'Meeting marks end of 250-year brewing tale'

Sir Brian Stewart will effectively call time on Scottish & Newcastle's life as a public company today at an extraordinary meeting to vote on the group's takeover - The Scotsman​

Pernod Ricard, the French drinks company, on Monday emerged as the winner of the auction to buy Sweden's Vin & Sprit, the maker of Absolut vodka, with a bid totalling €5.63bn ($8.9bn )- The Financial Times​

AG Barr, the maker of Irn-Bru, is expected to report profits of about £20 million despite poor weather putting pressure on the soft drink industry - The Scotsman​

The Delhi government is planning to slap a punitive new tax on Scotch whisky, the biggest threat yet to distillers' plans to take a greater slice of the world's biggest market - The Scotsman​

The Prince of Wales has taken up the cudgels on behalf of beleaguered locals across the country, pointing out the pub's importance to society and local economies. He has invited Hilary Benn, the Rural Affairs Minister, to accompany him today on a visit to The Black Swan Hotel in Cumbria, to see how an ailing pub can transform its fortunes - The Times​

Bar managers and store owners face large-scale compensation claims if their customers ogle their barmaids, waitresses or check-out staff. New sex discrimination laws also mean that landlords who allow loud sexist jokes or banter among drinkers could be taken before a tribunal - Daily Mail​

One sausage a day can significantly raise the risk of bowel cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease, experts have warned - Daily Mail​

Traditional varieties of English cherry enjoyed by generations are in danger of being wiped out, say food campaigners - Daily Mail​

Households are set to be hit by further hikes in the price of milk, cheese and butter, a leading manufacturer warns - Daily Mirror​

Footie fan John Clarke has been dumped by his fiancée for turning their bathroom into a pub. He spent so many evenings watching TV matches in the tub that he decided to add a drinks optic, dartboard, PlayStation and bar snacks - The Sun​