First impressions designed to last
Money might be tight but your pub doesn't have to show it — it's worth investing in products that will improve the image of your business Pubs have...
Archives for June 25, 2008
Energy plans fail hosts
Only 30% of licensees would get protection Fewer than one in three licensees would qualify for energy protection under current plans for a new scheme...
Business boosters
Ideas for driving food sales at your pub Private function brunches Where: Queen's Head, Brandeston, Suffolk The idea: Licensee Alan Randall has been...
Warming to the cask task
Camra and Cask Marque both agree cask beer should be cool and refreshing. Who'd argue? Ireturned home last Thursday evening, full of the joys of...
Now Cask Marque's got the Jolly Roger
Roger Clayson, the larger-than-life super salesman who's got beer in his blood and pubs in his soul, has moved from Adnams to Cask Marque. Andrew...
Lower strength Stella Artois unveiled
Inbev officially unveils its new lower strength version of Stella Artois
How to back a real winner
I get offered so many new products by companies saying they will help buck the downward trends in the on-trade — but how can I tell what will...
My New Pub Archer Arms
Lewannick, Cornwall Agent: Peninsula Commercial Experienced operators Alister Dwelly and partner Lisa Docherty have just taken on their fourth site...
Waterside 'gem' on the market
An award-winning Devon pub once owned by TV chef Keith Floyd has come onto the market with Bettesworths. Formerly Floyd's Inn, the Maltsters Arms has...
Morgan: hold back your rating appeal
Licensees hit by the smoking ban will have to wait until next year to appeal for a reduction of their business rates. That is the view of ratings...
SA Brains extends Wales rugby sponsorship
SA Brains has agreed a new shirt sponsorship deal with the Welsh national rugby union team until September 2009. The arrangement is part of a wider...
Mike Benner, chief executive, Campaign for Real Ale
What are the upsides of the ban? Pubs smell, look and feel cleaner. No one really liked smoke in pubs, even the smokers. The ban has driven operators...
Murphy case referred to Europe
Karen Murphy case referred to the European Court of Justice
The ban hurts, but it's right
We have now lived for a year with the biggest revolution in the pub trade since all-day opening 20 years ago. To a greater or lesser extent, the...
Ban hits ALMR: half see profits dip 6%+
Wet sales and AWP income hit worst The damaging impact of the smoking ban one year on is laid bare in a survey of Association of Licensed Multiple...
New customers at a third of pubs since ban
According to results from the Publican's smoking ban survey one in three licensees have attracted new customers in the last year. The research -...
Murphy foreign satellite case heads to Europe
The judges presiding over Karen Murphy's landmark High Court foreign satellite appeal have today referred the case to Europe. It follows a decision...
SIA slams 'hardest doorman' contest
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has criticised a contest to find "Britain's hardest doorman". SIA chief executive Mike Wilson said the contest...
Let's get radical: Scotland's drinks trade shake-up
Scotland wants the toughest controls on alcohol in recent UK history. John Harrington examines the main plans Disorder levy A "Social Responsibility...
Moves
Hyman joins First Drinks Brands First Drinks Brands, the distributor of Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky, Hendrick's gin and Russian Standard...
Moleface lines up next site
Moleface Pub Company, the Midlands-based gastro-pub operator, has snapped up its second pub, the Lord Nelson, an Enterprise leasehold in Burton...
The Guv'nor Andrew Eccles
Be proactive — or risk going backwards For many years, the cliched saying "if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always...
Smoking ban supported by majority of licensees
Despite the majority of licensees losing cash because of the smoking ban, more and more are supporting the measure. The 1,500 licensees quizzed by...
Paul Hickman, analyst at KBC Peel Hunt
The effect of the smoking ban has differed widely depending on whether you are in the industry or an investor. The pubcos took radical action in...
Chris Maclean: An idea blossoms
It has been a family joke that although my wife is a trained gardener and horticulturalist we've never had a pub with a garden. For me this is a...
Oh Vienna: Euros' final fling
The second Euro 2008 semi-final takes place on Thursday (7.30pm, ITV1). Perennial underachievers Spain play a resurgent Russia side — and one of...
