Portman bites back
03-Feb-2003
Jean Coussins, chief executive of The Portman Group, defends the trade watchdog against criticisms levelled by The Publican's Ben McFarland.A few...
High streets, low prices
03-Feb-2003
Mark Stretton asks whether Ted Tuppen was right in saying Enterprise was benefiting from discounting.Last week Ted Tuppen, chief executive of...
Trade group alerts publicans to measures danger
31-Jan-2003
Customers are at risk of accidentally drinking too much because licensees are failing to give sufficient information on measures.The Federation of...
Industry warned to stop 'irresponsible' drinks promotions
31-Jan-2003
Campaigners have issued a stern warning to the drinks industry to stop promoting unlimited-drinks offers before the government intervenes.Pubs that...
Thirsty northerners are drinking their southern counterparts
30-Jan-2003
Drinkers up north knock back an average 11 pints each week against just seven managed by their southern counterparts. The poll, commissioned jointly...
Hog's Heads are a hit
30-Jan-2003
by Tony Halstead Laurel is to roll out its new-look Hog's Head pub concept to 10 further sites across the UK from next month. It follows successful...
People prefer to drink at home, says Mintel survey
29-Jan-2003
Sitting at home with a beer in front of the telly has been confirmed as a more popular pastime than a visit to the local.According to the Mintel...
A watchdog with bite?
27-Jan-2003
Ben McFarland asks if The Portman Group is doing enough to guard the industry's reputation.At the end of last year, The Portman Group announced...
Church groups call for health warning on drinks
27-Jan-2003
The Salvation Army and the Methodist church are calling for cigarette-style health warnings to be printed on all drinks products and adverts.The...
Winter warmers
23-Jan-2003
The fact that Christmas and New Year are over with does not necessarily mean that spring is just around the corner. Far from it January, February...
The demon drink?
21-Jan-2003
A recent report in The Guardian laid the blame for underage drinking firmly at the door of 'alcopops'. Phil Mellows investigates.My mum was a teenage...
Perez gets his Kicks at GBL
20-Jan-2003
Six years after nearly losing his house, Steve Perez has transformed GBL International into a £60m-a-year success story. Mark Stretton reports.Steve...
Success for Crimestoppers campaign to "shop" drink drivers
16-Jan-2003
Licensees are being asked to continue throwing their weight behind a campaign to "shop" drink drivers.The Crimestoppers controversial campaign, which...
Pubs and bars will suffer if consumers cut back on spending
16-Jan-2003
Pubs and bars could be the first to suffer if consumers are forced to cut-back on spending, says a new report from consultants KPMG. KPMG's Consumer...
High street discounts war fiercest yet
16-Jan-2003
by Tony Halstead Pub companies have stepped up the high street discount battleby launching January offers to compete with the traditional JD...
GBL shelves new factory after tax hit
16-Jan-2003
GBL International, maker of VK Vodka Kick, has shelved plans to build a new factory because of Gordon Brown's 65 per cent tax hike on spirit-based...
Bar wars a phantom menace
09-Jan-2003
Did you know that we live in an "alcoholic nation"? According to a major article in The Guardian on 2 January by Martin Kettle, Britain floats on an...
'Alcopops' blamed for teenage binge-drinking
20-Dec-2002
Health experts are blaming 'alcopops' for an all-time high in teenage binge drinking.Worrying figures show that the average alcohol consumption of...
Roadside clampdown
12-Dec-2002
High-profile roadside checks are being carried out by West Midlands Police officers in a crackdown on drink drivers and those who take drugs and...
Smirnoff Ice faces
12-Dec-2002
investigation in US American regulators have begun an inquiry into Smirnoff Ice as part of a wider inquiry into the flavoured malt-beverage category....
UK drinks giant distances itself from stateside Smirnoff Ice contoversy
11-Dec-2002
Diageo UK has dismissed allegations that its leading Smirnoff Ice premium packaged spirit (PPS) brand doesn't contain any Smirnoff vodka.Following...
'I'll be Des' campaign relaunched
10-Dec-2002
The Portman Group has relaunched its anti-drink drive campaign 'I'll be Des' in partnership with Coors Brewers and delivery company...
