Bar

The Lock In Podcast

S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more)

22-Apr-2024 By Ed Bedington

Celebrities love owning pubs, so the Lock In team spoke to a few, including James May and Candice Brown, to find out why they couldn't find an easier way to lose money!

Roxy celebrates milestone as it gears up for 19th opening

20-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Roxy Leisure is celebrating a decade of trade as it prepares to open its 19th site in York early next year.

Review of the Week

'NLW rise will mean we need to turn over quarter of a million more'

24-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Mojo's Martin Greenhow to get his take on the week's news and the Autumn Statement.

The Lock In Podcast

Has customer behaviour got worse since Covid?

03-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In podcast is back, and we're taking a look at customer behaviour - are they getting worse? Are we getting worse?

Stick or twist: Will Stonegate's dynamic pricing gamble pay off?

12-Sep-2023 By Ed Bedington

Stonegate’s decision to run dynamic pricing in some "select pubs" in its managed estate has opened up quite an interesting can of worms.

Review of the Week

'We're cheaper than McDonalds!'

11-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Revolution boss Rob Pitcher to get his take on the week's news from inflation to late night closures and the opportunities for AI.

The Lock In podcast

How to run a pub quiz

20-Mar-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team tackle the topic of pub quizzes, much to the delight of Heath - the do's and don'ts of running a great quiz!

Hybrid offer from Punch targets work life shift

28-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Award-winning pubco Punch Pubs has launched a new cafe, bar and co-working space alongside one of its existing pubs in London.

Revolution to give away 1,800 tacos

20-Sep-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Revolución de Cuba, a subset of Revolution Bars Group, has pledged to give away 1,800 free tacos as part of a national treasure hunt celebrating the launch of its new food menu.

The MA's Review of the Week

'Tax relief can help hospitality businesses to reinvest'

01-Jul-2022 By Ed Bedington

Owner of the Veeno wine bar business, Rodrigue Trouillet shared his thoughts on the weeks news with the MA's Ed Bedington, from tax relief to the ongoing recruitment challenges.

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

A big week for London bars, and first pub opens at Luton Airport

27-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

It's been a big week for London bars, with the Saint opening in the capital, and a retro gaming bar coming to Soho in May, and pubs have also opened their doors after makeovers around the country.

Arc Inspirations to accelerate expansion with £19m BGF investment

13-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Bar operator Arc Inspirations is set to accelerate its growth after securing a £19m investment from growth capital investor BGF, for a minority stake in the Martin Wolstencroft-led business.

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

Nightcap opens several sites and countryside inns placed on market

12-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Nightcap dominates the property market this week, with sites opening in Cardiff and Liverpool with a Birmingham opening to launch later this year, as countryside inns are placed on the market.

The Great British Pub Awards 2022

Are you running the Great British Pub of the Year?

11-Apr-2022 By Ed Bedington

The hunt is on for the UK’s best pub with the launch of the leading pub competition in the sector.

Parting present from the partying PM?

19-Jan-2022 By Ed Bedington

And just like that Boris Johnston announced the end of Plan B, and much rejoicing was heard throughout the country.

Operators offer tips for running LGBTQ+ venue

13-Jan-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Community, entertainment, and inclusivity must come first when running a successful LGBTQ+ venue reveal operators, with the rise in homophobic hate crimes over the pandemic stressing the need for safe spaces.

Pubs opt to continue 'relaxed' table service

16-Jul-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Almost half of The Morning Advertiser’s (MA) readers have said they will continue with table service beyond next week and the relaxation of Covid-secure trading measures.

Opinion – Pride 2021

‘Nights out should be about fun and freedom, not fear’

14-Jun-2021 By Aliyah Rawat, associate trainer, Good Night Out Campaign

As a London-based trainer for Good Night Out Campaign (GNO), an event producer and DJ, I have seen first-hand the precarious position Covid-19 restrictions has placed the industry in.

