MA Leaders Club

Official: Scottish & Newcastle Retail is no more

30-Oct-2003

It's official: Scottish & Newcastle Retail (S&NR) no longer exists.Spirit Group's deal to buy the 1,450 managed pubs was rubber-stamped by...

McMullen's to end contract brewing

23-Oct-2003

Hertford brewer McMullen's is to end contract brewing so it can join the ranks of the microbrewers.The regional brewer will end its contract with...

Raising a glass to Camerons

16-Oct-2003

Camerons brewery in Hartle-pool has had more owners than Tiger Woods has golf clubs, but it has survived and now has to carve out a future in modern...

Low prices here to stay, says Yates

10-Oct-2003

It's official: price discounting on drinks is now normal practice at town centre pubs, according to Yates Group. Putting out a trading update, chief...

Luminar denies targeting rivals

09-Oct-2003

Luminar Leisure has denied accusations that it wants to wipe out late-night pub competition.The High Court this week backed the nightclub operator's...

Yates soars on buy-out gossip

16-Jul-2003

Yates Group has poured cold water on suggestions that it is in talks over a venture capital (VC) funded management buy-out, after City rumours pushed...

McMullen's Brewery

12-Jun-2003

by Claire Hu Who are they? Hertfordshire's largest independent brewery was this month saved from closure after the resolution of a family feud that...

McMullen's to join microbrewers

05-Jun-2003

Hertford brewer McMullen's is considering joining the ranks of the microbrewers to gain the benefits of progressive beer duty (PBD).The company has...

McMullen's Brewery saved by restructure

05-Jun-2003

by Tony Halstead Beer production at independent brewer McMullen's of Hertford has been saved, following a boardroom deal which has healed a family...

Noble House will go 'on the attack'

23-May-2003

Noble House Pub Company is disposing of the last remnants of its high street pubs and plans to double its core business by Christmas.The company made...

Living Ventures to debut Prohibition in Leeds

16-May-2003

The founders of the Living Room concept that has proved popular with footballers and soap stars are set to unveil a sister bar brand.Tim Bacon and...

Luminar slammed over free drink offer

08-May-2003

Luminar Leisure, the bar and nightclub operator, has been accused of encouraging speed drinking through some of its recent drinks promotions.The...

Noble House denies Eldridge Pope rumours

25-Apr-2003

Noble House Pub Company has denied it is in talks to buy Eldridge Pope.Robert Breare's outfit was seen as the most likely candidate after it emerged...

Noble House weighs up Beefeater bid

17-Mar-2003

Noble House Pub Company is weighing up a bid for the 45 Beefeater sites put up for sale by Whitbread.A glut of operators are interested in parts of...

The Wells wishers

03-Mar-2003

From championing St George's Day to promoting Banana Bread Beer, Charles Wells is a busy brewer. By Mark Stretton.Charles Wells is not your average...

JW Lees has produced the first brew of its notoriously stron

20-Feb-2003

The reddish brown beer has an abv of 7.5% and a strong malt and fruit aroma. It is generally only available on draught in a limited number of outlets...

CAMRA tells McMullen's to 'keep on brewing'

14-Feb-2003

Real ale consumer group Camra has thrown its weight behind a campaign to keep brewer McMullen's making beer for the foreseeable future.The company,...

Carson quits Noble House to go solo

13-Feb-2003

Tony Carson has parted company with Noble House to pursue other business ventures including the roll out of restaurant brands across North...

McMullen's property estate worth £176m

30-Jan-2003

McMullen's property estate is worth £176m, according to a fresh valuation in a preface to the 2002 accounts out this week. These accounts show the...

Ward named McMullen's star

14-Nov-2002

Robert Ward has been named McMullen Bar Person of the Year. The 32-year-old, who works at the Three Horseshoes in Hooks Cross, Stevenage, beat off...

Luminar down after half-year results

12-Nov-2002

Analysts have revised down full-year expectations following half-year results from late-night operator Luminar where the company said that it would...

Yates Group on the slow road to recovery

06-Nov-2002

The Yates Group, once the darling of the high street, is on the slow road to recovery under the leadership of Mike Hennessy.The managed house...

Lees-Jones to become JW Lees MD

17-Oct-2002

William Lees-Jones has been appointed managing director of JW Lees from 1 January nextyear the 175th anniversary ofthe Manchester-based...

Steak Houses up for sale

14-Oct-2002

A package of prime West End sites is up for grabs after restaurant brands Aberdeen Steak House and Angus Steak House went into administration.A...

