale. Acting on behalf of licensee Bill Ferncombe, the Enfield office of property...
InBev's £5m spend to push Brahma take-up
InBev UK has launched the first UK advertising for its imported Brahma Brazilian lager, launched in the on-trade in May. A £5m support package...
Going the extra mile to save their community's store
Red Lion, Coleshill, Buckinghamshire Thirteen years ago Coleshill village shop closed its doors, leaving local residents with nowhere to buy...
This Staffordshire anglers' favourite is a real catch
A 300-year-old watering hole with strong ties to the angling fraternity, and located close to Britain's No 1 tourist attraction, has recently come to...
Top 10 best... party ideas for all budgets
Get creative Themed nights provide customers with an excuse to get into outfits they wouldn't dare wear (or have the opportunity to) throughout the...
Lay off my Local takes off
by getting customers to sign our petition, we can confront the peddlers of lies about the trade Andrew Pring, Editor Morning Advertiser readers have...
Any surprise big sellers over the summer?
Mark Fallon The Wheatsheaf Barrow Cumbria 'It's not really a surprise but we have a bottled drink called VHF that comes in nine different flavours....
Lucky pair take bite of Big Apple's food scene
It's not often Snifter is jealous, but two lucky people from the trade are jetting off to the Big Apple after winning a competition in PubChef...
Purnell on the pub trade as Publican Newspaper hits 30
Licensing minister James Purnell has hailed the Licensing Act as the biggest development in the pub industry for the last 30 years.Responding to The...
Campaigning for safer cycling
Carpenters Arms, Clydach, West Glamorgan 'On yer bike seems to be a popular phrase at the Carpenter Arms in Clydach, West Glamorgan. Four years ago,...
Ivell: 'We can add third arm to Regent estate'
by The PMA Team Walkabout operator Regent Inns is looking at 'all sorts of acquisition opportunities after its bid for Urbium was thwarted, executive...
Crackers, candles & cock-ups
It should be the busiest time of the year, when you're inundated with customers so you can guarantee something's going to go wrong. JO de MILLE asks...
Perfecting the art of fundraising
Spring Inn, Rochdale, Lancashire Fifty-two weeks means 52 charity events for Spring Inn hosts John Cadwallader and Carol Holden. And Carol never...
Get them coming back for more
Most pubs expect to be busy at Christmas, but how can you keep that trade going into the new year? Jo de Mille has some ideas While most pubs expect...
Red tape woe
forces host to leave country The increasing burden of red tape has driven one freehold host to pack up and leave the country. Paul Parker, who jets...
Laurel may axe brands
in portfolio shake-up by The PMA Team Laurel Pub Company could axe up to a third of its brands as part of a major portfolio review. The company,...
Alchemy plans £8m spend on Spirit sites
by The PMA Team Private equity company Alchemy plans to invest £8m in the 178 pubs and bars it acquired from Spirit Group this week. Alchemy, which...
What the customers want for Christmas
We asked five consumers what they look for when they're choosing a pub for celebrating the festivities Lucy Clark, 29 'I would choose a pub for its...
A pub to be proud of: The Royal Oak, North Wales
When a family in the village of Hendre, near Mold in Flintshire, North Wales, saw their house burn down, a £500 donation from the local pub gave...
Industry figures supporting Proud of Pubs
Leading industry figures explain why they're supporting The Publican's new Proud of Pubs campaign.Rob Hayward, chief executive, British Beer &...
Licensee's fury at Mail
over booze laws letter by Ewan Turney An irate licensee has lambasted the Daily Mail for censoring part of a letter criticising its coverage of the...
Campaign: Proud of Pubs
The Publican is looking forward to its next 30 years with a major new campaign celebrating pubs - and we want your support. Daniel Pearce reports.The...
Trade: circuit hot spots are not 'representative' Licensing
by Ewan Turney The Home Office has chosen five notorious circuit-drinking hot spots as the basis of its review of the impact of the Licensing Act on...
Gastro pubs boom dishes
up a puzzle for City diners by John Harrington The line between gastro pubs and restaurants in London is continuing to blur following the recent boom...
Turning customers into friends
Cock Inn, Gamlingay, Bedfordshire Roger and Tina Collins will miss the local people when they leave the Cock Inn later this year. 'We decided to give...
Mystery pub visitors help test service
A new 'mystery shopper service aimed at independent pubs has been launched. The service, from mystery shopper agency MarketPublic, is a way for...