MA Leaders Club

Richard Ferrier promoted to Heartwood CEO

15-Jan-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Richard Ferrier has been promoted to CEO of Heartwood Collection after more than a decade with the company.

Review of the Week

'I don't think beer is enough'

12-Jan-2024 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with Beer and Coffee gaffer Matt Crowther to get his take on the week's news from wages to drinks sales, and whether beer is expensive enough.

Arc reports record December alongside openings pipeline

11-Jan-2024 By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator Arc Inspirations has reported record sales in the last month of 2023 and has revealed plans for expansion.

Nightcap’s Willingham ‘could not be prouder’ after record Xmas

10-Jan-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Nightcap has reported record trading for the Christmas period in an update to the end of 2023.

Incipio Group looks back on Pergola Paddington

09-Jan-2024 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Incipio Group’s rooftop bar Pergola Paddington is set to close, but the operator has learnt and grown from the experience, according to its sales & marketing manager.

Review of the Week

'We need to go to war on VAT'

05-Jan-2024 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington met up with Oakman Group's Peter Borg-Neal to get his take on the week's news, from a knighthood for Sir Tim through to closures and Christmas trade.

Revolution Xmas lfl sales up 9% but eight sites to shut

05-Jan-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Revolution Bars Group saw like-for-like (lfl) sales for the festive month rise by 9% – which is its best December trading since 2019.

£1m revamp of cricketers’ pub ‘will increase turnover by 60%’

22-Dec-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Former England cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney are teaming up with Everards to plough £1m into the renovation of the Griffin Inn in Swithland.

NWTC enjoys record trade leading up to Xmas

20-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

New World Trading Company (NWTC) has reported a record week of sales in the festive lead up.

Anglian Country Inns reports strong revenue growth

20-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator Anglian Country Inns (ACI) has revealed a 25.8% uptick in revenue, partly driven by price increases to offset inflationary costs with the majority coming from a rise in footfall.

Roxy celebrates milestone as it gears up for 19th opening

20-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Roxy Leisure is celebrating a decade of trade as it prepares to open its 19th site in York early next year.

THE BIG INTERVIEW

The Big Interview: A masterclass in storytelling with Charlie Gilkes

19-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Tacky is the last word Charlie Gilkes wants to be associated with.

Admiral Taverns ploughs £250k into pub

14-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Bush Inn, Aberdare, South Wales, reopened on Thursday 7 December after a major investment from Admiral Taverns of £250,000.

Big Interview

Looking to get lucky

14-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

“It’s not about singing well,” according to the king of karaoke, Charlie Elek, md of Lucky Voice who’s on a mission to change the perception of karaoke.

Shepherd Neame pub reopens after £1.2m revamp

14-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Shepherd Neame has reopened its historic pub the Royal Crown in Rochester, Kent, following a £1.2m refurbishment.

Valiant acquires 4 pubs from McManus

13-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator McManus Pub Company has sold four Northamptonshire-based pubs to Valiant Pub Co.

Wine pub launches in capital

13-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

An all-day ‘wine pub’ and restaurant has opened its doors in Spitalfields, east London.

Team takes full control of historic pub

13-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Full control of a historic pub in Salford will be handed over to the team who have operated it for the past two years, making it one of the only independently owned pubs in Manchester.

Kidd joins Windmill to roll out Mc & Sons

07-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Former Nightcap group commercial director Tom Kidd has joined forces with Windmill Taverns to roll out the company’s Mc & Sons concept.

BIG INTERVIEW

The Big Interview: James Lyon-Shaw of Brucan Pubs

06-Dec-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Humble and honest are two of the qualities that come through clearly when talking to James Lyon-Shaw.

Inn Collection Group pubs rise to the challenge as snow hits

05-Dec-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Inn Collection Group pubs in the Lake District offered refuge to people who were stranded due to heavy snowfall over the weekend.

'I was lucky!'

30-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

As the McElhinney family celebrate more than three decades in the UK pub trade, the MA speaks to founder Jack, and son Ryan, to find out the secrets to their success.

Ex-England cricketers’ pub celebrates first anniversary

29-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Ex-England cricketer Harry Gurney feels “pretty ecstatic” as his pub surpasses trading expectations while rounding off its first year of opening.

Loungers: ‘we’re very positive about 2024’

29-Nov-2023 By Shwetali Sapte, MCA

Loungers plans to leverage the versatility of its offer, with a pipeline in place across multiple types of locations, chief executive Nick Collins told The Morning Advertiser's sister publication, MCA.

Loungers to create 1,000 jobs, CFO to step down

28-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

All-day café-bar-restaurant operator Loungers said it is on track to create 1,000 jobs through the opening of 34 UK sites by the end of 2023.

