JDW and Exel in £100m deal

JD Wetherspoon has confirmed it has given a contract to logistics firm Exel to manage deliveries to its entire estate,as the Morning Advertiser exclusively revealed three weeksago.

The £100m deal is expected to cut the pub's deliveries from 27 to three a week, as the current fragmented system is replaced by a single UK delivery service. Exel will helpmanage ordering, storage and distribution of food, drinksand other items. The pubco has leased a 175,000sq ft national distribution centre in Daventry, Northamptonshirefor Exel to use.

Belhaven makes board changes​ Belhaven Breweries has stripped its board of most of its executive directors, meaning it will no longer have to disclose the salary details of three of its five executive directors when it publishes its annual report. The board will now comprise two executive directors, chief executive Stuart Ross, finance director David Morrison and four non-executive directors (including audit committee chairman Graeme Bissett).

S&N bonuses for high flyers​ Scottish & Newcastle gave Bob Ivell, the former head of its pubs and restaurants division, a discretionary bonus of £465,000 after the sale of the division to Spirit Group for £2.51bn, the group's annual report reveals. The accounts also show that Tony Froggatt, chief executive of Scottish & Newcastle, earned £767,000 in his first eight months in the post, including £207,000 in bonuses and £160,000 in other benefits.

Funeral of SLV stalwart Graham Evans​ The funeral of former SLV governor and trade veteran Graham Evans takes place tomorrow (Friday 2 April) at 2.15pm atSt Chad's Church in Basildon, Essex. Evans was chairman of the Romford, Brentwood & Billericay LVA from 1981 to 1983, and joined the SLV executive committee in 1990 where he served as chairman of both Clevedon House and Ascot School Committees. He was governor of the SLV for 2000 and 2001. His family has asked for donations to the SLV instead of flowers.

WDB launches Red Brick ale​ WDB Brands is hoping to tap into the speciality beer market with the launch this week of a new ale. Red Brick Brewery Fresh, an unpasteurised beer available initially in a 335ml bottle, will be trialled in three Pitcher & Piano bars in London and supermarkets. It has a shelf life of 28 days and will be positioned alongside imported lagers like Hoegaarden andLeffe as a "golden beer". Peter Jackson, marketing director for WDB, said the company was aiming for a wider roll-out before Christmas.