West Country
Royal Oak South Brent, Devon When Andrew and Carol Doree took over the freehold of the Royal Oak days before Christmas four years ago, the members of...
Archives for February 1, 2007
North West
Three Fishes Mitton, Lancashire Food awards and accolades have flowed in to the Three Fishes since the pub first opened its doors just over two years...
Just grin and bear it
As St Valentine's Day candlelight flickers through the February gloom, Adam Edwards suggests a glimmer of hope for winter trade Early February is...
Fuel intentions
With energy costs soaring, energywatch's Karl Brookes offers some practical tips and advice on how to maximise efficiency and get the best possible...
Eldridge Pope sale nets Cannon £40m
Serial pub entrepreneur Michael Cannon has netted as much as £40m after selling Eldridge Pope to Marston's for £155.1m. Cannon, who paid £84m for...
East & West Midlands
Red Hart Kington, Worcestershire The Red Hart in Kington is upping the stakes in a bid to have a record-breaking year raising cash for charity. It's...
Wales
Usk Inn Talybont-on-Usk, Powys Andrew and Julie Felix spent a year looking for their ideal pub before spotting the Usk Inn and taking the plunge to...
Creative kitchen
Mark Taylor talks to Marty Grant and Wayne Taylor of award-winning new Bath gastropub, Gascoyne Place Why our food business is such a success Many...
Greene King places IPA at the 'heart of English rugby'
Greene King IPA is launching its first advertising campaign since it became the official beer of England Rugby. The advertising will appear in UK...
Pub sales of cider grow dramatically
Pub sales of cider are continuing their dramatic growth, driven predominantly by the success of Irish-bottled Magners and brand leader Bulmers...
London
The Magpie Bishopsgate, London EC2 Australian Ross McGilvery has been given the freedom of the City of London for his outstanding contribution to the...
The bun's inn the oven
The idea: A craft-baker by trade, licensee John Royce took over at the Kestor Inn three years ago. Passionate about his craft John realised that...
Dressed to Empress
Humayun Hussain talks to Tom Martin about his new all-day dining pub - The Empress of India - in London's up-and-coming East End
Get stuck in to MA competition
Six lucky MA readers will get help fighting the sticky problem of discarded chewing gum in an exclusive competition. The problem is set to increase...
Licensing@aol.com
Restaurant and off-sales QNow that the new licensing laws are in place and restaurants have the same licence as pubs, can a local restaurant near...
InBrief
Man told to take down English flag A man from Bedford - the home town of patriotic brewer Wells & Youngs - has been ordered to take down his flag...
Odds are on for pub gambling go-ahead
Playing poker in pubs has come a step closer, following proposals issued last week by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Under the...
Fleurets' new way
Fleurets has promised "a new way of doing business" to accompany a new look for the chartered surveyor. Following its rebranding under the new banner...
WINNING RECIPE - Pub Classics
Leagram's organic creamy Lancashire & curd cheese and onion pie, short crust pastry, sour cream jackets, Bank's tomato salad
Life of Pie
PubChef looks at ideas for classic pub dishes - whatever your skill in the kitchen. This month we look at pies From scratch David "Billy" Brown, head...
PickoftheWeek
Heathfield Inn Honiton Devon Price: £230,000 Tenure: Leasehold, 17 years remaining Rent: £50,000 review every five years. Next due 2007 Landlord:...
Dawn of a new smoke-free era means pub food can shine
When egotistically mulling over which expression to strike for my new editor's picture, I pondered a number of faces - the intellectual (well, I can try), the approachable or the business-like Bruce.
WINNING RECIPE - Team
Ross Williams and Chris Potts from The Wellington, Wellington, Hereford take us through their winning meal. MENUStarter:Pan-seared king scallops with...
Counter culture
Richard Fox examines the spectre of prohibition casting a shadow over the industry.
Winning ways
Leading pub chefs share recipes and ideas to liven up your menu Roast partridge, smoked Old Spot bacon, potato, leek and mushrooms Our newly-crowned...
Letting off steam
Pioneer of modern British cooking Stephen Bull is ex-proprietor of Herefordshire's Lough Pool Inn and helps run Cambridgeshire's Hole in the Wall....
Paul Davey managing director, Davey & Co
The extent of the works required by your landlord in order for them to issue their consent for the lease to be assigned does, on the face of what you...
Wales
Salt Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Salt is strategically placed to cater for locals as well as the increasing number of visitors and tourists attracted to...
Trying to build on shaky foundations
It is rather like asking a competent tailor to make alterations to a suit that never fitted in the first place. Sir Les Elton's small review...
