Professional Services & Utilities

Going the extra yard to deliver great results

15-Nov-2011 By Jamie King

So another English team fails in its bid for World Cup glory and Martin Johnson’s band of merry men come home with their tails between their legs, offering a list of excuses as to why they failed to match their potential with our expectations.

NPower fined £2m for complaints failure

31-Oct-2011 By Gurjit Degun

NPower has been fined £2m by energy regulator Ofgem for failing to handle complaints from small businesses and domestic users properly.

Pub host struggles to pay £13k utility bill

25-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

A Warwickshire licensee has advised others not to “bury their head in the sand” over utilities bills as he struggles to repay British Gas for two years’ worth of electricity.

Business rates to rise by £1.35bn next year

19-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

Businesses will have to pay an additional £1.35 billion in business rates next year as a consequence of September’s 5.6% increase in RPI announced yesterday.

Business Focus: The Old Bore, Rishworth, West Yorkshire

13-Oct-2011 By Sheila McWattie

Scott Hessel, chef at the Old Bore in Rishworth, West Yorks, tells Sheila McWattie about the pub’s reputation for great food.

Business Focus: The Castle Inn, Chiddingstone, Kent

01-Oct-2011 By Lesley Foottit

John McManus of the Castle Inn, Chiddingstone, Kent, knew he was going to be a chef from the age of 13. Having worked with some of the biggest names in the restaurant business, he tells Lesley Foottit how he turned his hand to running a pub

£200k fighting fund to battle PPL

29-Sep-2011 By Adam pescod

Three leading trade associations have raised over £200,000 as a fighting fund to cover the costs of a potential legal battle with music royalties company PPL.

Steamin’ Billy buys up the Dog & Gun

21-Sep-2011

Steamin’ Billy Brewing Company, the Leicester-based brewer and pub operator, has acquired the freehold of the Dog & Gun in Syston, Leicestershire, from Punch Taverns, taking its estate to six sites.

Brakes’ parent losses up 37%

19-Sep-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Cucina Lux, the parent company of foodservice supplier Brakes, saw losses increase 37% in 2010, with UK operating profits before exceptional items down 20.3% as sales growth slowed.

Price increases at 3663

16-Sep-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Food-led pubs are set for more doom and gloom over food prices, as foodservice company 3663 has confirmed that it will increase the cost of 35% of its products this month.

Dragons Done?

15-Sep-2011 By Publican Sam

It’s not often that the TV makes me want to write about it, but the latest episode of BBC TV’s Dragon’s Den (series 9, episode 7) caught my attention to such an extent that I want to share a few thoughts.

Taking it and making it

08-Sep-2011 By Alastair Scott

How pub operators need to strike the right balance between making and saving money.

Nightclubs slated over £1 drinks

05-Sep-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Nightclubs in Leicester have come under fire for offering drinks for as little as £1 on certain nights.

Jim Walsh: his restless energy will be missed

25-Aug-2011 By The PMA Team

Pub entrepreneur Jim Walsh, who has died aged 69, was the kind of character that leaves a strong impression on all those who were lucky enough to have known him, says The PMA Team.

Leisure sector 'will drive economic growth'

23-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Businesses view the hospitality and leisure sector as a key driver of economic growth in the UK over the next decade, according to a survey by...

Leisure sector 'latent vehicle for growth'

23-Aug-2011 By Ewan Turney

The leisure sector is a "latent vehicle for economic growth" providing 27% of jobs undertaken by young people, says BISL.

It's time to sell GBBF to the wider world

22-Aug-2011 By Tony Jennings

The Great British Beer Festival is becoming a venerable British institution but could benefit from a bit of a rethink, says Tony Jennings.

Sir John Fitzgerald reports £1.4m loss

22-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

North-east managed pub operator Sir John Fitzgerald (SJF) has reported a loss of £1,437,321 in the year to 31 January 2011.

Further growth for Faucet

22-Aug-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Faucet Inn is planning further acquisitions and is to open its first new-build sites before the end of the year.

Blue Star Pub Co pays down £14m

19-Aug-2011 By The PMA Team

Blue Star Pub Company, the 400-strong freehold tenanted pub firm owned by Heineken, has paid down £14m of its original £180m purchase price in the...

Brakspear profits dip

15-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Brakspear, the tenanted and leased pub operator, saw pre-tax profits fall 3.9% to £3.245m in 2010 amid "challenging" trading conditions. Turnover...

Riots: Losses could reach £392m

11-Aug-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The riots and looting across the UK have already cost retailers £80m in lost sales, according to research from Kelkoo. The figures, produced by the...