Smoking ban - the story so far
JULY 2007It started in England at 6am on July 1, 2007. Rebellious licensees bragged about flouting the smoking ban, with councils initially only...
The view from the top
With the smoke ban reaching its first anniversary, Caroline Muspratt talks to operators about how they have fared It's been a year since smoking was...
Q&A
Later time for drinks Q. One of the reasons we are losing trade is that the nearest pub to us regularly stays open after the hours the licensee was...
Gaming machine review fast-tracked
Trade bodies have welcomed the government's decision to fast-track a review of gaming machine prizes. Last week minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced...
Loyal to soil
Pub owner Geetie Singh talks Lucy Britner through her 10-year totally-organic experience From carrots to candles and turnips to tampons, everything...
Bar Talk
Would you allow smoking inside your pub again if you had the choice? Ric Sainty The Old Spot Dursley Gloucestershire No, I've had health problems...
Regent Inns sale off
Walkabout operator says sale is off but unveils plans for a sale and lease back on freeholds and a raft of board changes
Mark Daniels: You couldn't make it up...
The argument started as most arguments do: with an insult.It was getting towards the end of the evening shift and, with ten minutes to go before I...
Blood on the smoking shelter floor
As pubs, bars and clubs start to put the shutters up with alarming regularity, Adam Edwards reveals the details of his one-man protest over the...
Promote yourself the easy way
The image of a pub can often be enhanced by the design of such simple things like the way it promotes forthcoming events or special offers via...
Satellite battle drags on
European Court move could take two years The legal battle between the Premier League and two foreign satellite suppliers has been referred to the...
The Italian job
Licensee Andy Knight tells Noli Dinkovski how a sale and leaseback has enabled him to develop the Dixie Arms Hotel and roll-out a successful line in...
Licensing laws and floating bars
The news that Mitchells & Butlers is seeking to cast off the Queen Mary at Waterloo reminds me of the changed legal status of boats under the new...
Gilmore: 'One could end up looking evangelical'
It is a little-known fact, but the Royal College of Physicians, where Professor Ian Gilmore is currently president, founded the group Action on...
Geof Collyer, analyst at Deutsche Bank
When I look back to what we thought would happen to the pubs, back in 2004, the sector has actually performed much better than at first envisaged in...
Focus on smoking shelters
Pub companies and licensees between them have been forced to think long and hard about how to retain and accommodate their smoking customers. For...
Now the smoke has cleared
The smoking ban forced many licensees to think seriously about the facilities their pub provides. Kelly Smith finds out which solutions have worked...
Fair Pint relishing Pubco Inquiry
Campaign group, backed by Vince Power, looking forward to putting its case to MPs
Pubco Inquiry II special
All you need to know about the news that pubcos will be scrutinised by MPs on how they treat tenants
The agent
Graham Allman, managing director, GA-Select Freeholds are a valuable commodity and great consideration should be given as to how best to use the...
Your say
How rents really affect pub disposals I note with interest Clive Williams' attitude to rent in the Morning Advertiser, 29 May, and Brian Jacobs'...
Snifter
BBN chair not part of scheme The new chairman of Best Bar None, Lib Dem peer Lord Redesdale, has admitted that his own pub is not part of the...
Trade down at half of pubs in first year of smoking ban
Exclusive research has revealed that more than half of licensees have seen trade drop since the smoking ban was introduced throughout the UK. July 1...
Sports Café/Candu businesses to be re-named Yellowhammer
A new group called Yellowhammer Bars has been formed to operate the Sports Café and Candu Entertainment businesses. The move follows the...
In Brief
Plymouth to sponsor Ascot Plymouth Gin will be sponsoring two days at Ascot next month, as well as becoming headline sponsor of the Plymouth Gin...
An open and shut case
MA legal editor Peter Coulson and Poppleston Allen partner Graham Cushion give their assessments on how the law has been observed, what difficulties...
Stella strength to drop to 4% abv
InBev is set to launch a 4% abv version of Stella Artois in the UK. The brewer has confirmed it has plans to market a range of 4% abv beers across...
Council removes lessee's DPS role
Pub failed two underage sales A council has stripped a lessee of his role as designated premises supervisor (DPS) after two underage sales. The...