Fees hike blow for pubs
Trade groups are "concerned" and "disappointed" that pubs face a 7% hike in annual licence fees over the next three years, following publication of...
South East
Dog and Duck Kingsfold, West Sussex When Danny and Sara Shaw took over the Dog and Duck a year ago, they decided that fundraising would be focused on...
Welcome
andrew pring: editor, morning advertiser Tonight is a cause for celebration for all the award-winning licensees who now enter the Morning...
Let's learn from our EU neighbours
Migrant workers - a good thing or not? It's a topic that's still causing heated debate in pubs around the country. From my experience, the recent...
East Anglia
The Axe & Compasses Arkesden, Essex Today, the Axe & Compasses bears no resemblance to the ailing pub that Themis and Diane Christou took...
Brewery honours Rebus
Caledonian brewery is celebrating 20 years of Scotland's famous fictional detective Rebus by launching a beer with a secret ingredient. To honour the...
Dippin' in - keep it simple and make delicious pub food
Intimidated by convoluted menus? Richard Fox looks at easy food ideas for licensees with limited resources.
North West
Thomas Rigby's Liverpool Staff training is the key to the success of Thomas Rigby's, which lies in the heart of Liverpool's central business...
Cheque-cashing service gets official go ahead
A new service giving pubs the chance to offer a cheque-cashing service to customers officially launches today. Cheque Inns is the brainchild of...
THE AGENTS
Ceri Edwards Head of Public Relations RTA Business Sales Statistics are boring - right? So here are some boring statistics. At RTA, enquiries are up...
WINNING RECIPE - Poultry
Tournedos of turkey Devonshire style with dry cured bacon and black pudding, served with mini fondant potatoes and pea puree INGREDIENTS Serves 44...
South East
Riverside Tavern Strood, Kent While many outlets are content to lose a member of staff occasionally, the Riverside Tavern isn't. Under owner Peter...
£10m makeover for Chicago Rock
The iconic Chicago Rock Cafe brand is to get a complete makeover under new owner the 3D (drink, dine & dance) Entertainment Group. The company...
East & West Midlands
The Holly Bush Inn Salt, Staffordshire First-time visitors to the sleepy village of Salt near Stafford could be excused for thinking that the local...
West Country
Copley Arms Hessenford, Cornwall Michael and Diane Bradburn say that having other members of their family working at the Copley Arms has helped...
Gourmet pubs win Michelin accolade
Four pubs have been awarded Bib Gourmands in this year's Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2007. The Oak Tree Inn at Hutton Magna,...
Bay Horse, Great Broughton
Mark Taylor talks to the licensees of the Bay Horse in Great Broughton, Middlesbrough, Teesside
Overseas staff in pubs
Overseas staff are making an increasingly valuable contribution in pub kitchens. Andrew Burnyeat reports The future of British pub staff looks as...
Fees rise is not a bad result
Licensees struggling with one cost rise after another will be angry to learn that licensing fees are set to rise by 7%. They've a right to feel even...
Barry Gilham chairman, Fleurets
I am afraid a full repairing lease is just what it says on the tin. It is a requirement that a lessee first puts the property into full repair and...
East & West Midlands
The Holyhead Coventry Pub manager Jonathan Attridge regards it as a privilege to run the Holyhead, considered to be one of the best in the Ember Inns...
JDW openings will stick at 30 a year
New JD Wetherspoon openings at about 30 per annum is likely to be the optimum level for a number of years, chief executive John Hutson has indicated....
Kittedout? - Black Rock Grill
In a new series we ask licensees to test kitchen kit. This month a Yorkshire host experiments with heated black rocks The equipment: Black Rock Grill...
Illegal football TV ends in £8,000 fine
Licensee protests she's just a 'pawn in big boys' game' A Portsmouth licensee faces a fine of almost £8,000 after being found guilty of showing...
Mitchells & Butlers sees quiet start to 2007
Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) saw a slow build up to Christmas and has a seen quiet start to the New Year in some of its divisions, investors...
WINNING RECIPE - Game
Roast partridge, smoked Old Spot bacon, potato, leek and mushrooms INGREDIENTS 4 grey or red legged partridge8 rashers streaky Gloucester Old Spot...
North West
Spring Inn Rochdale, Lancashire There's little that Carol and John Cadwallader don't know about their customers - and that includes the scores of...
THE GUV'NOR
Peter Eveleigh The licensee of the Riverside Inn in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, considers the smoking ban I always thought the traditional silly...
Slippery slope to a top trip
The ALMR's annual ski trip is fast becoming one of the best industry networking opportunities of the year - for those who survive the slopes . This...
