Operations

Bavarian concept: Albert's Schloss winner Neil McLeod with host Gabby Logan (right)

Pubcos pick up top honours at MCA event

By Gary Lloyd

Pub and bar groups including Albert’s Schloss, Loungers and Greene King enjoyed victory at the MCA Hospitality Awards last week (14 March).

Shortlist details: we've delved into each of the Best Accommodation Operator finalists for the 2024 Publican Awards

PUBLICAN AWARDS 2024

Find out about the Best Accommodation Operator finalists

By The Morning Advertiser

The Best Accommodation Operator will have focused on offering accommodation as a key part of its business, playing a significant part in contributing to the company’s profits and helping drive trade.

In it to win it: the BII LOYA quarter finalists have been named

BII Licensee of the Year 2024 quarter-finalists named

By Gary Lloyd

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has announced its quarter-finalists list for this year’s Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA) – and 53 pub operators are vying are for the title.

Power list: Hospitality celebrated at the Northern Restaurant and Bar show (Credit: Getty/The Good Brigade)

Top Fifty Hospitality Power List 2024 unveiled

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Kuits NRB Top Fifty Hospitality Power List 2024 was unveiled at the opening of the annual Northern Restaurant and Bar (NRB) trade show in Manchester yesterday.

Industry recognition: National Pubwatch recognised brave pub staff at its conference

National Pubwatch rewards brave staff

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

National Pubwatch has recognised three members of pub staff for taking action to save lives and provide safe drinking environments for customers.

Progress made: businesses are moving in the right way

OPINION

OPINION: Sustainability comes of age in pubs and hospitality

By Hamish Stoddart, founder of Peach Pubs and strategic adviser to Punch Pubs

I attended Planet Peach – the hospitality Sustainability Summit – this week and Which?, the consumer magazine, released a sustainability report on pubs and restaurants.

Female power: we've spoken with a number of women from across the sector

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2024

Head office stars show how it's done

By Gary Lloyd

The Morning Advertiser has spoken to some of the best people in head offices in celebration of this year's International Women's Day.

International Women's Day CEOs

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2024

Leaders shine on IWD 2024

By Gary Lloyd

The Morning Advertiser has collated advice and life stories from some of the key voices in the sector – namely CEOs – in celebration of this year's International Women's Day.

The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast episode 74

The Lock In Podcast

Ahead of the game!

By Ed Bedington

The podcast team tackles the topic of pub games, from old school to new and ask how pub gaming is evolving and changing in the modern age.

Grab your sports fans: the new F1 season about to begin

Higher footfall and sales expected as new F1 season starts

By The Morning Advertiser

Formula One (F1) fans are frequent visitors to pubs and bars so sites screening the action can expect higher footfall when the season starts in Bahrain between Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March.

All change: new banknotes featuring the portrait of King Charles III are set to enter circulation in June

8 things to know about King Charles III banknotes

By Nikkie Thatcher

With new banknotes showing the portrait of King Charles III set to enter circulation this summer, we’ve looked at what you need to know about the new notes and delved into the history of polymer cash.

Growing demand: showing American sports offers massive benefits for pubs but authenticity is key (Credit: Getty/skynesher)

Demand for American sports in pubs 'growing exponentially'

By Rebecca Weller

Showing American sports offers “massive benefits” for operators as demand grows “exponentially”, but passion is key to tap into the trend, Hickory’s managing director John Welsh told The Morning Advertiser (MA).

Publican Awards 2024: Tom Allen (pictured) announced as this year's host

Tom Allen to host 2024 Publican Awards

By Rebecca Weller

Award-winning stand-up comedian, actor and TV personality Tom Allen has been announced as the host of the 2024 Publican Awards.

Top tips: we've got advice how to boost your green credentials (image: Getty/J Studios)

8 ways to hit your sustainability goals

By The Morning Advertiser

The Morning Advertiser has joined forces with Heineken UK to showcase a number of simple and straightforward steps operators can take to cut the footprint of your business.

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.

Good causes: Community Hero pubs reveal where their donations have been spent

GBPA Community Hero pubs donate prize money

By Nikkie Thatcher

The 2023 Great British Pub Award Community Hero winner and finalists have given away their prize money from sponsor Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) to causes close to their hearts.

Sector statistics: pubs saw like-for-like sales growth of 1 .5% in January (image: Getty/Yau Ming Low)

Flat sales reported for January

By Nikkie Thatcher

Hospitality groups reported like-for-like sales growth of 0.1% in January, new figures have shown.

Apprentices are taking the industry forward: BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin

OPINION

Back apprentices who are the future of the sector

By Emma McClarkin, CEO, British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA)

As National Apprenticeship Week 2024 draws to a close, we once again raise a glass to celebrate integral role of apprentices in the UK’s vibrant and dynamic hospitality industry.

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.

Fight on: the bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk is the most 'highly anticipated' for a quarter of a century

Bring in customers with the huge Fury v Usyk fight

By The Morning Advertiser

The boxing bout all fans having been waiting for takes place on Saturday 17 February – and pub licensees can virtually put their customers in the front row with a full undercard on offer too.

Alternative energy: there have been 608 new solar panels added to Hare Brewery

St Austell installs 600 extra solar panels

By Nikkie Thatcher

Hare Brewery, which is owned by St Austell Brewery, had installed hundreds more solar panels in a bid to use as much renewable energy as possible to fuel beer production.

Secrets behind success: the MA spoke to operator George Greenway after the Tamworth Tap (pictured) was named CAMRA POTY

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Secrets behind success at CAMRA's Pub of the Year

By Rebecca Weller

Owner of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Pub of the Year (POTY), George Greenway, has shared the secrets to his success at The Tamworth Tap with The Morning Advertiser (MA).

The Morning Advertiser Podcast episode 71

Going down the pan!

By Ed Bedington

Top toilets are vital for any pub operation, but are we always getting it right. The Lock In team go beyond the u-bend to find out how you can up your loo offer!

Vacancies to fill: finding kitchen staff has been proving difficult for a long time (credit: Getty/andresr)

FEATURE – STAFFING, TRAINING, RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT

FEATURE: Overcoming the staffing shortage

By Michelle Perrett

Staffing has always been a challenge in the pub sector but since the perfect storm of Brexit, Covid, minimum and national living wage increases, the cost-of-living crisis, immigration changes – combined with the poor reputation of a career in the industry...

Honoured: Tim Martin, Adam Handling and Stuart Broad

New Year’s Honours roll call review

By Gary Lloyd

The New Year Honours list always attracts attention and the recent awards were no exception as JD Wetherspoon (JDW) chairman Tim Martin received a knighthood for his services to hospitality and culture.

Publican Awards: celebrating excellence across the sector

The PUBLICAN AWARDS 2024

The Publican Awards: a trip down memory lane

By Rebecca Weller

With the 2024 Publican Awards set to take place in less than 12 weeks, The Morning Advertiser has taken a look back at the last five years of the event.

Cautiously optimistic: drinks sales up 7% in final fortnight of 2023 (Credit: Getty/	zeljkosantrac)

Drinks sales up 7% during last two weeks of 2023

By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales were up 7% year-on-year during the final fortnight of 2023, indicating “positive trends” for 2024 despite continued “difficult trading conditions”, according to CGA.

Gig economy: Live music expected to boom in pubs this year (Credit: Getty/mixeto)

Live music in pubs could skyrocket in 2024

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Gigs in the ‘seed’ music industry – those staged in hospitality venues across the UK – soared 37% over the festive season, providing a boost for artists and the pubs they performed in.

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