15 years ago: 2010
It may be 15 years ago but much of the news would not be mistaken for what is happening in today’s market.
Trade chief Brigid Simmonds sent a strongly worded message to Home Secretary Theresa May warning pubs face losing basic legal protections over the shake up in licensing laws.
Pro-pub MP Greg Mulholland wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron to ask him to appoint a pubs minister. He also asked the Government to look at policies that would support community pubs.
Ken Livingstone, who was bidding to be Labour’s candidate for London’s Mayor, revealed plans to launch a multi-million-pound loans scheme for tenants to buy their pubs.
The increasing focus on food was also a big story this month as pubs were revealed to be officially food-led businesses, figures from The Publican Market Report revealed. The annual survey of just under 1,000 licensees found that an average pub relied on food for 52% of its turnover.
Even as far back as 2010 it was being mooted that pubs, along with restaurants and takeaways, could be forced to print menus calculating calories in meals as part of plans to tackle obesity.
10 years ago: 2015
This month 10 years ago the status of chefs in the sector was one of the hot topics of debate.
It was revealed a new wave of chefs were moving into the pub sector as restaurant sites, particularly those in London, became expensive and difficult to get hold of.
But this came as news also hit that sub-standard wages and long hours were driving chefs out of the sector, contributing to the industry-wide chef shortage.
Interestingly it was a month where the Government gave listed status to 21 “much loved” pubs built between the first and second world wars.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the pubs were “much loved landmarks.”
There was good news as the Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker found two out of three adults believed their local pub was either fairly or very important as an asset to their community.
Meanwhile, a 92-year-old barmaid called time on her 62-year career pulling pints. She only gave up working after finding out her pub of 12 years was to close.
5 years ago: 2020
It will come as no surprise that news in this month of 2020 was about the Covid pandemic.
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin demanded evidence that Coronavirus was transmitted in pubs. In a statement he outlined only five of his 43,000 staff had tested positive by the time lockdown occurred in March.
Star Pubs & Bars outlined the next phase of its tapered rent relief plan for operators throughout September and October.
Meanwhile pubs were also benefitting from the staycation trend with Brits looking for beach and country escapes.
But it was not all doom and gloom as a number of operators including Inn Collection Group, Priory Inns North West, and Robinsons unveiled revamped sites after investments while pub companies also provided updates on their growing estates.
