Mystery leak leads to £37,000 water bill
An angry licensee is struggling to keep his head above water after being ordered to pay £1,000 a month to cover the cost of a mystery leak. Shannon...
Archives for March 4, 2009
Drink talking: Mark Fuller 'Why I've stopped visiting pubs'
I am a keen live music fan and enjoy going to see bands I've never heard of. As anyone of a similar disposition will tell you, nine out of 10 times...
Ministers hear trade concerns, but offer little help
Five government ministers have acknowledged the problems facing pubs - but failed to offer any concrete help - during an unprecedented trade summit...
Host's £37,000 water bill
An Enterprise Inns lessee is locked in dispute with Southern Water after receiving a £37,000 bill. The case raises the question of who is...
Sales up at The Restaurant Group
The Restaurant Group has reported a 1.5% uplift in like-for-like sales across its 354 restaurants and pubs for the year ended 28 December.
Day in the Life: Fleurets property agent
You might think that life would be pretty quiet for a commercial property agent at the moment. Not so. Although asking prices are down and, due to a...
An age check too far?
The launch of Challenge 25 by the UK retail industry has set off alarm bells for many licensees.The new standard requires retailers to ask people who...
MacAskill "confident" over minimum pricing
Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill remains "confident" his party's plan to set a minimum price is "sustainable" and will get legal and...
Chris Maclean: Let's forget about the smoking ban
A trip to Brussels where people are still allowed to smoke in bars did not have me yearning for the "good old days" of smoking in pubs.Writing this...
'Bring your own booze to the pub'
A pub owner is battling cheap supermarket drink deals by inviting cash-strapped punters to bring their own booze. Bip Wetherell lets punters bring in...
Ministers: trade must look at beer tie
Two senior Government ministers have called on the pub industry to help struggling licensees by examining how the beer tie works. Licensing minister...
Marston's celebrates 175 years
Marston's is marking 175 years of brewing with the launch of Pedigree's summer marketing campaign, which continues the cricketing tradition.
Mulholland backs licensees against banks
The pro-pub MP writes to the Chancellor and submits a petition urging banks to lend to pubs — 32 MPs have signed already.
Luminar loses finance chief
Luminar, the nightclub operator, has announced it is set to lose its finance chief, Nick Beighton.Beighton is resigning from the group after three...
'Chancellor has closed 2,000 pubs'
A record 2,000 pubs have closed with the loss of 20,000 jobs since the 2008 Budget — BBPA warns the tax rises must stop.
Westminster: focus on personal responsibility
A focus on personal responsibility — not "the blunt instrument of legislation" — is needed to tackle Britain's drinking problems, says a senior...
Miller Genuine Draft in MP3 promotion
Miller Genuine Draft is giving drinkers in Scotland the chance to win a limited edition MP3 player loaded with live tracks. The promotion froms part...
ALMR calls for moratorium on new pub laws
A moratorium on costly new laws, action to stop below-cost supermarket alcohol sales and duty breaks are needed to stop the "haemorrhage of pubs"....
ALMR: closed pubs can't pay taxes
The Government could be £217m worse off because its inflation busting duty hikes have shut so many pubs. The warning comes from the Association of...
Adam Withrington: It is time to stop selling beer like it's perfume
I just picked the latest issue of Marketing magazine. On its opinion page it asks four "experts" from its Marketing Society Forum whether "lager...