All news articles for January 2020

Multiple operator: Urban Village Pub Company was founded in 2017

Sales rise for Urban Village

By Nikkie Thatcher

South-east-based Urban Village Pub Company has reported like-for-like sales growth of 13.1% for the five-week festive period in December.

To dare is to brew: One Of Our Own IPA will make its first appearance when Tottenham host Liverpool on 11 January

Beavertown creates official beer of Tottenham Hotspur

By Stuart Stone

North London-based brewer Beavertown has added new brew ‘One Of Our Own’ – the official beer of Premier League football giants Spurs – to its line-up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Hail Mary: St Mary's Inn has established itself as a little gem with its great food offer and accommodation

My Pub: St Mary’s Inn, Morpeth, Northumberland

By Gary Lloyd

St Mary’s Inn general manager Robin Freer tells us how this site that serves great food and offers overnight accommodation has quickly established itself as a mainstay despite only being open for 18 months.

2019 in review: MA500 conferences proved a hit with delegates throughout the year

MA500

MA500 in 2019: a year of insights and networking

By Nikkie Thatcher

We take a look back at what 2019 has brought for the exclusive MA500 crowd – a collection of multiple site operators, hungry for advice and inspiration from peers.

Launch roulette: Rebel Pi founder and former contestant on The Apprentice Jackie Fast proved the best at pitching ideas at Drink Tank and has been busy producing ice wine

Drink Tank

Launch Roulette: Grape news on ice

By Emily Hawkins

Rebel Pi founder and former contestant on The Apprentice Jackie Fast proved that producing ice wine was a cool idea by winning the honour of ‘best pitch’ at the inaugural Drink Tank

On the air: Sky offers its customer a unique opportunity to create a TV advert for their target audience

Sky offers free TV ad to one lucky licensee

By Alice Leader

Sky is offering its licensed trade customers the chance to set up a TV advert with an advertising campaign made exclusively for their business, for free.

Go the whole Hog: pubs take on campaign to drive footfall during Dry January season

Pubs go ‘TEA Total’ to boost quieter trading times

By Alice Leader

Pubs are backing a ‘Support Your Local, Go TEA Total’ campaign this January to boost the quieter trading times operators can go through during this time of year, especially with the growth of Dry January.

Case closed: Marston’s insists the matter has been dealt with according to the pubs code adjudicator

Marston’s sediment dispute case ‘closed’

By Finn Scott-Delany

Marston’s has attempted to draw a line under a dispute with a tenant, insisting the matter was now closed following an investigation by the pubs code adjudicator (PCA), according to The Morning Advertiser's sister title MCA.

Silver anniversary: CAMRA rewards pub for its 25th consecutive year in the Good Beer Guide

Pub hits 25th year in the Good Beer Guide

By Alice Leader

A pub in Hawkesbury Upton has received an honourable plaque from Dursley & District Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to mark its 25th consecutive year in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide.

Christmas sales: pubs sold more drinks on key festive dates this year but sales for the month were flat

December sales dampened

By Emily Hawkins

Like-for-like sales across pubs and restaurants were static in December (last month) as wet weather deterred many from venturing out.

All together: local community group saves pub from redevelopment after six years

Campaigners rewarded for saving ex-GK pub

By Alice Leader

Campaigners who saved a historic 17th century pub have been named runners-up in the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Pub Saving Award for their efforts to buy back the pub after it was closed and sold by Greene King in 2014.

Overpriced pints: the pubs code adjudicator says Marston’s is at fault over the treatment of one of its licensees

Marston’s overcharged licensee on beer and rent, PCA rules

By Stuart Stone

Brewer and pub operator Marston’s has been judged to have broken pubs code legislation following what the pubs code adjudicator (PCA) has described as ‘significantly deficient’ treatment of one of its licensees.

Legal Q&A: cumulative impact policy may affect variation according to Poppleston Allen

Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

Legal Q&A: cumulative impact policy, TENs and capacities

By Poppleston Allen

The latest legal Q&A from specialist licensing solicitors Poppleston Allen covers the impact of cumulative impact policy on variation and TENs and capacities.

Rules to follow: Lottery rollovers are not permitted

Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

Top tips: don’t rely on luck for your pub lotteries

By Poppleston Allen

As the festive season draws to a close and we look ahead to 2020, many operators will be planning promotions and activities for the coming year.

Doctor doctor: NHS staff receive discounted meals as a gesture of thanks for their festive hard work

Half-price meals for NHS staff at Chestnut pubs

By Alice Leader

A pub and restaurant group is showing its gratitude to all NHS workers for their dedicated work over the festive period by offering 50% off all meals throughout January.

Sales shifts: Champagne sales have dipped while Prosecco and English sparkling wine have enjoyed growth

English sparkling wine sales fizz

By Emily Hawkins

Champagne sales in pubs have dropped in the past year with consumers looking to other varieties of sparkling wines instead.

Tap time: will you consider adding a tap wall so customers can serve themselves?

Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

Self-service beer taps 'a possible headache' for licensees

By Poppleston Allen

Now Christmas is over and the dust has settled on the busiest time of the year for the trade, you might be mulling over what you can do in the next 12 months to give your business the edge.

Rising up: the increase in wages is part of the Government’s five-year plan

NLW to increase to £8.72

By Nikkie Thatcher

The national living wage (NLW) is set to rise this spring by 6.2% for those aged 25 and over from £8.21 to £8.72.

Business predictions: experts from across the sector look into the crystal ball to see what the year ahead has in store

What can we expect from the pub trade in 2020?

By Nikkie Thatcher

This year has seen a host of mergers and acquisitions plus the intrusion of Brexit and a general election yet trade professionals are hopeful 2020 will bring more certainty.

Read the label: ‘it was suggested recently that some alcohol-free beer has up to 2,000% more sugar than some of its full-strength compatriots,’ according to Big Drop Brewing’s Rob Fink.

My Shout

How healthy is low-and-no alcohol beer?

By Rob Fink

For the growing industry of alcohol-free craft beer there is, unfortunately, a great deal of misunderstanding about what constitutes alcohol free beer and exactly how healthy it is, according to Rob Fink, founder and CEO, Big Drop Brewing.