Review of the Week

'NLW rise will mean we need to turn over quarter of a million more'

24-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Mojo's Martin Greenhow to get his take on the week's news and the Autumn Statement.

Exclusive

East London Pub Co goes into administration

24-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The East London Pub Company has gone into administration, although the businesses four sites are continuing to trade.

Train strikes hit trade at Nightcap, revenue up 42.7% in FY23

23-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Current trade at Nightcap has been hit by rail strikes and warm weather but revenue in its financial year to July has risen by 42.7%.

Famed sandwich maker and publican to open third pub

20-Nov-2023 By The Morning Advertiser

Sandwich supremo Max Halley and publican Ethan Davids are opening their third pub together later this month.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Business rates support ‘is the big one’

17-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser editor Ed Bedington spoke to Oak Taverns managing director Simon Collinson to get his thoughts on the week's news and the upcoming Autumn Statement on Wednesday 22 November.

Loungers opens four sites, roll-out plans on track

13-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Loungers boss Nick Collins has expressed his joy at opening four sites since mid-September and confirmed the company’s fast-track roll-out plans are on track.

Operator branded 'angry little man' by customer expecting free drinks

10-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

A pub operator has been forced to put a sign on his frozen cocktail machine after a customer helped themselves then complained the drinks were not free on Trip Advisor.

Review of the Week

‘It doesn't feel like inflation is under control’

10-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington spoke to Brucan Pubs’ James Lyon-Shaw to get his take on the week's events.

Ollie Vaulkhard: 'It’s not the Government’s job to save you'

10-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Vaulkhard Group is weathering financial challenges, but trade is strong and the director predicts great times ahead for hospitality.

Peach Pubs key to future growth for Revolution

07-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Peach Pubs is key to future growth for Revolution Bars Group as many younger guests at its other brands are being impacted most by inflationary pressures.

BIG INTERVIEW

The Big Interview: Ollie Vaulkhard is playing the long game

07-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Light streams into the Newcastle-based eatery Bealim House as Ollie Vaulkhard logs on for our interview.

Oakman updates on challenges and improvements

06-Nov-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

CEO of multiple operator Oakman Group Peter Borg-Neal has updated the company’s response to industry challenges and trading improvements in a recent shareholder letter.

Green Salmon Co boss: ‘pubs are a crucial part of the community’

03-Nov-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

In the latest Review of the Week, The Morning Advertiser’s Nikkie Thatcher spoke with Green Salmon Company’s David Salmon about the past seven days.

EXCLUSIVE

North reopening ‘cherished’ bar

03-Nov-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator North has revealed it is reopening a ‘cherished’ site in Chapel Allerton next week following its closure last month (October).

North Brewing opens first international site

31-Oct-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Leeds-based brewer and operator North Brewing has announced has opened its first international bar in Treviso, Italy.

Red Oak Taverns acquisition history

27-Oct-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Multi-site operator Red Oak Taverns has procured some 25 pubs across the country so far this year, bringing its total number of venues to more than 200.

BIG INTERVIEW

The Big Interview: Tom Davies of Brakspear

23-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Regrets? Tom Davies of Brakspear doesn’t dwell on them.

OPINION

Company culture: how we can stand out from the pack

20-Oct-2023 By Kamran Dehdashti and Jamie Hazeel, founders, Little Door & Co

In the current economic climate, many hospitality businesses are finding the conditions tougher than ever – margins are being squeezed across the board, and revenue is less reliable and consistent than before.

Brakspear boss: business rates rise threat hangs over the sector

20-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies has described the threat of business rates rises and the current discount being axed in April next year as “the Sword of Damocles” hanging over the sector.

Ex-England cricketers host ‘thank you’ lunch for firefighters

17-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The Cat & Wickets pubco, owned by former cricket stars Harry Gurney and Stuart Broad, has hosted a ‘thank you’ lunch for the firefighters who doused the blaze that destroyed its Tap & Run pub in June 2022.

Revolution announces revenue lift as cost-of-living bites

17-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Revolution Bars Group has announced a revenue lift of £11.8m to £152.6m while like-for-like (lfl) sales fell by 8.7% in its preliminary results for the 52 weeks ended 1 July 2023.

Loungers targets record number of openings

13-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Loungers CEO Nick Collins has cited the “continued evolution” of the business as key to its sales growth in a trading update for the 24 weeks ended 1 October 2023.

Brakspear pumps £2m into two L&T sites

13-Oct-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

South east-based multiple operator Brakspear is investing £2m into two of its leased and tenanted sites after signing agreements with growing pub groups Little & Large and Friendship and Beer.