2016

‘Food pubs are not dead’ says Shepherd Neame boss

06-Mar-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Recent upheaval in the casual-dining sphere does not signal the death of the eating-out market, but highlights the pitfalls of “putting all your eggs in one basket” instead of offering variety, according to Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame....

Family pub visits “fell in 2017”

02-Mar-2018 By MCA Editorial

Family visits to pubs saw a decline in the year ending December 2017, according to the latest NPD Pub Tracker.

Plymouth scheme scoops top honours at Best Bar None awards

06-Feb-2018 By Stuart Stone

The longest-running scheme nominated at the 2017 Best Bar None awards won the prize for Best Overall Scheme at a ceremony hosted by Lord Smith of Hindhead CBE at the House of Lords on 5 February.

Finalists announced in National Best Bar None awards

23-Jan-2018 By Stuart Stone

Bolton, Sheffield, Plymouth and Torquay have made it through to the final of the ‘National Best Bar None awards’ to be presented at a reception at the House of Lords on 5 February.

Chef & Brewer offering free meals to Macmillan nurses

12-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Greene King country pub arm Chef & Brewer is offering free meals to all Macmillan professionals this month (January).

Beds & Bars reports 'another successful year' for 2017

08-Jan-2018 By Georgina Townshend

Backpacker bar and hostel operator Beds & Bars has reported that like-for-like sales have increased 5% year on year, rising to £47.7m from April 2016 to March 2017 despite "political, social and economical obstacles hitting the businesses hard".

Oakman Inns reports 'strong sales and profit growth' over 2016/17

04-Jan-2018 By Georgina Townshend

Oakman Inns has reported a strong performance over 2016/17, with group turnover up by 20.4% at £23.3m and like-for-like sales up 3.5% - despite being "negatively impacted" by the weakness of sterling and a snowy Christmas period.

Licensee feels MRO application is taking a 'billion years’ to process

07-Dec-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A licensee has expressed his utter frustration after having no decision made on his market-rent-only (MRO) option application after more than 14 months.

Men paid 14p an hour more than women

06-Nov-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Male workers in the hospitality sector are paid more per hour than women, research from software company Fourth has revealed.

New World Trading Company sales up by 33% on last year

05-Oct-2017 By Helen Gilbert

New openings and positive like-for-like sales have helped New World Trading Company (NWTC) increase sales by 33% to £40.1m for the year ended 31 March 2017.

Operator awarded £1 after manager stole £21k

18-Sep-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A Suffolk publican has hit out after being awarded £1 from a former manager who admitted stealing more than £20,000 from the premises over the course of a few months.

CAMRA implements emergency cost-saving measures

31-Aug-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A potential shortfall in income has lead Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) leaders to take evasive action and put cost-saving measures in place, the organisation revealed in a letter to members.

Adjudicator raises £1.5m from pubcos in levies

24-Jul-2017 By James Wallin, MCA

The Pubs Code Adjudicator’s office raised a total levy of £1.5m in 2016/17 from the six pubcos covered by the legislation.

Sport in pubs ‘clear way to drive footfall’ and add to bottom line

14-Jul-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Rather than sport being a cost to your business, it can add to your bottom line, according to CGA Strategy’s commercial director.

Pug Pubs puts expansion plans on hold

05-Jul-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Pug Pubs, the three-strong pub chain, has put plans for rapid expansion on the backburner to focus on its current operation.

Low MRO numbers caused by 'complex and convoluted procedures'

05-Jun-2017 By Liam Coleman

Billed as a ‘new dawn’ for tenants last July, take-up for the market-rent-only (MRO) option has proved slow ever since. What has gone wrong with this critical tenet of the pubs code?

Council reverses ACV decision for pub Co-op wants to demolish

18-May-2017 By Liam Coleman

A Sheffield pub that the Co-op wanted to demolish has been granted asset of community value (ACV) status.

