Chris Maclean: Bar billiards RIP
Wikipedia tells me the game originated in the thirties and is mostly found in the South of England in parts of London, Kent, Sussex and Berks.For...
Archives for April 9, 2008
Your say
Tenants must unite to survive I have been trying recently to evaluate the plight of the pubco tenant. My partner and I have 18 years left on our...
People understand the benefits of merging, but are surprised I should agree to sell at this time. So why?
H appily for Refresh, this was a sale from a position of strength. We are on target to achieve our highest-ever profit following the last two years...
Diary
David Brown draws in his Hawn Loveable UK sales director (on-trade) at Whyte & Mackay, David Brown attended a recent fund-raising dinner with the...
Buyers pull fast one at CGT deadline
Pub buyers took advantage of the changes to capital gains tax (CGT) last week by dropping offers at the final moment, a major pub agency has...
A taste of olde England
Susan Nowak focuses on winning beer and food combos for St George's Day I'm sure you've all got 23 April ringed in your diaries as St George's Day....
Enterprise hosts' 2-for-1 meal offer
The deal is part of Enterprises' new Promotions Club to get more customers into pubs
Pubs due better deal on energy complaints
Energy firms that fail to handle licensees' complaints properly will face heavy fines under new rules. Regulator Ofgem yesterday unveiled tough new...
The future looks golden
Golden rum is taking off in style bars and the off-trade, but pubs aren't yet taking full advantage of this versatile spirit. Nigel Huddleston...
Ales for all seasons
Greene King Brewing Company has unveiled its seasonal cask ale range for 2008, looking to give licensees increasing choice of cask ales throughout...
Moves
Moorhouse's boss wins US scholarship Lancashire brewery Moorhouse's managing director David Grant is the only British brewery executive to have won...
Breweries and brands: Marston's wins again
Midlands-based Marston's moved to buy the Refresh brewery last week. The deal means Marston's has now acquired three breweries in recent years. Nigel...
A warm welcome in the heart of the city
Licensee Gerry Conteh reckons great service is the main factor behind his bars. Nigel Huddleston reports Gerry Conteh takes the inspiration for the...
A spirited legacy
Bacardi is among the best-known brands in the world, but it also has a dramatic history that has been long overlooked. Noli Dinkovski reports If...
Sutcliffe sparks hike controversy
MA interview hits national headlines The damaging impact of alcohol-duty hikes on pubs has been thrust into the media spotlight after controversial...
Rebel Howitt wins fight to keep pub open
Smoke rebel Hamish Howitt has won his fight to keep his Blackpool pub open. Howitt won his appeal against Blackpool Council's decision to revoke the...
Cains reports £2.8m loss after Honeycombe takeover
Cains has reported a £2.8m loss for the fourteen months to 28 October 2007 following its reverse takeover of Honeycombe Leisure. The loss was in...
Fight the Hikes!
Join the battle to overturn the massive duty hikes promised for the next four years by the Chancellor
Time to book for must-see show
From seasoned professionals to newcomers, those in the trade are sure to reap the benefits of visiting the Morning Advertiser's Pub Business show on...
Squeezing the bingeing
Underage drinking in public spaces has fallen in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, thanks to a pilot project that looks set to be repeated nationwide. MA...
Cheap as chips: why pub grub's bucking the inflation trend
Food is the new battleground in the pub price war, amid over-saturation and tough trading conditions. John Harrington reports Price inflation in food...
Interest rates cut to 5%
The Bank of England has cut interest rates by 0.25% to 5% in a bid to spark growth in the economy. The move will benefit homeowners and borrowers and...
MP urges ministers to help booze ban pub
Support is growing for a grieving family banned from selling alcohol for failing to change licence details within a week of their father's death....
Business boosters
Ideas for driving food sales at your pub Dinner party menu Where: the White Bull, Ribchester, Lancashire www.whitebullrib.co.uk The idea: When Chris...
New products
Mellow mood The product: New herbal and fruit infusions and green and white teas Who: Twinings foodservice What: Three new flavours have been added...
