Technology

Significant value: Stonegate's MiXR app hits 1m downloads

Stonegate MiXR app hits 1m downloads

By Rebecca Weller

Stonegate’s MiXR app has hit 1m downloads and seen £1.8m in points redeemed since it was launched just nine months ago.

Future plans: Christmas bookings for the 2024 festive period are already looking positive (image: Getty/Napoletana)

Xmas bookings already up 54%

By Nikkie Thatcher

Christmas bookings for the 2024 festive period are already up by more than half (54%) compared to last year, new insight has found.

 Tech issue: pubs have reported being affected by outage (image: Getty/georgeclerk)

Microsoft crash: worldwide tech issues hit pubs and bars

By Felicity Giles

A major global tech failure left the hospitality industry experiencing uncertainty on Friday 19 July, as card machines, discount codes and apps crashed throughout the sector. Businesses are slowly recovering, however experts warn it may take weeks for...

Card payments: Barclays Consumer Spend report shows purchase data on a monthly basis (Getty/ljubaphoto)

May sees 2.9% spending rise

By Nikkie Thatcher

Consumer spending in pubs, bars and clubs grew by 2.9% in May, new data has revealed.

The Morning Advertiser Lock In Podcast episode 79

The Lock In Podcast

Are you being served?

By Ed Bedington

Customer service is key to making your business a success, in the season finale, the Lock In takes a closer look at a key aspect that can make or break a pub.

Boundless possibilities: BBPA Pint Tech conference looked at the benefits of technology and AI for pubs (Pictured: Emma McClarkin)

Pubs urged to embrace AI to 'futureproof' sector

By Rebecca Weller

Pubs need to dive headfirst into embracing technology, in particular AI, to “futureproof” themselves and be prepared to fulfil the needs of the next generation of customers.

Excuses made: often a change of plans will see a booking cancelled or result in a no-show (credit: Getty/SolStock)

Top 5 reasons for no-shows

By Gary Lloyd

One in five hospitality guests fail to turn up for a reservation because they booked multiple venues to ensure they would get in somewhere.

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.

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.

Special place in people's hearts: Coronation Street's Rovers Return named Britain's favourite TV pub (Credit: Getty/Giuliano Benzin)

Nation's favourite TV pub revealed

By Rebecca Weller

The nation’s favourite pub has been revealed thanks to new research from insurance provider Simply Business.

(image: Getty/gahsoon)

March consumer spending up 3.2%

By Nikkie Thatcher

FA Cup fixtures, the Six Nations tournament and St Patrick’s Day helped drive a 3.2% rise in consumer spending last month (March) up from 1.1% in February, according to reports.

Alastair Scott talks about improving on Mother's Day

OPINION

OPINION: Mum’s the word

By Alastair Scott, owner of Malvern Inns and CEO of S4labour

During the past 10 years, we have been trying to get Mother’s Day right and I am still not sure we have.

Come and tech a look: technology is now vital for smooth service across all aspects of the on-trade

FEATURE - Technology

FEATURE: Finding the right tech to fit your pub

By Fiona Griffiths

Pub operators everywhere are facing challenging times but choosing the right technology solutions can help your business to survive – and even thrive.

Screening deal: TNT Sports will start showing the FA Cup from the 2025-26 season

TNT Sports seals four-year deal to screen FA Cup matches

By The Morning Advertiser

Sports fans will be able to watch the Emirates FA Cup from the first round to the final at the pub after TNT Sports secured a four-year screening deal that will start in the 2025-26 season.

Access Hospitality acquires Wireless Social

Access Hospitality acquires Wireless Social

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Access Hospitality, a division of The Access Group, has acquired Wireless Social, the UK’s leading provider of guest wi-fi, analytics and marketing solutions.

Overnight stays: Voucher sales for pub accommodation website soar (Credit: Getty/ Kathrin Ziegler)

Pub accommodation predicted to grow in 2024

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Pubs with rooms website Stay In A Pub has predicted pub accommodation to grow in 2024 after it reported a 50% increase in voucher sales over the Christmas period.