Property round-up

Flight Club and Boxpark branch out in Bristol, seaside sites for Corona and Inn Collection Group

09-Jun-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

The latest pub property round-up includes news of expansions into south west England by Flight Club and Boxpark while Corona and Inn Collection Group have made waves with new sites by the sea.

Big Interview

The fun of expanding: ‘It's our duty to take what we love and give it to more people'

08-Jun-2021 By Stuart Stone

Despite leading the Adventure Bar Group into uncharted territory – in every sense – during a transformative pandemic year, co-founder Tobias Jackson explains that with new owner Nightcap eyeing nationwide expansion it’s far from journey’s end.

Revolution gains ‘firepower’ after £21m fundraise

26-May-2021 By Stuart Stone

Revolution Bars Group is poised to emerge from the pandemic in a ‘strong position with a fit for purpose balance sheet’ following a successful £21m fundraise.

Spirits Week – in association with Diageo

'Things people couldn't recreate at home key to keeping customers coming back'

13-May-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

To cap off Spirits Week, Diageo’s Rob Poulter explains how operators can stir up success at their pub or bar by diversifying their drinks offer.

Spirits Week - In association with Diageo

Cocktail-led outings 'much, much more of a reward'

10-May-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

To introduce Spirits Week, brought to you by Diageo, drinks expert Douglas Blyde distils some of the key trends and new consumer behaviours shaking up the spirit and cocktail categories.

Property round-up

BrewDog unveils Edinburgh DogHouse, Adventure grows beyond London, Flight Club Ireland 2022

14-Apr-2021 By Stuart Stone

The past week has seen bar groups including BrewDog, Adventure Bar Group, Flight Club, Loungers and Incipio announce new site plans.

Revolution: ‘Bring our ‘national day of freedom forward'

13-Apr-2021 By Stuart Stone

Revolution Bars Group chief executive, Rob Pitcher, has implored the Prime Minister to ‘follow the data, not dates’ and lift legal limits on social contact before Monday 21 June.

Drake & Morgan sees profits dip in run up to lockdown

29-Mar-2021 By Andrew Don, MCA

Drake & Morgan is hoping to rebuild the London-based bar and restaurant group with the easing of Covid-related restrictions, according to reports by MCA Insight.

Publican Awards 2021

Meet the finalists: Best New Site

24-Mar-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

The Morning Advertiser has profiled the final five in the Best New Site category, sponsored by Heineken, at this year’s Publican Awards.

London Cocktail Club owner eyes growth to 40 sites in five years

16-Mar-2021 By Stuart Stone

Co-founded by investor Sarah Willingham in September 2020, Nightcap plc harbours hopes of quadrupling in size following its acquisition of London Cocktail Club.

Israel’s green passes and pubs: ‘smart move’ despite staff vaccine ‘absurdity’

16-Mar-2021 By Stuart Stone

After a recent YouGov survey found that more than half (56%) of Brits support vaccine passports for pub entry, The Morning Advertiser examined how well a similar system has worked in Israel.

Double Dutch launches scholarship for aspiring female bartenders

08-Mar-2021 By Stuart Stone

Premium tonic and mixer brand Double Dutch is celebrating International Women’s Day 2021 by unveiling its Female Bartender Scholarship Programme.

‘Not even a shred of guidance’ for Israel’s hospitality businesses despite world-leading vaccine rollout

08-Feb-2021 By Stuart Stone

Amid continued speculation over post-lockdown plans for UK pubs, bars and restaurants, The MA discussed the resumption of trade in Israel against the backdrop of a world-leading vaccine programme.

Revolution revenue drops by £41.3m – further liquidity secured

17-Dec-2020 By Stuart Stone

The operator of 67 bars under its nationwide Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands has reported sales significantly down in the first 24 weeks of FY21 as a result of “severe and constantly evolving trading restrictions.”

August sales return to 2019 levels for food-led groups

11-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Food-led managed pub groups saw collective like-for-like sales return to 2019 levels last month amid the Government's discount meals initiative.

