Sport

EC - Sky must loosen grip on Premier games

15-Sep-2005

by John Harrington The European Commission (EC) is to send the FA Premier League a statement of objections to Sky's dominance of live football. The...

Ashes to ashes?

18-Aug-2005

Wales is preparing to say goodbye to smoking in licensed premises, but will the small Welsh pub survive? TONY HALSTEAD reports It's impossible to...

Sky, damned Sky and its football spend statistics

11-Aug-2005

Last year, Sky charged me £16 per game for PremPlus. I paid this, not because I thought there would be a good audience for football at Saturday...

Sky's new blow removes summer break option

04-Aug-2005

Following articles in the Morning Advertiser relating to the outrageous increase in Sky subscription rates, I would like to make you aware of what I...

Hosts swamp FACT over Sky

04-Aug-2005

Around 25 licensees a week have been contacting the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) with enquiries about firms that offer cheap...

Football preview: Footie kicks off

29-Jul-2005

Publicans face a dilemma as the football season takes off - to pay the increased Sky subscription or risk losing trade, reports Phil Mellows.It...

Football preview: Premiership matches

29-Jul-2005

Live Premiership matches on Sky during 2005August Sunday 141.30pm Arsenal v Newcastle Utd4pm Wigan Athletic v ChelseaSunday 211.30pm Bolton Wanderers...

Football preview: Making the most of the new season

28-Jul-2005

How the World Cup qualifiers can boost football in your pub; details of Champions League matches; how to make the most of soft drinks on match days;...

Football preview: Be on the ball

28-Jul-2005

Offering food in your pub during football matches is a good idea, but it needs to be both quick and easy to eat and prepare - as Phil Mellows...

Football watching rises but spending is down

21-Jul-2005

by Ewan Turney People watch live football in pubs more now than ever but spend less when they do so. That is a key finding of an exclusive poll of...

Ouch!: Sky stings pub subscribers

21-Jul-2005

Some hosts hit by 29% subscription rate hikes by Tony Halstead Some licensees are facing Sky subscription increases of close to 29% following the...

The football factor

21-Jul-2005

With the new football season just around the corner, now is the time for licensees to think about the impact the beautiful game c an have on their...

Sky charges need revision

21-Jul-2005

The poet Thomas Stearns Eliot once described April as the cruellest month 'mixing memory with desire. If he had decided to open a pub rather than...

Uproar as Sky fees jump 12%

14-Jul-2005

by Graham Ridout Licensees have reacted angrily to the news that Sky subscription rates are to rise 12% more than four times the rate of inflation....

1,000 pubs join cheap Sky claims TV supplier

07-Jul-2005

by John Harrington One thousand pubs could be receiving illegal screenings of Premiership football from just one equipment supplier for as little as...

Hosts told to pay Sky £8,265.72

30-Jun-2005

Satellite broadcaster Sky has won a case against licensees who showed sport at their pub on their domestic contract. Sky staff noticed that the Sky...

Trade message to Sky: 'please show restraint'

23-Jun-2005

by Ewan Turney Licensees and pubcos have urged Sky to show restraint when it unveils new subscription rates later this year. For many licensees,...

Sky looks to tighten loophole

22-Jun-2005

Sky is acting to close a loophole after a licensee was repeatedly allowed to cancel his subscription and then renew it over a six-year period.Tim...

Win VIP tickets to the Murphy's Festival of Speed!

17-Jun-2005

As part of its three year agreement, Murphy's Fastflow has revealed plans for its second year of sponsorship of The Goodwood Festival of Speed - and...

Pubs furious at alcohol restrictions for rugby matches

26-May-2005

Licensees at rugby pubs are furious at being restricted to selling alcohol for just three games of the 11-match British & Irish Lions tour.All of...

Summer of Sport: Sporting chance

12-May-2005

Start planning and promoting your summer sports events now to pull in the TV crowds. Phil Mellows reports on the opportunities ahead.No World Cup. No...

Summer of Sport: Driving forces

12-May-2005

Phil Mellows looks at how to enhance your Formula One coverage and how to enjoy the summer weather even when there's a match on TV.Formula One motor...

Winners pot top snooker day out

12-May-2005

The winners of the Morning Advertiser Clausthaler Snooker Competition were delighted when they attended this year's Embassy Snooker World Cup. Peter...

Tackling Sky's unfair' pub subscription rates

05-May-2005

by John Harrington Sky subscriptions for pubs should be set at twice the level of domestic users, based on VAT returns, or reflect the capacity of...