Nearby pints: Zoopla and Useyourlocal have joined forces (Credit: Getty/Rossella De Berti)

Home-hunters can now pick property based on proximity to pub

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Useyourlocal, the UK’s largest online audience of people looking to go to the pub, has joined forces with property website Zoopla to help home-hunters pick a new property based on the proximity to their local pub.

Staffing fears: industry workers may be thinking about a different career but job satisfaction levels have risen (credit: Getty/Charday Penn)

Career change considered by 42% of industry staff

By Gary Lloyd

More than two in five workers in the hospitality sector are considering a career outside the industry despite job satisfaction levels increasing ‘significantly’ during the past 12 months.

Energy savers: here are 5 of the best eco-friendly pieces of equipment, according to Brewfitt

Promotional content

Brewfitt's top 5 energy-saving products for dispense

By Brewfitt

In today's environmentally conscious world, reducing energy consumption is not only a noble endeavour but also a smart one, especially for businesses in the hospitality industry.

Be smart: technology can be used in front and back of house at your premises

FEATURE - Technology

FEATURE: How tech can free up time for your staff

By Fiona Griffiths

Times are tough right now. Pub and bar operators are being hit from all sides with consumers tightening their belts, struggles over recruitment and costs soaring across the board.

Should I install solar panels at my pub?

GREEN INITIATIVE

Solar panels – are they worth installing?

By Nikkie Thatcher

Solar panels can be a significant investment but what is the process around getting them installed? We’ve spoken with operators who have them in place at their sites to find out their experiences.

Big match: the Women's World Cup final is taking place in Sydney, Australia (credit: Getty/gradyreese)

Gov urged to allow early Sunday opening for World Cup final

By Gary Lloyd

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is among many in the industry to call on the Government to allow pubs to serve beer from 10am this Sunday so both pubs and customers can benefit from England reaching the Women’s World Cup final.

Social storm: Is Threads a business tool or fleeting fad? (Credit: Getty/ WeAre)

Threads: a guide for pubs

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Threads, a new social media app from Facebook’s parent company Meta, amassed more than 150m downloads in just two weeks after launching earlier this month.

Digital opinions: the report asked the 5,000 participants their thoughts on technology's role in hospitality (image: Getty/Tim Robberts)

Growing consumer interest in tech during visits

By Nikkie Thatcher

While most consumers (55%) believe a balance between technology and human interaction provides the best experience in the on-trade, there has been a change in attitude towards digital solutions, new research has found.

Joining forces: ResDiary CEO 'thrilled' to merge with Access Hospitality

Access Hospitality acquires ResDiary

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Access Hospitality, part of the Access Group, has announced the acquisition of ResDiary – a provider of bookings and table management software to clients in the hospitality sector.

Susan Chisholm talks about quality control at Greene King

The Cask Project

VIDEO FEATURE: Quality time at Greene King

By Gary Lloyd

Greene King quality control manager Susan Chisholm has worked for Suffolk-based brewer and pub operator Greene King for 45 years so she knows a lot more than most in the business.

Is it possible to make cask beer stay fresh for longer?

The Cask Project

Extending the life of cask beer

By Gary Lloyd

One of the biggest challenges around delivering an epic cask offer remains shelf life, so the ability to extend the lifespan of what is a quintessentially British product could be just the silver bullet the category needs.

De minimums issue: billing customers to charge electronic devices could be 'counterproductive' (Credit: Getty/Adam Gault)

Poll: should pubs charge customers for electricity?

By Rebecca Weller

Despite pressure surrounding energy costs in the on-trade, allowing customers to charge phones at pubs should be a “value added service” and charging them to do so would be “counterproductive”, according to operators from across the sector.

Price hike: inflation was driven up by cost rises in vegetables, fish, sugar and jams & syrups categories (credit:Getty/fcafotodigital)

Foodservice inflation jumps back above 20%

By Gary Lloyd

Year-on-year foodservice inflation has jumped up to 21.4% after slowing at the end of March – the first time it had dropped below 20% since mid-2022.

Extra flavour: NQ64's Shoreditch opening is its first site to offer food

Inside drinks and gaming bar NQ64's 10th site

By Gary Lloyd

Arcade bar NQ64 has launched its biggest site to date and the first of its 10 locations to offer food. Here are some pictures to show you what to expect there.

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