Finance

Knipe re-takes control at Blackrose

20-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Blackrose Pubs has been bought back following the purchase of the business brand by former managing director Daren Knipe.

Admiral invests almost £700k into two sites on same road

20-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Admiral Taverns has ended the year with a nearly £700,000 investment project across two pubs in the north east on the same road.

Scottish Budget ‘bitter pill to swallow’

20-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Voices from across the Scottish hospitality sector have responded with disappointment in reaction to the Budget announcement.

Business rates support slashed for Welsh pubs

19-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Pubs in Wales will see their business rates relief decrease from 75% to 40%, finance minister Rebecca Evans has announced.

Admiral invests almost £1m in four pub revamps

19-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Admiral Taverns has invested close to £1m in the renovation and reopening of four of its pubs in the past month.

London borough scheme helps to fill staffing shortages

19-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

More than 200 businesses in one London borough have been given support in a bid to help fill 121,000 hospitality job vacancies in the UK.

Festive lifeline needed to save firms

19-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

More than half of small to medium business (SME) owners will have to close, put plans on hold or find other employment if Christmas isn’t a successful trading period, research has found.

The Big Interview

'I've got a ridiculous addiction to pubs' - Stonegate's Payne takes a look back

19-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

After more than 50 years in the pub trade, Stonegate founder and chairman Ian Payne is hanging up his bar blade. The MA met up with him to chat over 50 amazing years in the trade.

Beer and cider draught sales volumes 7.4% higher than last year

19-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Weekly volumes sales of draught beer and cider have risen 7.4% versus the corresponding week in 2022 – driven by an increase in footfall and dwell time in the run-up to Christmas.

Greene King to launch Seared concept in New Year

19-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Greene King is set to launch the first pub under its new concept, Seared, which brings drinks and dishes from around the world closer to home.

Ringwood sales process slammed as a 'sham'

18-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Carlsberg Marston’s attempts to find a buyer for the iconic Ringwood Brewery prior to announcing its closure have been branded a “sham”.

Potential for a flagship bar at luxury London destination?

15-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

A new bar, restaurant and event space at luxury destination The Royal Exchange has been announced by Des Gunewardena, co-founder of restaurant group D&D London.

Review of the Week

'We have a vital role'

15-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Frederic Robinson's William Robinson to hear his thoughts on the week, from Christmas trade to changing of the political guard.

Tech investment high on agenda of hospitality leaders for 2024

14-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Three in five hospitality leaders plan to invest in new technology solutions in 2024 – with employees being their main area of focus.

Party-goers spend 2.1% less on nights out

14-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

For the first time in over a year people are spending less on a night our according to the quarterly survey commissioned by the UK’s largest late-night operator Rekom UK.

Draw more customers with knockout boxing event

13-Dec-2023 By The Morning Advertiser

Pubs will potentially have the chance to gain extra footfall on the night before Christmas Eve when a huge night of boxing can be screened.

Outsourced staff working for Greene King agree new pay deal

13-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

GXO staff members who are contracted by Greene King as lorry drivers and warehouse workers have agreed a new pay deal after going on strike on days last week and at the end of November.

Amber Taverns to reach 170 sites with four openings

13-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Amber Taverns will open pubs at four new locations in spring 2024.

Strangest reasons people cancel bookings

13-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

An unexpected council meeting and seagull problems are just two of the strangest reasons customers have given for cancelling bookings in pubs, bars and restaurants, new research has found.

Solid November for managed pubs

13-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved year-on-year sales growth of 4% in November, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker has revealed.

Help is at hand with your festive food offer

12-Dec-2023 By The Morning Advertiser

If you haven’t sorted out your food provider for the festive period – or maybe you’ve been let down at the last minute – help is at hand from Booker Wholesale.

Admiral opens 200th Proper Pubs site

12-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Admiral Taverns has opened the 200th site in its Proper Pubs division in time for Christmas.

Like-for-like on-trade drinks sales volumes down

12-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

On-trade drinks sales have fallen behind last year’s volumes but it would be difficult to beat last year’s biggest single day of sales when England competed in the football World Cup quarter final.

Ofgem proposals ‘needed for fairness’ says UKH

08-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

UKHospitality (UKH) has backed Ofgem’s proposals to expand existing rules of standards of conduct to al businesses.

Brits set to spend £7.4bn on Christmas partying

07-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Brits are planning to spend three times more than last year on Christmas partying, new research has revealed.

Night czar: overseas salary plans ‘risk huge damage to sector’

06-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

London night czar Amy Lamé fears plans to raise the minimum salary required for skilled overseas workers will hit the hospitality sector hard.

