Health & safety

Floods

More devastating floods force pubs to close for Christmas

23-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

Pubs have been devastated yet again by floods, with many likely to struggle to open for Christmas Day.

Report

'Disappointing' report finds alcohol poisoning doubled in six years

22-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

A 'disappointing' report has found that the number of people visiting A&E for alcohol poisoning has doubled in the past six years.

Burial ground under pub

Human remains may be dug up from under pub car park for convenience store

17-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

When a pubco announces plans to build a convenience store on a pub car park, it’s often met with uproar from licensees, regulars and locals. But Marston's pub the Plough and Harrow in Sutton Coldfield has an unusual problem – the site is based on...

Food safety

Dirty pub kitchen lands boss with fine

11-Dec-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

A pub kitchen boss has been fined almost £3,000 after environmental health (EH) discovered an array of hygiene issues at the Stourbridge, Dudley, site.

Vaping

Welsh e-cigarettes ban in public places scrapped...but not for pubs

10-Dec-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Controversial plans from the Welsh government to ban e-cigarettes from all public places have been amended-but the ban could still be put introduced in ‘eating places’ like pubs and restaurants.

Sales

Paris attacks: 'Public nervousness' from terrorism leads to dip in pub sales

10-Dec-2015 By Emily Sutherland

London’s pubs have seen a dip in November sales in the wake of the Paris terror attacks according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

Legislation

Allergens law anniversary: pubs struggle with consumer demand

09-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Pubs are still failing to provide a wider enough choice of dishes for customers with specialist diets since the introduction of EU legislation on allergens one year ago, new research claims.

Industry 'crippled' by storm

Licensees left homeless after Storm Desmond devastates pubs

07-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

Pubs have been ‘crippled’ by Storm Desmond, with many licensees in Cumbria evacuated due to severe flooding.

Sugar tax

BBPA chief: sugar tax will “increase burden” on brewers and pubs

30-Nov-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The introduction of a heavy tax on sugar would make things harder for pubs and brewers which already face considerable levels of tax including beer duty and business rates, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has warned.

Would you ban scruffy customers? Licensees split after Camden pub criticised for turning away tradesman

27-Nov-2015 By Emily Sutherland

The issue of scruffy customers has divided licensees after a Camden pub attracted criticism for refusing to serve a painter and decorator.

Sugar Tax

Sugar myths ‘debunked’

27-Nov-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

A campaign to dispel myths about the impact of sugar on diet and health has been launched ahead of National Sugar Week (30 November – 6 December), following celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s pressure on the government to implement a tax on high-sugary food...

JDW

Wetherspoon leads the way on food hygiene ratings

24-Nov-2015 By James Evison

The Food Standards Agency is celebrating the success of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme - launched five years ago - by releasing information that breaks down its food hygiene ratings.

Food safety

Allergen report: how are pubs performing?

23-Nov-2015 By Alison Baker

They have variously been viewed with hostility, panic, suspicion and as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Whatever your starting point, the regulations on food allergy labelling are now a fact of life. Alison Baker looks at how the trade is...

Advice

Staff abuse: How pubs react to racism, rants and rowdiness

18-Nov-2015 By Oli Gross

Abuse to pub staff can come in many forms, and whether verbal or physical it can have a damaging impact on employees’ lives and a licensee’s business.

Analysis

Will multi-million pound cuts to police budgets be bad news for pubs?

17-Nov-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Headlines have been dominated by news of a further wave of police cuts, with some critics warning forces will be stretched to breaking point. But what impact will the cuts- which stretch into the hundreds of millions-have on pubs?

Most shocking stories 2015

Pubs warned of "severe" risk after Paris terror attacks

16-Nov-2015 By Oli Gross

Pubs have been urged to be vigilant and to review security arrangements in the wake of the Paris terror attacks due to a “severe” risk of further incidents.

Food safety

How hygienic are pubs?

13-Nov-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs and bars outperformed restaurants, cafés and canteens in the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) food hygiene broad compliance report, a result spurred by increasing competition in the eating out sector.

Food Safety

‘Pubs not up to scratch on allergen labelling’

11-Nov-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs are lagging behind the rest of the food industry on food allergen labelling, experts have warned, following the release of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) latest local authority food law report.

Suffolk gastropub fire: owner describes trauma of seeing pub in flames

06-Nov-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The owner of a Suffolk gastropub that was devastated in a fire earlier this year has described the trauma of being woken up to discover his pub had been nearly destroyed.

Food safety

Government issues advice to limit ‘cancer-causing’ toxin in food

05-Nov-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Advice on how to limit the amount of the cancer-causing toxin acrylamide in starch-rich foods such as chips, toast, cake and coffee has been issued by the Government’s chief scientific advisor Professor Guy Poppy.

Rare burgers ‘not worth the hassle’, PMA readers say

02-Nov-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Serving rare burgers “is not worth the food safety hassle”, according to a Twitter poll of Publican’s Morning Advertiser readers.

Food safety

Rare burgers ‘not worth the risk’, warns expert

26-Oct-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Serving rare burgers is “not worth the risk or cost” to operators, a leading food safety advisor to the hospitality sector has warned.

Food safety

'Speedier fines' for law-breaking food businesses

26-Oct-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Law-breaking food businesses, including pubs, could expect speedier fines and prosecutions as a result of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) food law prosecution database and a strategy to improve the organisation’s digital technology.