Pubcos go head to head in ALMR's Operations Manager Awards

19-Jul-2002

Tenanted pub companies Greene King and Pubmaster will go head to head in the finals of the 2002 Operations Manager Awards, organised by the...

Power and Thorley

18-Jul-2002

Giles Thorley speaks to Mark Stretton on the beer tie, licensing reform, flotation, and life in the executive chair at Punch.Giles Thorley wants the...

Turnaround in fortunes for Yates Group

13-Jun-2002

Yates Group, the owner of the Yates' and Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteen chains, claims to have turned the corner following its disappointing first half...

ALMR searches for Top of the Ops

22-May-2002

UK pub operators have just over two weeks to nominate individuals for the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers Operations Managers Awards.The...

The Batman of Broadstairs - Philip Thorley gives a tour of his pubs

30-Apr-2002

Taking a pub tour with Philip Thorley can be humbling, writes Mark Stretton.As the car door opened a thousand camera bulbs flashed. People stopped in...

Brokers back Luminar after strong New Year

14-Jan-2002

Shares in Luminar, the late-night bar and club operator were trading higher today (Monday, January 14) as stockbrokers Old Mutual Securities slapped...

Noble House to raise £50m from disposals

12-Dec-2001

Noble House Leisure, the pub and restaurant group headed by entrepreneur Robert Breare (pictured) is to raise £50m from the sale of half the 214...

G1 Group acquires Big Beat portfolio

15-Nov-2001

Glasgow-based G1 Group has emerged as the buyer for Big Beat's portfolio of pubs and restaurants.Big Beat, founded by Ron McCulloch, collapsed in...

Luminar lifts profits 123 per cent

14-Nov-2001

Luminar, the late-night club and bar operator, has seen its profits soar 123 per cent in the past six months.The group, which owns the Chicago Rock...

Morrells to grow Que Pasa concept with purchase of Yates pubs

12-Nov-2001

Yates Group has sold eight of the 18 pubs it put up for sale to the Morrells of Oxford group. Morrells will use the acquisitions to roll out its...

Noble House to buy Whitbread pubs

24-Oct-2001

Noble House Leisure, the private pub group run by Robert Breare (pictured), has confirmed it will buy 44 pub-restaurants from Whitbread. The deal,...

Noble House Leisure "in talks" to buy Old English Inns

16-Aug-2001

Pub entrepreneur Robert Breare is believed to be in talks to buy Old English Inns.Mr Breare, who heads Noble House Leisure, is pressing on with his...

Fuller's and Yates put pub packages on the market

16-Aug-2001

London brewer Fuller's and bar operator Yates Group are shaking up their pub estates by putting packages on the market.Fuller's has put its six...

Luminar buys up the rights to Life

20-Jul-2001

Luminar, the UK's biggest club and bar operator, has now bought the rights to Life.It has bought two late-night venues called Life (Liverpool's Life...

Yates presses on after takeover talks end

24-Jun-2001

Yates Group is pressing ahead with its expansion plans and a management shake-up after the end of talks over a possible takeover offer.It has...

Talks continue as Yates turns around Wine Lodges

14-Jun-2001

Yates Group has revealed it is turning around its troubled Wine Lodge chain as it ponders the sale of the business.It took "remedial action" after...

High-profile bar sold to Chorion

11-Jun-2001

High-profile new bar 10 Covent Garden has been sold and is set to be revamped only months after opening.City Bars & Restaurants has disposed of...

Yates in talks over takeover offer

08-Jun-2001

Shares in Yates Group soared today (June 8) after it emerged that it was in talks to sell the business.Chairman Peter Dickson admitted that the pub...

Corney & Barrow grows despite fears of downturn

08-Jun-2001

Corney & Barrow is about to open its first new outlet for three years despite worries that a downturn is hitting pubs in London and the south.The...

Charles Wells and the Queen's Award for Export

26-Jun-2000

Charles Wells has won the Queen's Award for Export. We attended the presentation ceremony. Charles Wells is one of the biggest independent brewers in...

Charles Wells shows its true international class

14-Feb-2000

With an international chain of pubs, licences for Japanese, Jamaican and Mexican lagers, and stakes in top music venues, Charles Wells is a family...

Palmers - one of the UK's most traditional brewers?

31-Jan-2000

Bridport-based Palmers lays claim to being one of the UK's most traditional brewers.While the big regional brewers grab the headlines with their...

JW Lees - breaking with tradition

15-Nov-1999

Tucked away 50,000 feet up in the French Alps, close to the snowy ski slopes of Mont Blanc, are two real ale pubs, the White Grouse and the Perdrix...