All news articles for April 2011

Diageo bags 500 more pubs for draught cocktail trial

28-Apr-2011 By Robyn Black

Another 500 pubs are to join a Diageo trial of draught cocktails this summer, the Publican's Morning Advertiser has learnt.

The Bull's Head — the genre-busting pub

28-Apr-2011 By The PMA Team

The task for the bulk of the pub industry is about evolving the offer — and it could do worse than looking at the Bull's Head in Repton.

Peer raises concerns over alcohol licensing reform

28-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords and was passed to committee stage, yesterday.

BII offers pubs a mediation 'lifeline'

28-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

A former pubco tenant has hailed the BII's new mediation service as a "lifeline" after he clawed back £34,000 from his pub company.

Bulmers given a new look

28-Apr-2011 By Robyn Black

A radical new look and a new red berry flavour for cider brand Bulmers are set to launch this summer. The packaging overhaul includes a new bottle...

Bunch of Grapes: beer champ brews success

28-Apr-2011 By Sheila McWattie

Nick Otley, owner of Otley Brewery and a small chain of pubs, talks take-away beer, solar panels and beer in food with Sheila McWattie. How I got...

Licensees in rate review fees warning

28-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Licensees are being warned not to pay fixed fees to companies offering rating review services or they could face being out of pocket. The warning...

Fuller's beer to mark 300 years of Ascot Racecourse

28-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

London Brewer Fuller's has created a special golden ale in celebration of the 300th anniversary of Ascot Racecourse. Ascot Tercentenary Ale is a...

It's no mis-steak: Kate & Wills on Beefeater rump

28-Apr-2011 By Jo Bruce

Whitbread's Beefeater Grill is putting its stamp on the Royal Wedding by serving customers a rump steak branded with the faces of the happy couple....

Value offers drive sales at Whitbread pub restaurants

28-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants saw operating profits up 14.7% £28.4m for the year ending 3 March 2011. Group total sales grew strongly by 11.5%...

Otley pubs royal-wedding tribute

28-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Pubs in Otley are renaming themselves for the Royal Wedding on April 29 in honour of Kate Middleton's connections to the area.

Pubs in Liverpool donate £15K to music festival

28-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs and bars in Liverpool have donated more than £15,500 towards the city's biggest free music festival, which takes place every August bank...

Scots trade chief in pricing debate plea

28-Apr-2011 By Lesley Foottit

A Scottish trade chief has hit out at the ever-increasing burden of legislation and denounced minimum pricing plans.

Cost of eating out in pubs reaches all-time high

27-Apr-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

The cost of eating out in pubs shot up by 7.5% during 2010, pushing up the average price of a dish across all courses to an all-time high of £6.78.

Jonathan Townsend: an independent spirit

27-Apr-2011 By Phil Mellows

Jonathan Townsend is excited about future prospects as head of the newly independent wholesaler WaverleyTBS, as he tells Phil Mellows.

Pub restaurants at new Premier sites

27-Apr-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Whitbread plans to open a Beefeater Grill and a Brewers Fayre at its two new Premier Inn sites in the coastal resorts of Weymouth and Weston-super-Mare.

Pubs set for surge during royal wedding weekend

27-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

A fifth of people are expecting to visit the pub, over the royal wedding weekend, new research suggests.

Greene King buys Realpubs for £53.1m

27-Apr-2011 By The PMA Team

Suffolk-based brewer and operator Greene King has bought London-based Realpubs, which runs 14 pubs, for £53.1m.

Potential of pub and bar snacks

27-Apr-2011 By Lesley Foottit

There's £400m of potential snack sales being lost every year through pubs, but Lesley Foottit has some ideas to help boost sales. Gone are the days...

WaverleyTBS teams get beer training

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Cask Marque has been giving drinks wholesaler WaverleyTBS sales teams training in beer this month.

Educate your MP on the benefits of pubs

26-Apr-2011 By Gerry Price

We have a huge job to do to educate our representatives and we all need to ensure we know who our MP is, says Gerry Price.

Video: licensee pins himself to cross for Easter

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Licensee Anthony Youel tied himself to a 13-foot wooden cross outside his pub, the Monkey in Thurgoland, South Yorkshire.

Pub sector on upward course

26-Apr-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

The view that the UK pub market is over-indebted and under-performing is at least two years out of date, says a new report.

