All news articles for May 2024

Consumer opinions: the report shows what customers find most annoying when eating and drinking out (image: Getty/Drazen Zigic)

Long waits and cold food pubgoers biggest gripes

By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 91% of hospitality consumers cited a long wait for food or drink and hot food being served cold were their biggest bugbears when eating and drinking out, research has revealed.

Poll: Are perceptions around cask changing for the better?

THE CASK PROJECT

VOTE NOW: Are perceptions of cask ale changing for the better?

By Rebecca Weller

Independent breweries have been hailed as the “saviours” of the cask category as the segment battles falling sales, but are perceptions of cask changing? Have your say now in the Morning Advertiser's poll.

What now for Brewdog?

End of an era?

By Ed Bedington

As BrewDog’s James Watt steps down from leading the disruptor business he founded, does this mark a watershed moment for the operation?

Business report: JDW reveals like-for-like sales rise in the 13 weeks to 28 April 2024 (image: Getty: Poike)

JDW disposed of 18 sites in year-to-date

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) opened two pubs and sold or surrendered to the landlord 18 sites in the year-to-date, it revealed in a trading update.

Tentative optimism: hospitality closures slow (Credit: Getty/ Richard Drury)

Closures down by half in Q1 2024 vs 2023

By Rebecca Weller

Closures across the hospitality sector slowed from eight sites a day in 2023 to four a day in the first quarter of 2024, figures from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners has revealed.

Mixed bag: More than £50m pints pulled across bank holiday weekend but trade down vs 2023 levels (Credit: Getty/SolStock)

Pubs report mixed results for bank holiday

By Rebecca Weller

More than 50m pints were estimated to have been pulled across the May Day bank holiday (3 – 6 May), though sales were down against 2023 as pubs report mixed trading results.

CMBC and Thornbridge Brewery collaboration on Union Sets

CMBC announces update about Union Sets

By Nikkie Thatcher

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) and Thornbridge have teamed up to establish a Burton Union System at Thornbridge’s Riverside brewery in Bakewell, Derbyshire using Union Sets from Marston’s Brewery.

More time: operators have a few more days before the deadline for entries closes

Deadline for 2024 GBPA extended

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pubs up and down the country now have more time to enter this year’s Great British Pub Awards as the deadline has been extended.

Card report: Barclays reveals overall spending was up 1.6% (image: Getty/Sergii Kolesnikov)

Spending up more than 4%

By Nikkie Thatcher

The hospitality and leisure sector saw a rise in consumer spending of 4.1% in April, according to new figures.

Business change: Rekom UK will now be named Neos Hospitality (image: Getty/John M Lund Photography Inc)

Rekom UK splits from group owner

By Nikkie Thatcher

Nightlife business Rekom UK has separated from its owner, Rekom Group and has been renamed Neos Hospitality.

Licensing hub: Poppleston Allen Q&A  (Credit: Getty/alvarez)

LICENSING HUB WITH POPPLESTON ALLEN

Paying attention to policy consultations

By Felix Faulkner, solicitor at Poppleston Allen

Solicitor Felix Faulkner answers your questions around licensing policy in this week's column from Poppleston Allen.

What's in the news 3 May?

Review of the Week

'I'm not asking for support'

By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with The Inn Collection Group's Sean Donkin to get his take on the week's news from interest rates to Whitbread's restructuring.

Mark the occasion: Pubs hope for sales boost over bank holiday weekend (Credit: Getty/andresr)

Hopes for bank holiday sales boost

By Rebecca Weller

Consumers set to mark bank holiday occasion in the pub as operators remain hopeful for a repeat of last year's uplift in sales.

Joseph Holt teams up with Belle Vue Aces speedway team

THE CASK PROJECT

Joseph Holt on track with speedway team

By Gary Lloyd

Manchester-based brewer and pub operator Joseph Holt has joined forces with speedway team Belle Vue Aces to produce a new beer specifically for sale to racetrack fans.

Unstable climates: NTIA shares concern as nightclub closures rise (Credit:Getty/allanswart)

NTIA shares 'concern' as nightclub closures rise

By Rebecca Weller

More than 190 night-time economy (NTE) firms went into administration between April 2023 and March 2024, data from the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) has revealed.

Health and safety: It remains imperative for operators to be proactive despite cost pressures (Credit:Getty/SolStock)

Accidents happen but are they avoidable?

By Graeme Cushion, partner at Poppleston Allen

Recent press coverage of a case in South Wales has highlighted once again the potential vulnerability of operators in terms of the health and safety (and, indeed, broader regulatory) regime.

The Cask Project: St Austell Brewery scoops three awards at SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards 2024

THE CASK PROJECT

St Austell scoops trio of awards

By Rebecca Weller

St Austell Brewery has scooped three silver awards at the Society of Independent Brewers Association (SIBA) South West Independent Beer Awards 2024.