35.9m pints poured in first week of festive runup

05-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The festive season has well and truly commenced, with 35.9m pints being sold in the first week of the run up to Christmas according to new research.

Marston’s revenue rises 9%

05-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Marston’s pub company has reported a 9% uplift in revenue in its preliminary results for the 52 weeks ended 30 September 2023.

Drinks sales down but hopes up for strong Christmas

05-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

On premise drinks sales were down by 5% year-on-year in the week to last Saturday (25 November)—but there are grounds for optimism as the run-up to Christmas begins.

M&B reports record market outperformance

01-Dec-2023 By Shwetali Sapte, MCA

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has reported financial results for the year ended 30 September 2023 (FY23), with like-for-like (lfl) sales growth of 9.1% against FY22.

Breweries pushed into insolvency due to rising interest rates

01-Dec-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Nearly as many craft breweries went out of business in the first half of 2023 as the whole of last year due to a surge in interest rates, data from Price Bailey has revealed.

Xmas rail strikes cast 'dark shadow' despite RMT deal

30-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Industrial action will cause a “dark shadow” over festive trade despite rail unions pay deal to end dispute ahead of next year’s Spring strikes.

Foodservice price inflation drops 20%

30-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Foodservice price inflation (FPI) decreased for the fifth consecutive month in October, the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index has revealed.

POLL: How much of an impact will the NLW rise have on your business?

29-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

From April 2024, workers aged 21 and over will be eligible for NLW with the rate for that age bracket being £11.44, rising from its current level of £10.42.

Ex-England cricketers’ pub celebrates first anniversary

29-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Ex-England cricketer Harry Gurney feels “pretty ecstatic” as his pub surpasses trading expectations while rounding off its first year of opening.

Bibendum top wine trends for 2024

29-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Close to nine out of 10 consumers would recommend a venue where they rated the wine offering as “very good or excellent”.

Admiral licensees raise more than £1m for charity

29-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Admiral Taverns operators have raised more than £1m for local causes over the past 18-months, the pubco has announced.

PROPERTY ROUND UP

Trio takes on Shepherd Neame pub

28-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Three friends have come to the helm of a Shepherd Neame pub, while another venue has launched a fish & chip shop as operators expand their estate.

Loungers to create 1,000 jobs, CFO to step down

28-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

All-day café-bar-restaurant operator Loungers said it is on track to create 1,000 jobs through the opening of 34 UK sites by the end of 2023.

Hospitality Ulster: Gov a ‘disgrace’ as business rates relief not granted in NI

27-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Hospitality Ulster members have demanded an explanation of why the sector has not been afforded business rates relief in the Autumn Statement in line with England, Scotland and Wales.

OPINION

Customers must help it make the season of goodwill

27-Nov-2023 By Stosie Madi, chef-patron of the Parkers Arms

December is our trade’s busiest time of the year. It’s when hospitality gets to play a starring role in people’s social calendar.

Drinks sales flat ahead of Xmas period

24-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales were 0.5% up compared to 2022 levels in the week to Saturday 18 November, remaining virtually flat ahead of the crucial run-in to Christmas for operators and suppliers.

Sector 'deserved better' in Autumn Statement

24-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

In the wake of the Autumn Statement, The Morning Advertiser spoke to operators from across the sector to get on the ground thoughts on the announcement.

Exclusive

East London Pub Co goes into administration

24-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The East London Pub Company has gone into administration, although the businesses four sites are continuing to trade.

UKH calls for VAT cut to boost tourism

23-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

UKHospitality (UKH) has called for the Government to address the UK’s lack of competitiveness on the global tourism market, beginning with a cut to VAT for hospitality, tourism and leisure businesses.

Range 'most important' to new generation cider drinkers

23-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Three quarters of cider drinkers feel range is most important when choosing a hospitality venue to visit, especially during the winter months, according to the latest Heineken UK cider report.

Most pubs charge more than £30 for Xmas dinner

23-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Almost a third of pubs will charge in excess of £30 for Christmas dinner, a snap poll conducted by The Morning Advertiser has revealed.

Train strikes hit trade at Nightcap, revenue up 42.7% in FY23

23-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Current trade at Nightcap has been hit by rail strikes and warm weather but revenue in its financial year to July has risen by 42.7%.

Autumn Statement

What's the opposite of exceeding expectations?

22-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

Expectations ahead of the Autumn Statement were already pretty low in the pub sector and I think it’s fair to say they have been duly met.

POLL

VOTE NOW: do you sell gift cards at your pub?

22-Nov-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Hospitality gift cards could help “boost sales” during the quiet post-Christmas period, do you sell them at your pub? Have your say now in our snap poll.