Ei sees significant drop in income from MRO pubs

17-May-2017 By Liam Coleman

Pubco Ei has estimated that it will see an 18% reduction in net income from each of the pubs that have taken the market-rent-only (MRO) option and gone free of tie.

Will licensee optimism continue to rise?

17-May-2017 By Peter Linden, market analysis manager, MCA Insight

In the Pub Market Report conducted by MCA Insight and the MA last year, the key finding was that licensees were increasingly positive about trading.

Old chicken and a bloody, greasy fridge land pub with £7,000 bill

10-Apr-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

A Hertfordshire licensee has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 after it was found serving chicken breasts two days out-of-date to customers.

Publican Awards Winners: Best Operations Team, sponsored by Farm Frites - New World Trading Company

16-Mar-2017 By The MA

New World Trading Company (NWTC) completed its buyout from Living Ventures in June last year. The business has already grown from 14 sites and revenues of £30m through to 16 sites and sales of £40m.

Publican Awards Winners: Best Accommodation Operator, sponsored by Hospitality Gem - The Coaching Inn Group

15-Mar-2017 By The MA

Successfully rebranded as the Coaching Inn Group in 2015, this fast-developing and well-funded pub company is acquiring, refurbishing and breathing new life into faded and underperforming historic market-town coaching inns. 

Tied tenants to protest outside PCA Newby's office

01-Mar-2017 By Daniel Woolfson

A protest calling for the resignation of pubs code adjudicator (PCA) Paul Newby later this month has been planned by tied tenants and the Pubs Advisory Service (PAS). 

Meet the Publican Awards nominees: Best New Pub/Bar, sponsored by Heineken

16-Jan-2017 By Liam Coleman

Six varied and impressive new sites from a selection of innovative operators are in the running to be named as Best New Pub/Bar, sponsored by Heineken at the upcoming Publican Awards.

Property

Five out of every six pubs sold in 2016 remained as pubs

13-Jan-2017 By Liam Coleman

Christie & Co has reported that 83% of pubs sold in 2016 remained as pubs – with only 6% being converted into houses.

Publican Awards

Meet the Publican Awards nominees: Best Managed Pub Company (51+ sites), sponsored by CPL Training

03-Jan-2017 By Liam Coleman

Here are the four managed pub companies that are in with a chance of being presented with the Publican Award for Best Managed Pub Company (51+ sites), sponsored by CPL Training by Jonathan Ross at March's Publican Awards.

Publican Awards

Meet the Publican Awards nominees: Best Tenanted/Leased Pub Company (201+ sites), sponsored by Kuehne & Nagel

21-Dec-2016 By Liam Coleman

Four pub companies will be competing for Best Tenanted/Leased Pub Company (201+ sites), sponsored by Kuehne & Nagel at March's Publican Awards.

Gallery

Gallery: Pub openings November 2016

05-Dec-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

The Morning Advertiser takes a look at the new pub openings, investments and makeovers in November.

Pubs code

MRO taken by just four Admiral licensees

05-Dec-2016 By Liam Coleman

Only four Admiral Taverns licensees have taken up the option of MRO since the legislation became law in July 2016, the company's financial results have revealed.

Openings

Gallery: Pub openings October 2016

01-Nov-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

The Morning Advertiser looks at new openings and renovations in October.

Openings

Gallery: Pub openings September 2016

29-Sep-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

The Morning Advertiser takes a look at the sites which have opened and been refurbished this month.

Events

MRO: More roadshows for tenants

01-Sep-2016 By James Evison

More road shows have been announced by PAS and the ALMR, BII & FLVA following the first successful round of MRO workshops.

Openings

Pub openings August 2016

30-Aug-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

The Morning Advertiser takes a look at pubs which have been refurbished and reopened in August.

Brexit

Pub market defies Brexit fears

19-Aug-2016 By Liam Coleman

There are no signs of short-term post-Brexit woes in the pub property market, as figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker show that pub and restaurant sales have increased in July 2016 compared to July 2015.