Pernod considers Absolut limit
Pernod Ricard could look to rein in the number of Absolut vodka flavours on the market after its purchase of the brand from the Swedish Government....
When Arsène met Alex...
There aren't many teams that can argue with Manchester United's current case for the Premiership title — or even for the Champions League. If last...
Ofcom: 'tell us about Sky'
Survey will investigate market domination A trade group wants licensees' feedback on Sky for its answer to a probe from media regulator Ofcom. The...
Gloves are off over duty rises
MA launches new anti-hike campaign MPs urged to back Early Day Motion The Morning Advertiser is urging pubs to fight plans for massive alcohol tax...
Bar Talk
Has the Budget duty rise had any effect on trade? Kevin Connor Red Lion Withington Manchester It's a bit early to say, but so far we haven't...
My New Pub
Robert Holt Railway Inn Forden, Powys, Wales Agent: GA-Select Robert Holt and family plan to boost turnover by up to 30% over the next year at the...
Leadenhall's Revolution bar has hours pegged back
Inventive Leisure's flagship Revolution vodka bar site in the City of London has had its hours pegged back from 3am to midnight
New petition to curb pubco power
MPs table motion to benefit tenants A new petition calling for action to curb pubco power for the benefit of tenants has been launched by two MPs. As...
China Now for Harbin
Harbin Chinese lager is to be the official beer supplier to China Now, a six-month-long festival of more than 800 Chinese events. The festival...
Drunks crackdown "a waste of money
A controversial Home Office crackdown on problem pubs and bars has been branded "a total waste of money". The £250,000 month-long campaign saw...
Weather, Honeycombe and smoking ban take their toll on Cains
Cains Beer Company, the AIM-listed brewer, has been reported a pre-tax loss of £2.77m for 2007 and in line with other operators remains "cautious"...
Peter Morris is Thwaites MD
Daniel Thwaites, the Lancashire-based brewer and pub operator, has appointed Peter Morris as its new managing director. Morris has joined the company...
Swing time again
It's time to book a place on the Licensed Trade Charity's Annual Golf Tournament in aid of those in the trade who need support Now that spring has...
Q&A
Age no barrier to licence Q. My father recently celebrated his 75th birthday. Is there an upper age limit for the holding of a personal licence? I...
The agent
Stephen Taylor, MD, Guy Simmonds Legislation, legislation, legislation! You really can't escape it. From April 2008, commercial property offered for...
My pub juke box
Mark Hastings communications director at the British Beer & Pub Association, chooses his favourite tracks First record bought: Led Zeppelin II...
Hello gorgeous: not any more sir!
New rules could ban banter at the bar New laws may make banter with the barmaid a thing of the past. Licensees who allow sexist jokes — or even...
Alan Sugar sets pub challenge for The Apprentice
Running a pub food operation was the task of contestants in BBC1's The Apprentice last night
Scots pub ordered to stop using foreign satellite gear
A third Scottish licensee has been ordered by a judge to stop showing live Premier League football using foreign satellite equipment. Lord Drummond...
Greene King unveils seasonal ales
Greene King Brewing Company has unveiled its seasonal cask ale range for 2008. Following the recent popularity of seasonal ales such as Abbot Reserve...
Chef & Brewer trials Horizon sites
'It's evolution — not revolution' Chef & Brewer is set to evolve into Chef & Brewer Horizon. Following the managed company's trial of a...
Going to town on customer service
Putting customers first is a main priority for the pubs at the top end of the MA's Quality Tracker this month. Nigel Huddleston reports When it comes...
The Guv'nor Bill Sharp
Thank goodness for all this lovely red tape While reminding my staff about the importance of not serving alcohol to people who may be under the...
Calming hosts' machine fears
Some readers running family pubs and the like might have been alarmed by the suggestion last week that they could be operating illegally. In...
Wine
Any pub can stock wine. Selling it is the hard part, especially as drinkers are now starting to opt for quality over quantity, says Kelly Smith...
'M&B shares hit three-year low'
Shares in Mitchells & Butlers hit a three-year low yesterday as the pub group warned cash-strapped drinkers would continue to thirst for cheap...