Financial

The pub name ’George and the Dragon’ became popular under King Edward III

What's in a name? The stories behind pub monikers

By Claire Churchard

Pub names are part of the social fabric of Britain. But have you ever wondered why your local is called what it is or why its name may have changed over the years? Here, we take a look at the stories behind the names

Withdrawn: the paper 'fiver' cease to be legal tender tonight, ©Thinkstock

Paper £5 notes no longer legal tender

By Liam Coleman

The paper £5 notes, featuring Elizabeth Fry on the back, will cease to be legal tender from midnight tonight (Friday 5 May). The Morning Advertiser looks at what you need to know.

Clean break: beer hygiene is under the spotlight

7 day beer line cleaning rule ‘not strictly true’

By Nicholas Robinson

Cleaning beer lines every seven days is not necessarily the tell of good hygiene, on-trade cellar sanitisation firm Avani has claimed after a report outed the ‘dirtiest’ beer in Britain.

Pub success: Going multiple

Pub success: Going multiple

By Liam Coleman

You’ve squeezed everything you can out of your site and are now ready to move on up and run a second site. What challenges await you on the journey to becoming a mighty multiple operator?

Pursue your goal: Don't give up your vision of what you really want

Pub success: Starting out

By Liam Coleman

Owning a pub is the aspirational dream for a significant minority of people who regularly soak up the atmosphere in a pub. But just what do you need to know about the trade before starting out and what challenges lie ahead for first-time operators?

What lies beneath: Mastering the cellar is key to a successful pub

Becoming a master of cellars

By David Blakelock

You might have a great reputation for live sport, you might have a super chef who can knock spots off your opposition and you might have one of the best back bars around, but if your cellar isn’t up to scratch, then at best you’re losing profit from the...

Water law changes in April 2017 - BBPA urges action

BBPA urges pubs to capitalise on new water laws

By Liam Coleman

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called for pubs to make the most of the new competitive market for water and not let the changes wash over licensees.

EPoS systems in pubs

Technology

Technology: Why up-to-date EPoS systems can benefit your pub

By Fiona McLelland

It may seem a big ask for pub and bar operators to keep up with the pace of technological improvements and developments when it comes to EPoS systems, but the benefits for staff and customers alike make this imperative. 

April 2017 change in water law to open market

Water

Five things to know about the new water regulations

By Liam Coleman

In April 2017, water supply is set to become a competitive retail market, like the gas and electricity markets. We spoke to independent water consultancy Waterscan to find out what it means for pubs.

The White Lion Rempton new owner plans beer offer and refurb

Property

How I plan to restore my local to its former glories

By Liam Coleman

In despair at seeing the downward spiral of the pub in the village where he grew up - the White Lion, in Rempton, Nottinghamshire - Russell Pytches and three other locals decided to fight back and buy the freehold. He tells The Morning Advertiser about...

Christmas lighting in pubs - how to do it

Christmas

Subtle? Glamorous? How to do Christmas lighting in pubs

By Liam Coleman

Christmas decorations are a must in pubs, but the finished look can vary enormously. While that is the case with the two licensees interviewed here, what they do have in common is a huge boost in festive trade as a result.

Award winning: The Refinery in Regent's Place, London

Interior design

The tips of award-winning pub designers

By Liam Coleman

These three recently-opened venues have been crowned the best in the country at the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. We asked the designers for the secrets about their successful pub designs.

A step-by-step guide to setting up a workplace pension

Pensions

A step-by-step guide to setting up a workplace pension

By Liam Coleman

All employers – regardless of size – will soon need to set up a pension scheme for staff. Here’s a step-by-step guide to the process of auto-enrolment and putting a scheme in place.

Business rates changes 2017 Q&A

Business rates

Q&A on the 2017 business rates revaluation

By Liam Coleman

With the dust settling on the announcement of provisional business rates for 2017 onwards, we take a look at the essential questions ahead of the new rates being introduced in April 2017 with some help from Christie & Co's property valuer Adam...

Making your beer garden a winter wonderland

Design

Making your beer garden a winter wonderland

By Liam Coleman

Since the smoking ban almost a decade ago, beer gardens often seem like an afterthought. The result is they are well populated in summer but, can be a depressing loss in trade in the winter months. Here are three pubs that have converted their outside...

How to avoid a dilapidations disaster

MA Property

How to avoid a dilapidations disaster

By Kevin Marsh, director of licensed leisure at Savills

A dilapidations bill can be a crippling expense at the end of a tenancy. Can that expense be avoided by something as simple as keeping the pub in a good state of repair?

TripAdvisor: who gives a hoot?

OPINION

TripAdvisor: who gives a hoot?

By Daniel Woolfson

TripAdvisor: love it or hate it, if you work in hospitality, you’ve got an opinion. And the chances are it's a strong one.

