The coronavirus pandemic has taught operators the need to be resilient and adaptable, the importance of technology and who could be counted on as loyal friends and customers, according to licensees across the sector.
In the five weeks of Christmas and New Year, Peach Pubs was up 3.1% on 2019 with like-for-like sales compared to 2019 increasing by 21% in the six months to 2 January, 26% over the summer, 10% in autumn and 3% at Christmas.
Pub sales were down 29.2% in December 2021 when compared to 2019 with New Year’s Eve sales down some 30%, however staff headcounts and hours worked were in good stead, the latest Fourth Hospitality Report has shown.
Despite a rocky festive trading period, Rekom UK chief executive Peter Marks was “excited” for a future free from Plan B restrictions, and said young people should be celebrated for their responsibility.
Covid Passes led to confusion, conflict and cost in what was "this year's version of the Scotch egg", according to Revolution Bars chief executive Rob Pitcher, who said the Government must do more than roll back Plan B restrictions.
Robinsons Brewery is set to invest more than £12m to relocate its Stockport town centre brewing and head office operations to its packaging centre site in Bredbury.
J D Wetherspoon (JDW) saw like-for-like sales and total sales decreased by 11.7% and 13.3% respectively in the 25 weeks to 16 January 2022, when compared to the similar period in financial year 2020.
Pub operator The Inn Collection Group has secured an additional £42m funding from OakNorth Bank to revamp about half of its 26 sites and develop its property portfolio.
Greene King Pub Partners has relaunched the Red Lion pub in Parkgate, Cheshire, following a £250,000 investment into its renovation from the pub operator and the sites new tenants.
Chris Seaby, head of food and beverage development at Whitbread, who joined the pub restaurant and hotel operator last year after 26 years at retailer M&S, offers tips on plant-based food and shares insights on Whitbread’s Veganuary offer
Lockdown parties have showed the Government to be in shambles as hospitality worked hard to keep customers safe and follow the rules during lockdown despite receiving thousands of pounds worth of fines while our leadership did not act appropriately, according...
The MA's Ed Bedington catches up with Castle Rock Brewery boss Colin Wilde to hear his thoughts on the weeks news, from the impacts of restrictions, frustrations over government behaviour and isolation rules changing.
Star Pubs & Bars has announced a 30% rent reduction for its pubs on core leased & tenanted agreements in Scotland and Wales in a bid to support them through additional Government restrictions.
Pub operator and brewer Fuller, Smith, and Turner, has partnered with Medicash to launch to a new healthcare benefit scheme as part of a package of improvements to its pay and benefits system.
Vaulkhard Leisure has increased its estate to 20 pubs after taking on a lease for the Diamond Pub in Ponteland after running the pub on a temporary agreement since the end of 2018.
The most enjoyable part of running a pub is always being around and meeting new people and the key to success is always making sure you offer something different, according to one Leicestershire licensee.
With the post-Christmas dust settling, MA editor Ed Bedington caught up with Fuller's ceo Simon Emeny to see what had caught his attention in the past few weeks, from political machinations to the vaccination debate.
In the lead up to Christmas, the Pack Horse, Hayfield, Derbyshire, was surprised to be busy over the festive period, however the New Year bought in closure and coronavirus for the pub.
Greene King has partnered with specialist recycling businesses, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and dispose of typically hard-to-recycle plastic environmentally as part of its new campaign, Tub2Pub.
Covid measures for nine months of this year have meant Leicestershire-based firm Everards reported an operating loss of £3.4m for the financial year ending September 2021.
Greene King has raised more than £2m for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2021, making the company the charity’s top fundraising corporate partner this year.
Multiple operator Arc Inspirations has reported its results for the financial year to 31 March 2021, showing a 42% rise in sales from July to November this year, against 2019.
Dorset-based brewer and pub operator Hall & Woodhouse (H&W) is on track to complete 10 pubs this year, across both its managed and tenanted divisions – and plans to add more next year.
Pub operator and brewers, Fuller’s, has closed the majority of its city pubs temporarily and called on the Government to provide immediate suspension of business rates and an extension on VAT reduction.
The Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA, has called for the Northern Ireland Government and UK Government to work together and “come up with an urgent support package for pubs”.
Shepherd Neame has announced a 10% rent deduction for its licensees from 1 January 2022 in light of the Governments new ‘Plan B’ restrictions and damage to consumer confidence.
Pubs have been left to scrimp and save wherever possible to the detriment of their customers in the aftermath of Omicron, according to a Stockton-on-Tees licensee.
The UK Government’s response to the Omicron Covid variant has been a “fiasco” that has undermined customer confidence and victimised hospitality, said the owner of the Unruly Pig in Bromeswell, Suffolk.