East & West Midlands
The Greyhound Hinckley, Leicestershire At the Greyhound, Howard and Sue Williams are winning the generation game by catering successfully for the...
East Anglia
White Horse Bedford Sue and Nigel Anstead repeatedly use the word "loyal" when describing members of staff at the White Horse. Other plaudits handed...
Beyond the pale
Mrs X is in the final stages of selling on her pubco lease but has been surprised by the large amount payable on the dilapidations report We are in...
NewsDigest
Barracuda Group has reported a 36% growth in food sales. The group, whose brands include Varsity and Smith & Jones, also reported a 19% rise in...
London
Spaniards Inn Hampstead Heath, London NW3 The Grade II-listed Spaniards Inn is steeped in history, including links with highwayman Dick Turpin. It is...
East Anglia
The Kings Head Letheringsett, Norfolk Samuel Johnson famously said: "If a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." David and Pam Watts could...
West Country
Old Spot Dursley, Gloucestershire The Old Spot is a cask ale drinkers' paradise. It always has at least six ales on tap and regularly hosts beer...
The MA's best Pubs are announced
Find a full list of winners from last night's prestigious Morning Advertiser Pub Awards 2007 here
Manchester pubs welcome supercasino
Manchester now has the go-ahead to develop the SportCity complex in the east of the city, after being granted the licence ahead of bookies'...
DoneDeals
Rock House Inn Dulverton Somerset First-time buyers Ian and Joanne Bamford have acquired the Rock House via Christie+Co's Exeter office. The...
WINNING RECIPE - Mediterranean
A trio of Mediterranean fish from our PubChef Food Excellence Mediterranean Award winner - Jason Howlett. INGREDIENTS Spanish Prawns Pil Pil:8 King...
Chris Maclean: parliamentary debates
Tonight's bar debate is about our MPs.Our MP here specialises in questions about the forthcoming Olympics.His "proudest achievement since the...
Rugby's Six Nations kicks off
Rugby union takes centre stage this weekend, with the first round of fixtures of this year's Six Nations tournament. Rugby fans will be following...
Pull the girls every night of the week
Mark Taylor looks at ideas for attracting more female customers through your doors Once upon a time, the British pub was the last bastion of male...
Licence fees hike blow for pubs
Trade groups are "concerned" and "disappointed" that pubs face a 7% hike in annual licence fees over the next three years, following publication of...
West Country
Globe Inn Lostwithiel, Cornwall Will Erwin says that from the age of five, he always wanted to be a chef. He eventually achieved that ambition just...
Graham Allman managing director, GA-Select
The term "dilapidations" can be greatly misunderstood. It normally applies to the condition of a commercial property at the end of the lease period...
Licensee loses in second FAPL case
Licensees could still face legal action over foreign satellite screenings, even if they have been acquitted first time round. Karen Murphy, 42,...
Starred chef North buys Nut Tree
Michelin-starred chef Mike North has purchased the freehold of the Nut Tree at Murcott, Oxfordshire, with his partner, Imogen Young. North was head...
Off-trade the bigger concern for 24-hour drinking, says doctor
A leading doctor has admitted that it is the off-trade that is exploiting the new licensing laws and encouraging binge-drinking more than pubs....
Marston's identifies right fit to lift quality
Marston's, unveiling pub acqusition deals with Eldridge Pope and Sovereign Inns this week, has broken, albeit temporarily, the 2,500 pub barrier (558...
PubChef's legal surgery
In the first of a new legal surgery, Graeme Cushion, a partner at licensing solicitors Poppleston Allen, answers your food legislation questions
Central Club up for sale
A Blackpool licensed members club where Robbie Williams once performed has come onto the market. The singer used the Central Club as the setting for...
South East
Countryman Inn Shipley, West Sussex Food has been an essential aspect of the Countryman Inn from the moment Alan Vaughan bought the freehold 21 years...
Room 101 - the dishes chefs would ban
Pub chefs give us their views on the dishes they want banned from pub menus Adrian Jones executive chef, Spencer Arms, Putney, London Foam. I hate...
Licensees hit a brick wall on outdoor smoking shelters
It seems the widely predicted obstruction by local authorities is already presenting major issues for licensees attempting to plan outside areas...
MyShout
If last year was a challenge, then 2007 will be a defining year for the on-trade, says Willie Crawshay You could be forgiven for thinking that...
S&N reveals 3.9% on-trade price hike
Scottish & Newcastle UK is to raise wholesale beer prices to on-trade customers by an average 3.9% from next month. The company, whose brands...
Wales
Bryncoch Inn Neath, Glamorgan Craig and Janet Wigley have two callings - one is running the Mitchells & Butlers-owned Bryncoch Inn and the other...