Legislation

The journey to the pubs code

17-Aug-2016 By James Evison

On 18 November 2014, MPs voted in favour of the market rent only-option (MRO) in the pubs code. It’s been a long time coming, but finally the promise of that day has been delivered. The Morning Advertiser looks back on the journey to implementation.

Property

Pub properties on the market - August 2016

16-Aug-2016 By Liam Coleman

Our round up of the best pubs available around the country takes us to west London, Essex, Somerset and Lincolnshire

Pub openings

Pub openings July 2016

28-Jul-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

The Morning Advertiser takes a look at pubs reopened and renovated in July 2016.

Pubs minister: system for calculating business rates 'unlikely' to change

27-May-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Pubs minister Marcus Jones has said that the current system for calculating pub business rates is unlikely to change ahead of next year’s revaluation.

Greene King Leisure Tracker

Atmosphere is key for fans as third go to pubs for Euro 2016

24-May-2016 By Oli Gross

Atmosphere is the most important ingredient in attracting football fans to pubs this summer, according to this month’s Greene King Leisure Tracker.

city news

JD Wetherspoon like-for-like sales up 3.8%

04-May-2016 By Emily Sutherland

JD Wetherspoon has announced like-for-like sales increased by 3.8% in the 13 weeks leading up to 24 April, in line with the most recent six week period reported in the company’s interim results.

Mintel research

More than half of Brits went to pub in January

21-Apr-2016 By Chris Wisson

The Publican’s Morning Advertiser has partnered with market analysts Mintel to provide insight from its new leisure tracker, which covers consumers’ pub visiting habits. Senior analyst Chris Wisson examines the latest findings.

ALMR, BII and FLVA

Q&A on the pubs code & MRO: What it means for licensees - and how it will impact your pub

19-Apr-2016 By ALMR

ALMR, BII and FLVA details what the pubs code means for licensees in a comprehensive Q&A.

Enterprise reveals new 'premium tenancy' agreement

22-Mar-2016 By MCA

Enterprise Inns has unveiled a new ‘premium tenancy’ agreement and announced it is partnering with Laine Pub Company in its managed division.

Careers

Hot Shots: Are you a pub trade rising star?

10-Feb-2016 By Mike Berry

One of the biggest challenges the pub trade faces is attracting new talent and convincing people that the sector offers exciting and viable careers. The Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) wants to meet that challenge head-on and showcase the diversity...

City news

M&B reveals sales drop as Fuller's reports rise

28-Jan-2016 By James Wallin, MC Allegra FS

Mitchells & Butlers has reported a 1% drop in January sales, as Fuller's reports rise of 5.3% across year to date. 

Wetherspoons

Late night levy: JDW to review last call time in Camden venues after council pushes ahead with levy

26-Jan-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Wetherspoons will consider whether to stop selling alcohol at midnight in its Camden venues after the borough pushed ahead with controversial plans to introduce a late-night levy (LNL.)

Analysis

Are there reasons to be optimistic about pub property?

25-Jan-2016 By Ben Winstanley

With Fleurets’ Survey of Pub Prices and the Christie & Co’s Business Outlook 2016 now published, Ben Winstanley takes a closer look at what the two reports have in common and what this tells us about the year ahead

Legislation

National Living Wage: Government urges employers to be prepared

07-Dec-2015 By Ben Winstanley

Pubs have been told to prepare early for the introduction of the new National Living Wage on 1 April 2016 following a government survey which found fewer than half of businesses were ready.

Pubs Code

Draft pubs code could be 'published within a week'

23-Oct-2015 By Mike Berry

The draft statutory pubs code could be published within a week, the PMA understands.

Legal advice

Advice: Timescales clearer on deregulations

09-Apr-2015 By Poppleston Allen

We have been commenting on the Deregulation Bill 2014 for some time and providing updates where possible on the proposed timescales for it receiving royal assent and the Deregulation Act coming into force.