News

Sunshine boosts drinks sales after two weeks of downturns

27-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

September sunshine has boosted drinks sales for the on-trade after two weeks of negative numbers.

CASK ALE WEEK

How the sector celebrated Cask Ale Week 2024

27-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

With this year’s Cask Ale Week coming to a close, The Morning Advertiser (MA) has taken a look at how the sector celebrated.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

How Breal plans to make Black Sheep 'centre of excellence'

27-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Black Sheep Brewery is on a mission to become a renowned “centre of excellence”.

Night-time & hospitality firms 'most affected' by smoking restrictions

27-Sep-2024 By Felicity Giles

The Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) has released a statement in regards to the national debate on smoking regulations.

Car smashes into town pub and destroys bar area

26-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

A car has ploughed into the side of a Warwickshire pub, destroying the venue’s bar area.

Beer prices rise as Chancellor warned duty increase would be 'betrayal'

26-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Industry leaders have warned an increase in alcohol duty in the upcoming Budget would be a “bitter blow” for the sector as beer prices see a 3.8% increase.

GBPA 2024

GBPA 2024: Stonegate Group Pub Partners Pub of the Year – the Gloucester Old Spot, Bristol

26-Sep-2024 By The Morning Advertiser

If you are looking for that individual, vibrant pub with quirky charm – the Gloucester Old Spot, in Bristol – could be just what you are looking for.

M&B posts 5.2% lfl sales boost for 51-week period

26-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Pubs, bars and restaurants operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has reported like-for-like sales growth of 5.2% in its current financial year to date with all brands in growth.

GBPA 2024

GBPA 2024: Best Pub to Watch Sport, sponsored by TNT Sports – the Gardeners Arms/Murderers, Norwich, Norfolk

26-Sep-2024 By The Morning Advertiser

The road signs welcoming visitors to Norwich bill it as a “fine city” – and the twin-named Gardeners is top of the tree among its many fine pubs.

THE CASK PROJECT

St Austell and Hogs Back celebrate harvests

26-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

St Austell Brewery and Hogs Back Brewery have celebrated their annual barley and hop harvesting events respectively.

Greene King unveils new entertainment-led concept

25-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Greene King has announced plans to launch a new entertainment-led pub concept, HighTales.

Operators 'taxed to death' & urge Gov to 'maintain status quo'

25-Sep-2024 By Felicity Giles

UKHospitality (UKH) has called for "urgent solutions" in order to tackle the potential rising business costs throughout the hospitality industry in 2025.

Star Pubs honours one of its longest serving licensees

25-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Heineken UK’s pub arm, Star, has awarded one of its longest serving licensees after two decades behind the bar.

BrewDog Bars CEO James Brown steps down

25-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

BrewDog Bars CEO James Brown has announced he is stepping down from his role at the Scottish brewer and pub operator and will be unveiled as CEO of casual dining chain Prezzo on Thursday (26 September).

Punch Pubs adds 14 pubs to estate

25-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Punch Pubs & Co has added a total of 14 pubs to its estate after its acquisition of the Milton 1 & 2 portfolio from real estate investment company Aprirose.

THE CASK PROJECT

Sharp’s launches Orange Haze for Cask Ale Week

25-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Sharp’s Brewery has launched a limited-edition beer called Orange Haze to celebrate Cask Ale Week, which runs between Thursday 19 September and Sunday 29 September.

GBPA 2024

What the 2024 GBPA winners had to say

25-Sep-2024 By Nikkie Thatcher

Pubs from across the country were celebrated earlier this month (Tuesday 17 September) at the Great British Pub Awards.

GBPA 2024

GBPA 2024: Best Town Pub, sponsored by Molson Coors – the Bull & Swan, Stamford

25-Sep-2024 By The Morning Advertiser

This historic pub, a former coaching inn dating back to the 1600s, combines old-world charm with modern flair.

LOW & NO PROJECT

64% of operators would install a non-alcoholic draught beer

24-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Three in five operators would install a non-alcoholic draught beer at their pub, new data has revealed.

Top 50 Gastropub suffers fire

24-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

The Parakeet pub in north-west London was evacuated earlier this week after a fire broke out at the premises.

Exit Interview

'No regrets' says outgoing Punch CEO

24-Sep-2024 By Ed Bedington

As Clive Chesser, outgoing CEO of Punch Pubs & Co prepares to depart the world of pubs for gyms, MA editor Ed Bedington caught up with him for one final chat.

Local pubs 'invaluable' to communities

24-Sep-2024 By Felicity Giles

A new report by Localis group has urged ministers to save local pubs. The report claims local establishments provide invaluable socio economic value.