How to win the recruitment war

Recruitment

How to win the recruitment war

By Greg Pitcher

Music festivals, YouTube videos, Snapchat clips and celebrity endorsements could all be weapons in the pub sector’s armoury as it fights the war for talent.

Water market open to competition from April 2017

Water

How to prepare for the change in water law

By Liam Coleman

There’s water, water everywhere in the pub, used for nigh on everything. At the same time, it’s something that’s not usually much thought about. It’s taken for granted that H2O is just there, on tap when needed. 

learning from mistakes in business

Learning from Mistakes

How I Learnt from My Mistakes

By Sara Hussein

It’s never easy to admit you’ve made a mistake, but while people do feel stigmatised, fear of failure can often lead deeper ramifications. Here is some advice on why mistakes can often be a blessing in disguise.

Never mind the paperwork, here's the way to get back to running the pub

Professional services

Never mind the paperwork, here's the way to get back to running the pub

By Fiona McLelland

As a pub owner, you want to get on with what you do best... running your pub. You don’t want to worry about paperwork and licensing laws, or struggling to keep on top of the books. We take a look at how professional service providers can help take the...

BII winners 2016 rashleigh arms

My Pub

My Pub: The Rashleigh Arms, Charlestown, Cornwall

By Sara Hussein

After winning Licensee of the Year at the 2016 British Institute of Innkeeping Awards, Rob and Lucy Brewer discuss the secret to their success and how far they’ve come since they first entered the site 10 years ago

Job opportunities: apprenticeships are key for pubcos

Training

Pubcos offer A-level graduates alternatives to university

By Sara Hussein

After students received their A level results last Thursday (18 Aug), 424,000 university places have been offered to those who achieved the right grades. But for those who wish to enter the hospitality industry there are alternatives to university.

how to make your pub more productive

Productivity

Cash in with top tips

By Greg Pitcher

Improving your pub’s profitability is the holy grail for operators, so what can you do to get more return from the effort you put in? Four experts give their top tips here

making staff stay

Training

Making sure staff stay – and stay productive!

By Simon Tarr, chief executive, People 1st

In yesterday’s article, I looked at the staffing shortfall facing hospitality businesses, and how improving staff retention and productivity is going to be vital for profitability in the coming decade. 

Keeping up with the bar equipment

Keeping up with the bar equipment

By Fiona McLelland

Outdated bar and catering equipment can leave a pub behind the times. Here, some of the trade’s leading suppliers give us the lowdown on the latest must-have kit.

employer branding

Marketing

Employer Branding: The Big Sell

By Greg Pitcher

Recruiting new staff is never easy but if you are to attract the top talent to your business it's vital to create an impressive employer brand to draw them in. 

Design tips for making your pub disabled friendly

Design tips for making your pub disabled friendly

By Fiona Jarvis

With the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Act 2010 coming to the fore, attracting disabled customers can give bars a competitive edge in the growing market estimated by the Department of Work & Pensions to be worth £212bn a year...

The five stages of soundproofing

The five stages of soundproofing

By Liam Coleman

The pub may be at the heart of the community, but there are times when that causes more harm than good. Stephen Smith from Hush Soundproofing takes us through the five stages that he follows when soundproofing a pub to keep the noise as quiet as possible.

Top tips for cutting energy bills in your pub

Top tips for cutting energy bills in your pub

By Emily Sutherland

Energy costs are a growing concern for pub operators. According to Punch chief executive Duncan Garrood, one of the questions the pubco is most regularly asked is how tenants can cut their energy costs and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) says...

Meantime's first beers from the small-batch brewery

Beer

Meantime launches first new small-batch beers series

By Nicholas Robinson

SABMiller-owned Meantime Brewing Company is set to reveal the first small-batch beers from its new pilot brewery and will develop its future ranges based on how quickly the new brews sell out.

More than a pint glass: Even beer glassware can be exciting

Glassware

Serving in the perfect glass – what’s new?

By Nicholas Robinson

You may have the best selection of drinks in your area, but if your glassware has seen better days and your staff aren’t trained to serve them in the best possible manner, then the chances are customers will look elsewhere. Fiona McLelland reports

Barcelona beer Moritz is one of the first international beers on Interbev Brands' list

Distribution

New global drinks distributor launched for UK on-trade

By Nicholas Robinson

International drinks distributor and retailer Interbev Limited has launched a new UK arm of its business – Interbev Brands – aimed at providing the on-trade with exclusive access to overseas brands.

New cider drinks in the UK

Cider

Seven innovations in cider

By Nicholas Robinson

Cider makers are set to launch new products during the coming weeks in a bid to make a successful play of the, hopefully, warm and dry weather this summer. In the meantime, we look back on seven of the top cider trends that snatched our attention over...

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