City Diary — 12 March
All the latest gossip and rumour from the City.
Archives for March 13, 2009
Shropshire pub doubles its turnover
A Shropshire pub has doubled its turnover in six months by introducing a 99p 'credit crunch' menu. Bar lunch covers at the Duke of York in...
BBPA plans major shake-up
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is planning a major shake-up in the way it operates in the wake of chief executive Rob Hayward's shock...
Chris Maclean: Why refreshing payment isn't small beer
One great joys of the being a licensee is the ability, from time to time, to pay people with beer.Now before the tax and revenue people start acting...
The rules of refereeing
MA legal editor Peter Coulson looks at the issue of providing staff references.
Wetherspoon's Tim Martin slams government over tax, binge drinking and red tape
JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has slammed the government over its tax and regulation policies which he believes will have "predictable and...
Pub bitch: The bitch is back!
Damned unitedAn illustration of just how tough times are came last week when Punch Taverns shelved its annual corporate get-together at the...
Pubco probe 'will urge OFT review'
A senior pubco figure says it's a "racing certainty" the Parliamentary inquiry into pub companies will recommend the Office of Fair Trading...
'It's hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy'
Marston's Beer Company managing director takes a controversial swipe at Camra members.
Marston's plots Ashes summer
National cricket sponsor Marston's celebrates its 175th anniversary, writes Roger Protz.
PubChef Food Excellence winners announced
Read on to find out which chefs and food developers were top of the pots at the PubChef Food Excellence Awards 2009.
Time to reshape trade bodies
The lobbyists may have failed, but instead of a night of the long knives, the answer is surely a restructuring of the trade body landscape, says Andrew Pring.
Tim Martin attacks tax burden on pubs
The Wetherspoons boss says the company paid £190m in tax, and made £17.3m after tax, for the six months to 25 January.
Wetherspoon in the market for second-hand pubs
Buying what JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson called "second-hand pubs" is helping the managed pub group slash the cost of new openings by...
Punch Taverns tight-lipped over pub 'firesale'
Punch Taverns was remaining tight-lipped this week as speculation grew that it was looking to sell off a number of its best performing pubs in order...