GBPA 2024

GBPA 2024: Best Pub for Food, sponsored by Booker/Makro – the Hinds Head, Bray, Berkshire

24-Sep-2024 By The Morning Advertiser

Being a pub in the affluent town of Bray, Maidenhead, means your drinks have to be great but your food has to be outstanding – and that is exactly true of the Hinds Head.

GBPA 2024

GBPA 2024: Admiral Taverns Pub of the Year – the Royal Oak, Brandon, Warwickshire

24-Sep-2024 By The Morning Advertiser

If you want to drink and eat in a pub that has one of the most determined licensees at the helm – the Royal Oak in Brandon, near Coventry is the place.

THE CASK PROJECT

Nicholson’s and Stroud Brewery launch beer for Cask Ale Week

24-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Nicholson’s Pub Collection have joined forces with organic brewer Stroud Brewery to launch a limited-edition beer for Cask Ale Week and Organic September.

MY PUB

MY PUB: The Venture Inn, Reigate, Surrey

24-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

In the affluent town of Reigate – just south of the M25 – you will find the Venture Inn, which cites low & no beers as one of its key drivers.

Stonegate ready to spend and evolve pub and guest experience

24-Sep-2024 By Gary Lloyd

Stonegate CEO David McDowall said the pubco will invest £150m into its pubs in the next year as the business bids to “evolve and elevate the pub and guest experience”.

Deep reform of business rates 'cannot be done' before April

23-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

The Government will not be able to deliver a “substantial, deep reform” to business rates before April next year, UKHospitality (UKH) has stated.

WSTA calls for two-year duty freeze

23-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

The Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) has called for a freeze to alcohol duty for a “minimum” of two years ahead of the upcoming Budget.

CAMRA elects new chairman

23-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has appointed a new chairman.

Welsh tax laws could provide new guidelines for UK Government

23-Sep-2024 By Felicity Giles

The Local Government Finance (Wales) Act has become law, including the introduction of specific measures in order to easily reform business rates.

The Lock In Podcast

New beginnings!

23-Sep-2024 By Ed Bedington

With news focusing on the numbers of pub closures, the Lock In podcast takes a look at those opening sites and coming into the trade.

Gov details new measures to protect firms from 'rogue' energy brokers

20-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

A new framework to protect firms from “rogue” energy brokers must be implemented “swiftly”, one trade body has warned.

Drinks sales continue downward spiral

20-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Drinks sales have continued a downward trend with a second week of year-on-year declines, new data has revealed.

GBPA 2024

In pictures: Great British Pub Awards 2024 winners

20-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Operators from across the country gathered at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse on Tuesday 17 September to celebrate the best in the industry at the 2024 Great British Pub Awards (GBPA).

UKH: 'A version of the outdoor smoking ban will happen'

20-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

A version of the smoking ban proposals in pubs gardens “will happen”, The Morning Advertiser (MA) has learned.

Research reveals pubs make just 12p on a pint of beer

20-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

An industry trade body has called for a 5% duty cut in the upcoming Budget as new research revealed pubs make just 12p on a pint of beer after costs and taxes have been deducted.

Review of the Week

'Hospitality needs to be taken seriously'

20-Sep-2024 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with Great British Pub Award winner Joe Buckley of the Tollemache Arms to get his take on the week's events.

Admiral operator marks 50th anniversary

19-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

An Admiral Taverns licensee has celebrated "incredible achievement" of 50 years of service at the same pub.

GBPA 2024

GBPA 2024 social media highlights

19-Sep-2024 By Felicity Giles

Operators from across the sector shared their wins and excitement on social media after a night of celebrating at the Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) 2024.

Managed groups see second month of below-inflation growth

19-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Hospitality groups saw a second successive month of below-inflation growth in August, the latest data from CGA by NIQ has revealed.

Interest rates hold 'another blow' for sector

19-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Stagnant interest rates have dealt the hospitality sector “another blow” as firms continue to struggle against rising costs.

CCEP launches Oasis brand in pubs

19-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has introduced its popular Oasis brand to the on-trade market.

GBPA 2024

Quintessential country pub hailed best in the UK

17-Sep-2024 By Nikkie Thatcher

A picturesque, 17th century pub has been named the best pub in the country at the 2024 Great British Pub Awards.

How wet-led pubs have evolved post-pandemic

13-Sep-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Diversification within the pub sector post-Covid has hit wet-led pubs harder than food-led sites, The Morning Advertiser’s (MA) Top 100 Pubcos revealed.

ESTRELLA DAMM TOP 50 GASTROPUBS

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs One to Watch award deadline extended

04-Sep-2024 By Nikkie Thatcher

The entry deadline for the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs One to Watch award has been extended by one week.

Foodservice inflations falls for 13th month in a row

29-Aug-2024 By Rebecca Weller

Foodservice price inflation has fallen for the 13th consecutive month but cost pressures persist, data from Prestige Purchasing and CGA by NIQ has revealed.