Win a menu makeover with our Food Champion
Anyone working in a pub kitchen will be all-too-familar with the concept of 'menu fatigue', but it's easy for customers to get just as fed up with...
Archives for March 15, 2007
Pay and holidays to rise this autumn
News that the minimum wage is to increase again in October, roughly in line with the rate of inflation, has met with a mixed reaction from the trade....
Diageo at the Hack & Spade
The Hack and Spade has a good selection of quality brands and also a selection of premium brands, which are all displayed to maximise visibility....
Chris Maclean: who's to blame for misbehaviour?
One of our local pubs, rarely out of the limelight for the problems associated with it, has new managers. They are making a real attempt to...
Licensing@aol.com
Police smoking ban QAt a recent meeting of our Pubwatch, the police representative informed us that, following the smoking ban, customers would not...
Pick of the pubs
The Fox & Horn in Mortimer, near Reading, has a bar with 20 covers, as well as a separate restaurant with 36 covers and a function room with 24...
Third London Firefly is City bar and club
CBD Bars has opened its third and largest Firefly bar in the City of London. The company, set up by commercial property lawyer Craig Themis, former...
Putting the spin on gin
Mainstream gin has seen a wobble in sales, but premium brands are faring better. Nigel Huddleston investigates Davenport explores ways forward for a...
MyNewPub
Red Lion, Dittisham, Devon Agent: Bettesworths French-born Brigitte and Clive Bellenger have taken over the Red Lion Inn in Dittisham, Devon. The...
Asbestos: how does it affect your business?
The control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 came into force last November - consolidating much legislation under one banner. So how does this affect you...
M&C hails star turn by Peach
Peach Pub Company, the multiple lessee led by entrepreneurs Lee Cash and Hamish Stoddart, has won the prestigious Rising Star Award in M&C...
Top 10 ways to go green
Hospitable Climes shares its advice on the best ways to be energy-efficient with Rosie Davenport 1 Cut kitchen consumption Whenever possible - and...
It's Six Nations crunch day
On the sporting front, there's plenty to offer your guests over the next seven days. For starters, it's the final round of fixtures in this year's...
London Town buys 39 pubs
London Town plc has announced it is buying 39 pubs from a property holding company for £16.24m, an average of £416,000 per pub.The group is buying...
Is this the future?
JD Wetherspoon is building a new eco-friendly pub that could be the blueprint for all its outlets. Nigel Huddleston visits to get a sneak preview...
Licensee hits out at planning regulations
A York licensee has hit out at the decision by his local planning council to reject plans for an outdoor smoking patio for his bar. Russ Brown,...
Room for expansion
As food grows in importance post-smoking-ban, spirits will have to work hard to stay relevant, says Nigel Huddleston With beer successfully managing...
Savouring - and saving - a Chiswick moment
I had an "Ah! Bisto" moment last week. I met an old beer-writing chum and we repaired to the Portland Arms, a Fuller's house in St Albans, Herts,...
JD Wetherspoon boss targets doubling real-ale sales
JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has set his sights on doubling sales of cask ale in his pub estate.
One-third of MPs back the motion against supermarket alcohol pricing
One in three MPs able to vote on Parliamentary motions has called on supermarkets to stop using alcohol as a loss leader.The campaign against...
Carling Premier to be relaunched
Coors Brewers has announced it is to relaunch its nitrokeg lager brand Carling Premier.The Burton-based brewer will be putting serious marketing...
Shares in pub companies rally after earlier slump
Pub stocks bounced back this morning after heavy falls yesterday.Fresh concerns over the state of the US economy caused a shockwave in the London...
Fawcett departure 'sad loss' for Punch
Punch Taverns chief operating officer Adrian Fawcett is stepping down on 30 March to become CEO at General Healthcare Group, a UK private hospital...
THE GUV'NOR
Paul Clerehugh St Patrick's Day should lead to stuffed tills, says the licensee of the Crooked Billet in Stoke Rowe, Oxfordshire In Dublin's fair...
New £10,000 fines for underage sales
Tough new fines are due from early April - and licensees can't claim due diligence.
Whiter than white
Competition in the white-spirits market is fierce, with ultra-premium brands getting in on the act and cocktails growing in popularity. Nigel...
Gastro rise threatens darts
In the week that saw the Prince of Wales expressing an interest in darts, a new survey says that the rise of the gastro- pub is killing the game....