Revolution Bars to kick off phased reopening on 6 July

02-Jul-2020 By Stuart Stone

Revolution Bars Group has outlined plans to gradually reopen its 74-site stable post-lockdown with measures such as cashless payments and mobile ordering in place.

Flight Club to open all UK venues from 1 August

25-Jun-2020 By Stuart Stone

Social darts concept Flight Club has confirmed that its six UK sites – four in London and one in both Manchester and Birmingham – will open on 1 August.

‘Bleak outlook’ from operators looking to bounce back in second half of 2020

22-Jun-2020 By Stuart Stone

While a survey by UKHospitality (UKH) found that pubs were the hospitality industry’s most optimistic sub-sector ahead of the resumption of trade in July, the overall picture suggests a long and painful recovery from Covid-19.

Opinion

The final countdown

19-Jun-2020 By Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester

We are now just over two weeks away from the 4 July - a date etched in our minds as when we might finally be able to reopen our doors to the public.

#Unitedwestand

Inception Group to use mannequins and gas masks as social distancing measures

09-Jun-2020 By Stuart Stone

The operator of 11 eclectic concept bars and restaurants, Inception Group, has revealed that it plans to use playful PPE (personal protective equipment) – such as beekeeping outfits – to take the sting out of Covid-19 social distancing measures.

#Unitedwestand

Loungers to accelerate venue reopenings with takeaway rollout

04-Jun-2020 By Stuart Stone

The operator behind the UK’s 167 Lounge and Cosy Club sites, Loungers, plans to ramp up its takeaway service imminently as it eyes new post-lockdown revenue streams.

#Unitedwestand

£16.5m cash injection for Revolution Bars Group to fight Covid crisis

26-May-2020 By Stuart Stone

Revolution Bars Group has announced that a £16.5m loan provided under the Government’s Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) will help the operator survive the novel coronavirus emergency.

#Unitedwestand

Revolution furloughs 98% of staff and halves directors’ salaries

14-Apr-2020 By Stuart Stone

Nationwide bar operator Revolution Bars Group has taken a number of steps to ‘secure the future’ of its business amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Bar Facebook ad banned for promoting ‘binge drinking’

13-Jan-2020 By Alice Leader

An ‘irresponsible’ bar advert promoting customers to buy their own keg for the chance to have ‘50 cold pints available at your fingertips’ has been banned.

Big interview

'Time capsule' concepts can help bring the pub into the 21st century

11-Nov-2019 By Stuart Stone

Known for its stylish and innovative venues, Inception Group has 11 sites, with more planned. Here, co-founder Charlie Gilkes tell us how the operation began, where the ideas come from and what to expect in the future

Loungers revenue increases by 22%

16-Oct-2019 By Stuart Stone

Loungers’ ‘broad, value-for-money proposition across multiple occasions’ has yielded year-on-year increases in both revenue and like-for-like sales according to its latest trading update.

The war against the home sofa for sport is on

04-Oct-2019 By Alice Leader

New research has revealed the sofa is the pub’s prime rival, with 87% of consumers choosing to watch sport in the comfort of their own home.

90% of clubbers on a budget

30-Sep-2019 By Stuart Stone

Only one-in-ten Brits head out on the tiles without money on their mind according to late night bar and club operator Deltic’s latest Night Index,

Bar’s offer to ex-Thomas Cook employees

26-Sep-2019 By Alice Leader

Brighton bar owner has offered former Thomas Cook employees’ free entry to a ’90s-night event as well as a complimentary drink.

Burning Night subsidiary companies placed into administration

13-Dec-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Burning Night’s nine subsidiary companies have been placed into administration as buyers are sought for the bar company.

What should the back bar look like?

16-Nov-2018 By Emma Eversham

The back bar is a pub or bar’s shop window, where a well-thought-out display can really add to the bottom line. So what does a licensee need to think about when deciding what to put there?

What is Purple Tuesday?

13-Nov-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Purple Tuesday – the UK’s first day focused on making shopping and dining out accessible for disabled customers – took place today (Tuesday 13 November).