National Cask Ale Week date switch

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

National Cask Ale Week will run from 1-9 October this year — spanning two weekends — to help pubs promote the event. Cask Marque will urge its 7,500 licensees to promote "Try Before You Buy" initiatives.

Ex-Principle bars in sale by early May

26-Apr-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

A sale of the bars and restaurants formerly run by Tyne and Wear-based Principle Leisure is expected in early May.

What a 5% VAT rate would mean for me

26-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

As the PMA's campaign to reduce VAT to 5% for the hospitality sector continues, four multiple operators tell Ewan Turney that a cut would help create...

Innovate: Notts pub offers 1981 prices for Royal Wedding

26-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Roy Wood, of the Cross Keys, Upton, Nottinghamshire, has decided to offer drinks at 1981 prices for the royal wedding. "Everyone is doing themed...

Accreditation scheme launched for pub accountants

26-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A new accreditation scheme, backed by senior people in the trade, is being launched next month to help licensees choose a reputable pub accountant....

Punch Taverns launches post-graduate qualification

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Punch Taverns is launching a post-graduate qualification in July, which is available to "high-calibre" candidates across the business. The pubco is...

Police in Stirling issue street party warning

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Police in Stirling, Scotland, have issued a warning to anyone wanting to serve alcohol during a street party for the royal wedding. According to a...

Westcoast snaps up pub

26-Apr-2011 By M&C Report

Westcoast Concepts, which operates a hybrid restaurant-bar-cinema in Balham, south London, has bought a free-of-tie pub that it plans to operate as a...

Sky investigates the effect of 3D TV

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Sky is to investigate the effects of 3D television, following warnings that it can leave viewers feeling dizzy and nauseous, according to a report in...

Licensee vowes not to serve former landlord

26-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

A Devon pub has been given a reprieve after the new licensee vowed not to serve her partner, the former landlord, according to a report in the Herald...

Rhymney: new brewery and two more pubs

21-Apr-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

South Wales-based Rhymney has revealed plans to buy two more pubs and relocate to a new £950,000 brewery by the end of 2011.

'Work with us on underage drinking'

21-Apr-2011 By The PMA Team

Publican's Morning Advertiser editor The PMA Team says authorities must work with the trade to beat underage sales.

Harvester opens at O2 Arena

21-Apr-2011 By Jo Bruce

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has opened a 140-cover Harvester site at London's O2 Arena in the Entertainment Avenue.

Acquisitions boost Heineken's Q1 sales

21-Apr-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Heineken, the Dutch-based brewer, announced it had returned to volume growth in the first quarter.

Ginger cheer: growth in pubs

21-Apr-2011 By Robyn Black

From soft drinks to spirits, ginger is the ubiquitous flavour of the moment at venues throughout the UK. Robyn Black examines the reasons for its...

Wetherspoon spends £50k on aborted review

21-Apr-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon spent about £50,000 on legal and other fees preparing to defend itself at an aborted licence review for one of its pubs that failed...

Police in late night levy storm

21-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

Police will be under no obligation to spend money raised from the late-night levy on policing the late-night economy in that area, the Publican's...

Fewer sting ops for pubs that self-test

21-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

Pubs that carry out their own underage test-purchase operations are set to be subjected to fewer sting operations, the Publican's Morning Advertiser...

Enter the Great British Pub Awards 2011 now...

21-Apr-2011 By Lesley Foottit

The search is now on for the UK's top pubs in the Publican's Morning Advertiser's Great British Pub Awards 2011. There are 16 categories for...

Licence consultation by text

21-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Pub licensing consultations in Camden are set to change from the end of April, as the council asks residents to sign up for email and text alerts....

Scottish leaders clash over minimum pricing — again

21-Apr-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Scotland's party leaders clashed in a debate about the minimum pricing of alcohol on BBC Scotland's Politics Show leader's debate. Scottish Labour...

Pub food: business boosters

20-Apr-2011 By PubChef

Ideas for driving food sales at your pub including a ladies' lunch, stitch and bitch evenings and a senior citizen lunch club.

Harveys to house community-owned power station

20-Apr-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Harveys is set to provide a home at its brewery warehouse in Lewes for what is believed will be the first community-owned power station.

Malibu partners with Nails Inc.

20-Apr-2011 By Jessica Harvey

Three limited edition Malibu-branded Nails Inc. varnishes will be exclusively available to consumers through on-trade voucher promotion in selected...