'Ambiguous' TEN form slated by host
A south Wales host has attacked the "ambiguous" application form for causing his Temporary Events Notice (TEN) application to be rejected. Keith May...
BarTalk
Should Prince Charles voice his political views? Maggie Pattinson The Crofters Barrow-in-Furness Cumbria He is not the monarch yet - so yes, he...
Micro 3 Rivers goes national with JDW
Stockport-based 3 Rivers has achieved a significant sales breakthrough, becoming one of the smallest breweries ever to secure a national distribution...
Greene King out to attract 'pub virgins'
A new kit has been released to help Greene King pubs plan for the smoking ban - and tell their customers and "pub virgins" about the changes....
THE AGENTS
Konrad Szymanski Director, Humberstones My company celebrates 70 years in the business transfer market this year. Starting from small origins in...
Bar staff 'cheers' ban after US law threat
Pub staff and customers banned from saying "cheers" after U.S. lawyers claim word ownership.
'Meat' the new head chef at 26 Smithfield
Local sourcing will be no problem for Roland Embleton in his new role as head chef at a London pub - one of the world's most famous meat markets is...
Foreign satellite licensee's appeal dismissed
£12,000 hit after Judge says she "hid" behind legal advice
A shot in the dark
While fashion often dictates fortunes, sambuca can rely on heritage. Nigel Huddleston investigates its growth If tequila's the new vodka, sambuca...
InBrief
MPC offers pubs free spring clean Marston's Pub Company (MPC) pubs are to get a spring clean to coincide with the start of the smoking ban. More than...
Beware, the taxman cometh
Have you noticed that it's always the other chap who gets away with it and you don't? He drives through a speed camera at 60mph and you toddle along...
Pubs face £10K fine in new underage clampdown
Pubs could be forced to close for three months or pay a £10,000 fine following a tough new clampdown on underage sales expected to be brought in...
Cry God for England, football & St George
A seismic cultural shift in attitudes means Englishness is now back in fashion and, says Adam Edwards, what better day to celebrate than on the...
Business support for pubs from EBLEX
The English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) has launched a business support package for licensees.
A class of their own
From honey flavouring to a famous Cornish drinker, independent brewers are bringing innovation to beer. Adrian Tierney-Jones reveals the winners of...
Firing the imagination
Susan Nowak looks at ideas for maximising the beer-with-food opportunity for St George's Day Slay 'em on St George's Day with an inspired mix 'n'...
BrandsBriefs
Sky's the limit for Sheps' Early Bird and Spitfire Shepherd Neame's Early Bird spring ale is making its seasonal appearance for 2007. The beer is...
Alpha ale house
Roger Cudlip tells Ewan Turney how a passion for real ale and a warm welcome helped the Tom Cobley Tavern in Spreyton, Devon, be crowned Campaign for...
MyShout
With pubcos continuing to buy freeholds, Colin Wellstead wonders how long the market can keep shrinking There are approximately 18,000 freehouses in...
First Proud winner to be announced
A key individual in the licensed trade will be celebrated at next week's Publican Awards with the first Proud of Pubs Award. Inspired by our...
Diageo at the Forester Arms
The back bar had a good selection of sprits on optic and brands are separated from light to dark. Aaron has an on going training programme in place -...
Charles celebrates community pubs
Prince Charles has highlighted the vital role of community pubs - and backed a campaign to save darts in pubs. Speaking at a reception to celebrate...
LETTERs
Setting the record straight I didn't realise that your publication was going down the Daily Mail route of scare mongering and misinforming its...
Out of the slammer
Nigel Huddleston discovers that tequila's appeal lies in its versatility It may not be the biggest category in the spirits market, but tequila is...
Open-book accounting at Marston's
Pubco response to TISC inquiry sees raft of support for new licensees
Plastic glasses will not work
This trade just does not get any easier. As if supermarket pricing and the smoking ban weren't challenges enough, we now learn our leading policemen...
Local councils erratic over pub gaming laws
A charity casino event at a pub appears to have run into a spot of bother over giving away Champagne and cuddly toys as prizes for the person with...
Trade urges PM to keep crown stamp
Trade leaders have called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to reverse the decision to replace the traditional crown symbol on pint glasses with a...
Glass bans a police PR stunt, says BEDA
Glass bans are a facile way for the police to score publicity points - that's the view of Jon Collins.