New plant for Woodforde's
Norfolk independent brewer Woodforde's is to invest £500,000 in new brewing plant to satisfy soaring demand for its cask beers. The new 60-barrel...
Archives for July 4, 2007
Historic day for pubs as ban becomes fact
There were hopes that the ban would coincide with warm weather, but despite the heavy rain the big English stub-out went smoothly The introduction...
Chris Maclean: but is it art?
When the restaurant first opened I commissioned a sign to be made stating the opening hours and giving contact details for the restaurant. I needed...
The rentman cometh
Rent reviews are a time of angst and confusion for many licensees. Ewan Turney reports the top tips from the BII's recent rent-review seminar Pubco:...
InBrief
Fond farewell to George Bateman A memorial service for George Gunson Bateman, JP, chairman of Batemans brewery, will be held at 1pm on Monday 23 July...
View from the top
Christoph Brooke, managing director of Hillbrooke Hotels, which runs Wiltshire's Bath Arms, leased from the Longleat Estate, shares secrets of...
Unfair balance in West End, Glendola chief claims
A leading pub operator has spoken out about the imbalance between the needs of businesses and residents in London's West End. Speaking at a debate on...
Mercury to help out troubled operators
Mercury Inns, the Tamworth-based pub management group, has launched a new consultancy operation, Mercury Liquid, which it says is designed to help...
community - mixed results but food is not the only solution
The Pheasant, a Marston's leasehold near the centre of Newtown, has created a cosy back courtyard with a heated jumbrella and gazebo for live bands....
Watching Wales
Three months into the Welsh ban, Kelly Smith finds it's tough for most - but there are some success stories Warm weather and a sprinkling of success...
Anti-glass code for Cheltenham pubs
Licensees in Cheltenham are being asked to sign a code of practice that would see glass banned after 11pm. The code of practice has been devised by...
Pub investment market holds firm
Property agents have reported that the investment market is holding firm despite recent uncertainty. Graeme Bunn, of Fleurets' London office, said:...
THE GUV'NOR
Graham Rowson Customers will soon have a personal licence for drinking, predicts the licensee of the Plungington Tavern, Preston, Lancashire The...
What the papers say - July 5, 2007
Staff and regulars at a pub in Scarborough have organised a whip-round for Martin Whisker, 42, the first man to be fined £80 for flouting England's...
Farewell to one of the very best
The first time I met George Bateman, he took me on a tour of his brewery in Wainfleet, in Lincolnshire. The gesture was typical of the man: George...
Wholesaler focus: A quality delivery
WAVERLEYTBS WAS formed in 2004 by Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) through the merger of two separate companies:Waverley and The Beer Seller (a...
Exposed: sham recording to land energy contract
Opus backs down and offers a refund to victim licensees
Chris Maclean: Proud of my beer
The other night I visited a local freehouse near here. It is a nice little pub and I like the company of the landlord. It is small and clean with a...
Business Opinion
Civilisation is around the corner One way to look at the development of pubs in the past decade is to borrow a word often used by Mike Bramley, the...
Passing the taste test
Is the UK ready for a low-alcohol version of one of its favourite drinks? Phil Dixon gets to grips with Carling's new C2 lager
No substitute for proper legislation
The revised statutory Guidance for local authorities issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 last week, appears to have been one of the last acts of the outgoing minister at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Tessa Jowell.
Call for unity to solve drink-related problems in London
Operators, property agents, councillors and police say better communication and partnership is needed
Nelson's eye in the Lakes
Some time ago, eagle-eyed readers may remember a strong letter of complaint from a certain Councillor Geoffrey Theobalds about my assertion that not...
Hooked on style
Ewan Turney discovers how St Austell's £443k investment transformed the Sharksfin in Mevagissey, Cornwall, from a derelict hotel into a premium bar...
Fundraising in a nutshell
There's no end to the money-raising ingenuity at the Walnut Tree in East Farleigh, Kent, where the pub backs everything from bike rides to a music...
Support spirals for Proud of Pubs Week
Support for next week's Proud of Pubs Week has been sweeping the country with licensees, MPs and pub companies queuing up to join in.Just days before...
Licensees heading for council showdown over smoking
Councils across the country are adopting a 'softly softly' approach to enforcement in the first days of the smoking ban. Early signs are that no...
Rich pickings, weather permitting
June has been a terrible month for British sport, weather-wise. Countless cricket matches have fallen victim to the torrential rain that has swept...
Canadian IPA mounts campaign
A draught IPA brewed in Canada is being launched in the UK, with real-ale pubs as its main target. The 5.3% abv Sleeman's IPA is being imported by...
How to...conduct a rent review
Rent reviews are a time of angst and confusion for many licensees but with good preparation and a clear head fair deals can be had, says Ewan Turney....
London trade holds up as club escapes bombing
London operators say trade is holding up in the capital despite the scare caused by last week's attempted bomb attack outside Tiger Tiger nightclub...
Fears that pubs are terrorist target confirmed
The failed bomb attack on late-night venue Tiger Tiger has confirmed the trade's deepest fears that pubs are a prime target for terrorists.The...
Half Moon rolls out the barrel
Regulars at the Half Moon pub in Kempston, on the outskirts of Bedford, are recovering after completing a gruelling Peak District sponsored walk of...
Wholesaler focus: Supply and demand
IT USED to be so simple. Customers came in for a pint and a fag, had a selection of perhaps three flavours of crisp and two kinds of sandwich to...
Unite to end energy rip-offs
Energy costs may have come down slightly in the past few months, for some licensees at least. But for most people, the hike in utility bills over the...
Licensing@aol.com
Alterations to a licensed area Q This is a members' club and we want to extend the lounge bar into a patio area. The work is being done by a member...
Licensees across England rise to the smoking ban challenge
Facelifts, food and families will be among the key factors that will keep pubs at the top of their game as they adjust to the new smoke-free...
MyNewPub
Spinners Arms, Cummersdale, Cumbria Agent: Guy Simmonds Alain and Alison Davis have just taken on the Spinners Arms in Cumbria. They bought the...
THE AGENTS
Paul Davey managing director Davey & Co Many business owners are aware that they must ensure certain criteria are met in order for their business...
BarTalk
How has the smoking ban gone so far? Gail Brockbank Levers Arms, Darcy Lever, Bolton, Lancs It's been a bit difficult, especially as more than 60% of...
MyShout
The pub lease has come a long way since its introduction almost 20 years ago, says Colin Wellstead The pub lease, as we know it today, was introduced...
Councils could impose fees over gambling
Pub operators have been warned to resist attempts by local authorities to impose fees for converting gaming machine permits when the new gambling...
Global Star pubco snaps up Walsall's historic Highgate Brewery
A little-known pubco has bought Walsall's historic Highgate Brewery. Global Star, which operates about 100 pubs in the West Mid-lands, paid an undisclosed sum to Aston Manor Brewery, the owner of Highgate.
Pub smoker spends night in slammer
Drinker at a North Yorkshire pub spends night in cells after refusing to obey the smoking ban.
Aftermath of floods challenges licensees
Pubs and breweries in the North are coming to terms with the aftermath of the torrential floods which have battered areas of the country.Licensees...
Drinks watchdog admits shots policy is for long term
new measures aimed at cracking down on "rapid drinking" may not make an immediate impact on consumer behaviour, the Portman Group chief executive...
LETTERs
Energetically passing the buck The new energy regulations and their requirements will place the whole pub industry under immense financial strain....