Talks begin to get fairer Sky charges

28-Apr-2005

Trade wants end to rateable value banding system by Tony Halstead Satellite broadcaster Sky is being urged to sit down and hammer out a fairer...

Sports'summersizzlers

21-Apr-2005

After last year's disappointing weather, licensees are hoping this summer's a scorcher. But even if the sun doesn't shine, the next few months are...

Trade becomes a political football

21-Apr-2005

by John Harrington Labour and the Conservatives have promised to introduce more regulation in the pub trade if they are elected on 5 May. Labour...

Sky 'piggy-backing on rateable values'

09-Mar-2005

An outraged licensee has accused Sky of "piggy-backing" its way on the back of this April's increases in rateable values.The company is set to...

Match-making

17-Feb-2005

With Beer With Food Week looming fast from 14 to 20 March chef RICHARD FOX presents some ideas for beer dishes to cook up that are certain to...

Leisure industry needs more skilled workers for Olympics

15-Feb-2005

Three-quarters of people in the leisure industry believe more skilled workers are needed if the UK is to host the Olympics in 2012.A survey conducted...

Extensions for sport is transition's first hurdle

10-Feb-2005

We are now in the first week of the new licensing system. The First Appointed Day was Monday. I do not anticipate that many local authorities have...

Six Nations preview: Give it a try

14-Jan-2005

The fast-approaching RBS Six Nations rugby tournament is a perfect opportunity to attract custom to your pub. Phil Mellows offers some tips.Talk of...

Six Nations preview: A team effort

14-Jan-2005

Let the big brands help you bring the rugby to life. By Phil Mellows.Big drinks brands are throwing their weight into the Six Nations scrum like...

Pubs to the rescue as severe weather hits England

13-Jan-2005

Licensees came to the rescue of residents when devastating floods hit northern England this week.Mark and Karen Messenger of the Enterprise in...

Football thugs banned from pubs

10-Jan-2005

A group of men convicted of violent disorder after the Euro 2004 football riots have been banned from pubs for six years.The 10 men were found guilty...

Sky wins exclusive cricket contract

16-Dec-2004

Sky has been awarded exclusive rights to show cricket, strengthening its hold over televised sports.In a move that has received a mixed response from...

Sports bar kicks off TV ads for holidays

25-Nov-2004

A sport-themed pub is hoping to see trade soar by offering punters the chance to book holidays while they sip their pints. In a tie-in with...

Sky to offer half-price Premiership Plus

24-Nov-2004

Sky is slashing the price of its Premiership Plus pay-per-view service for pubs by 50 per cent from December 3. The announcement follows complaints...

Reaching for the Sky

04-Nov-2004

Sky enraged pub subscribers during the summer by increasing the cost of its standard package by 18% and Prem Plus by 300%. The PMA Team meets its...

Has Sky reached its limit?

04-Nov-2004

Howls of protest greeted increased Sky subscriptions during the summer. The Morning Advertiser news desk had never received so many angry phone...

Sky gets tough on law-breakers

27-Oct-2004

Sky is preparing to unleash a new weapon on licensees using illegal decoders.The broadcaster is currently testing new technology that will be used to...

Sky kicks back

21-Oct-2004

Every year hoards of outraged licensees contact The Publican declaring they are cancelling their Sky contract because of price hikes. This year they...

Sky's exclusive rugby union rights

21-Oct-2004

Sky Sports has won the exclusive rights to screen live English international and domestic rugby union until the end of the decade. The new agreement...

Sky still seen as must have' despite price rises

30-Sep-2004

by Ewan Turney Sky is still seen as a must-have among the membership of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) despite the huge price...

Ryder Cup boosts business as golf fans flood into pubs

23-Sep-2004

European success in this year's Ryder Cup delivered a welcome boost in trade for licensees.The golf tournament sparked an influx of customers, helped...

A vine match

23-Sep-2004

Serving appealing wines that match seasonal food can elevate a pub's Christmas offering, not to mention sales. MA's wine columnist Fiona Sims...

Pub golfers enjoy Portuguese final

21-Sep-2004

Regional teams from this year's Publican Golfing Pub of the Year battled it out in the final on the glorious courses of Vilamoura, Portugal, last...

Pubs switch off England match to prevent disorder

26-Aug-2004

Pubs suffering at the hands of football hooligans are being pressured into bringing in new rules to reduce trouble.Twenty five licensees in Croydon,...