Pub hygiene: creating a clean bill of health

23-Oct-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Having a clean pub is not only pleasant, it can be the difference between gaining an amazing reputation and being ordered to shut down. Michelle Perrett focuses on what an inspector will be looking for when visiting your premises.

The Guv'nor: Disgusting stance over my wingman

22-Oct-2015 By James Evison

I was recently asked by a local magazine to host a cookery demonstration at its Christmas fare, as I had done last year.

Enterprise tenants send emotional thanks to community who helped pub 'when we thought we would never recover.'

21-Oct-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Enterprise tenants have sent heartfelt thanks to the local community who helped them rebuilt their pub after it suffered extensive damage in a fire last year.

E-cigarette debate

Outside smoking ban consultation criticised for including e-cigarettes

19-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

Swansea Council is facing criticism for asking if e-cigarettes should be banned in outside public spaces in a consultation which could impact pub gardens.

Statistics

Hangovers are costing the US economy 'billions a year'

19-Oct-2015 By James Evison

Excessive alcohol consumption cost the US economy almost $250 billion in 2010, a new report has claimed.

Food safety

New food safety qualifications launched

19-Oct-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Six new food safety qualifications to help food businesses prepare safe and legal meals have been launched by the British Safety Council.

Do not drink: "Shattering" bottles recalled

16-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

Three beers from Staffordshire Brewery have been recalled after some of the bottles were “shattering” due to faulty glass.

Licensing officers

Exclusive interview: Police chief on horrific pubs, breathalysers and best practice

13-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

In an exclusive interview with the Publican’s Morning Advertiser, the chief licensing officer at the Metropolitan Police described the best and worst practices he’s seen at pubs, and encouraged licensees to work “as a team” with police.

Pubs in the papers: Duck fights dog, Jurgen Klopp and a tragic killing

13-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

The Publican's Morning Advertiser takes a look at pubs hitting the headlines for good, bad, and downright weird.

Pubs miss out on free-from food market

13-Oct-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Big pub chains are failing to cater for thousands of UK consumers looking for free-from food options on menus, an expert in the field has claimed.

PUB FIRES

PMA research shows chimneys, arson, cigarettes most common cause of fire

09-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

Fires can be devastating for pubs, not just the impact it has on business but damage to the homes and livelihoods of licensees.

Pub fires

Demolition warning for pubs neglecting fire safety responsibilities

09-Oct-2015 By Oli Gross

Licensees have been warned not to neglect their fire safety responsibilities, or risk heavy fines and potential demolition of their pub.

Man who bulldozed own pub escapes charges

07-Oct-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A business man who demolished his own pub by driving a digger into it has been let of the hook - because he was destroying his own property.

sustainability

Government must reward sustainable businesses, says top gastropub operator

07-Oct-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Sustainability must "become the norm" rather than the “eccentric oddity” for food businesses, a top operator has urged. 

Pub in clear over oyster poisoning

06-Oct-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

There is no evidence that oysters served at a pub were responsible for an outbreak of illness among several customers last month, an investigation has revealed.

Licensee fined £30,000 for 'firetrap' pub

01-Oct-2015 By Emily Sutherland

The licensee of a Brick Lane pub that was branded a ‘fire trap’ has been hit with a £30,000 fine for breaking fire safety laws.

Pub investigates after it is invaded by hundreds of flies

29-Sep-2015 By Emily Sutherland

An Aintree pub is investigating the cause of a swarm of flies that descended on the pubs dining room.

Hampshire pub goes completely gluten-free

29-Sep-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

The Compass Inn, Winsor, has made the transition to an entirely gluten-free menu.

Environmental damage

Pub hit by £150k fine for polluting stream in Cleveland

29-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

A Cleveland pub has been hit with a £150,000 fine after its sewage treatment works polluted a stream.

Rare burger rules ‘won’t keep diners safe’

28-Sep-2015 By Nicholas Robinson

Food businesses won’t be able to guarantee consumer safety when serving rare burgers, even after implementing the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) new guidance, experts have warned.

ALLERGEN LEGISLATION

Pubs and restaurants struggling with "unreliable" allergen warnings, report claims

28-Sep-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Pubs and restaurants’ claims that meals ‘may contain’ traces of various allergens are often based on unreliable information, according to new research.

Most shocking stories 2015

VIDEO: Barman brutally mowed down by angry customer in stolen car

24-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

An angry customer who mowed down a barman in a stolen car after an argument about a drink has been jailed for 13 years.

Most shocking stories 2015

Liquid nitrogen cocktail case: Wine bar fined £100,000 after woman has stomach removed

18-Sep-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A wine bar has been fined £100,000 after a woman had to have her stomach removed after drinking a liquid nitrogen cocktail.

Birmingham venue hangs onto licence by searching own staff for weapons

17-Sep-2015 By Emily Sutherland

A Birmingham nightclub has clung on to its licence by offering to search its own staff for weapons.

Freedom of Information

Exclusive: National rise in violent crime at pubs

16-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

Exclusive figures obtained by the PMA indicate a national trend of increasing violent crime in pubs.

Local pub news

Thief hid in Wetherspoons pub while staff locked up before stealing £3,500

16-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

A thief hid in a Cambridge pub until closing time, stayed out of sight while staff locked up, before stealing £3,500 from its slot machines.

BBPA

Industry commended for responsible drinking initiatives

16-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

Responsible drinking initiatives driven by the industry have been commended in a report released by the British Beer and Pub Association today ahead of the first ever Global Beer Responsibility Day on Friday (18 September).