Banks comply with small-firm lending

10-Aug-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The Project Merlin banks are on track to meet their lending commitments this year, the British Bankers' Association (BBA) has revealed.

£2.5m British Gas fine 'not enough'

04-Aug-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees have welcomed the £2.5m fine issued to British Gas for not handling complaints from small businesses and domestic users appropriately.

Premium brands drive on-trade spirit growth

28-Jul-2011 By John Harrington

Premium spirits are driving growth in the on-trade spirits category, fuelled by a growth in cocktails and premium drinking venues and the continued...

Sceptre: profits at lower end of expectations

26-Jul-2011 By Ewan Turney

AWP supplier Sceptre Leisure is in "great financial health" despite full-year profits being at the lower end of expectations.

BrewDog share issue raises £500k in two days

18-Jul-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

BrewDog, the Scottish microbrewer and pub operator, has raised over £500,000 via a share issue in two days as it looks to raise £2.2m to finance a...

Profits down at Heavitree

18-Jul-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Heavitree Brewery, the Devon-based pub operator, has reported a 13% fall in pre-tax profit during the six months to 30 April 2011 compared to the...

Whiting & Hammond in growth plan

18-Jul-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Whiting & Hammond, the award-winning south-east multiple led by Brian Whiting, is looking to eventually build an estate of 20 pubs and hopes to...

Fair Pinter keeps pub but has to pay £135k S&NPC debt

15-Jul-2011 By Adam Pescod

A founding member of Fair Pint, Mark Dodds, has three years to pay back around £135,000 he owes Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (S&NPC)....

Brewdog launches second fundraising campaign

13-Jul-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

BrewDog has launched a second round of fundraising as it looks to raise £2.2m to finance a new eco-brewery and the opening of more bars across the country.

Coulson: Peers playing it long in Bill talks

12-Jul-2011 By Peter Coulson

There are still major issues to be debated on licensing, but I do not get the impression that many peers are up for the fight, writes Peter Coulson.

Admiral announces £5m capital investment programme

29-Jun-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Admiral Taverns has announced plans to spend £5m on capital investment programmes at around 165 pubs this summer.

Capital pre-tax profits up 48%

21-Jun-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Capital Pub Company, the London-based manage pub chain, has reported adjusted pre-tax profits up 48% to £6.8m for the 52 weeks until 26 March. The...

Meeting the bank manager

16-Jun-2011 By Robert Sayles

Blogger Robert Sayles tells readers of his recent meeting with a bank manager to discuss buying a leased pub.

No Saints seeks £2.1m for growth

14-Jun-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

No Saints, the leisure group run by ex-Luminar boss Stephen Thomas, has launched a new round of fundraising for a further £2.1m towards its...

Lost Property...?

06-Jun-2011 By Mark Daniels

Mark Daniels considers what to do with his stash of lost property and how to return an item to an owner.

Marston's wins franchise agreement accreditation

06-Jun-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Brewer and retailer Marston's has won British Franchise Association accreditation for its Retail Agreement. Marston's introduced the Retail...

Banks slammed for strict pub loans criteria

01-Jun-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Banks are being increasingly "pernickety" about lending to pubs, experts claim as figures released by the Bank of England show that Britain's top five banks fell short of their target to lend £19bn for the first three months of the year.

Nightclub king signals big market change

26-May-2011 By The PMA Team

The traditional nightclub has been well and truly side-swiped by a half dozen different crunching factors, says The PMA Team.

British Gas slated over 97% bill hike

26-May-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has vowed never to deal with British Gas again after he received a renewal supply contract offering a 97% increase.

Everards operating profit rises 2.1%

23-May-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Leicestershire brewer and pub operator Everards saw operating profit rise 2.1% in the 52 weeks to 25 September 2010, discounting an exceptional...

Fuller's pays for tenants to join BII

20-May-2011 By Ewan Turney

Fuller's is the first to pay for all of its tenants to be members of the BII for the duration of their stay with the company.

A rich day in terms of fantastic trading ideas

12-May-2011 By The PMA Team

PMA editor The PMA Team reflects on the great ideas put in place by this year's four BII Licensee of the Year finalists.

Banks and stores are putting pubs in peril

04-May-2011 By Michael Kheng

Michael Kheng looks forward to the day when supermarkets sell alcohol at a responsible price and banks look after pubs.

RPI: pub rent rises by another route

03-May-2011 By Gary Mallen

New pub company leases that offer annual rent increases in line with the Retail Price Index should be treated with scepticism, argues Garry Mallen....

Accreditation scheme launched for pub accountants

26-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A new accreditation scheme, backed by senior people in the trade, is being launched next month to help licensees choose a reputable pub accountant....