Food sales up for JD Wetherspoon
06-Dec-2002
Food sales are on the up at award-winning pub chain JD Wetherspoon while its infamous cheap drinks have proved less popular.The company, which was...
Alcohol Concern demands flexibility on drink measures
06-Dec-2002
Alcohol Concern, the national agency on alcohol misuse, is urging licensees to publicise the size of its alcohol measures over the Christmas...
Drinks industry blamed for binge-drinking and health problems
05-Dec-2002
The drinks industry is under fire yet again - this time being blamed for regional health problems and binge-drinking.A leading health expert last...
Short 'pit-stop' lunches could hit pub sales
04-Dec-2002
Daytime pub food sales could suffer if the trend for shorter lunch breaks continues, according to new figures.A report by Reuters Business Insight...
Customers plan to snub longer hours
04-Dec-2002
Nearly half of pub customers will continue to go home at the normal 11pm closing time - even if they are drinking in a pub that opens longer.That's...
JD Wetherspoon: pub prices set to fall
29-Nov-2002
A sharp fall in the cost of buying a pub is on the cards, according to JD Wetherspoon.The drop in prices is expected as operators cut back on...
Why pump's not on for kids
28-Nov-2002
QA licensee friend of mine claims that you wrote that bottled shandy is allowed for children, but pump shandy is not. Can you comment on this and...
Food Fortnight a success for pubs
26-Nov-2002
The first British Food Fortnight has been declared a big success by organisers the Countryside Alliance.More than 15 million people took part in the...
Kyndal goes out on the L'ush
22-Nov-2002
Kyndal Spirits has expanded its portfolio for the first time since securing Scotland's biggest ever management buy-out last year.The Glasgow-based...
Child's play for pubs
21-Nov-2002
One of the most contentious issues of the recent Licensing Bill sees children of all ages allowed into pubs. Nicola Collenette explains what it...
Reaction from the industry to licensing reform announcement
14-Nov-2002
As the government confirmed its plans to make the biggest change in licensing laws for 90 years, key industry figures offer their reactions.Nick...
Focus on reform
14-Nov-2002
The government has finally told the trade and pub-goers what they want to hear - licensing laws will be reformed, paving the way for pubs to open...
Football in pubs pulls in more females than ever
14-Nov-2002
More women than ever are watching football in pubs, according to new research carried out for Sky TV.However, female fans are choosier than their...
Licensees up in arms over Sky's new advertising campaign
07-Nov-2002
Sky has come under heavy fire for its new advertising campaign, which encourages viewers to stay at home rather than go down the pub.The national...
Wetherspoon's latest cut-price drinks promotion blasted
07-Nov-2002
Pub group JD Wetherspoon has been slated following its latest cut-price drinks promotion.Bill Sharp, of the Guild of Master Victuallers, has accused...
Drinks companies blamed for underage drinking
06-Nov-2002
Drinks companies are being blamed for children as young as 11 drinking to excess.A new report by charity Alcohol Concern shows that one in five...
Short lunches hit pub profits
24-Oct-2002
The traditional pub lunch is suffering because lunch hours are becoming shorter, with the average break now lasting just 27 minutes.Many licensees...
Stocking up for Christmas
24-Oct-2002
The festive season offers a great opportunity for pubs to attract new customersThis December around £2bn will be jingling through pub tills - and...
MP slams demise of traditional pub
23-Oct-2002
The demise of the traditional pub has led to the growth in binge-drinking among teenagers, according to a Dudley MP.Ross Cranston, MP for Dudley...
Financial crisis sees Bulmers' new products 'under review'
22-Oct-2002
Bulmers has placed its entire new product development programme (NPD) "under review" as the company looks to concentrate on its core beer and cider...
Martini goes back to its Italian roots with new ad campaign
21-Oct-2002
Mamma Mia! Martini Vermouth is being taken back to its Italian roots as part of a major repositioning of the brand.Owner Bacardi-Martini is returning...
Charging a fee to enter pubs
17-Oct-2002
Q I used to believe it was illegal for a pub to charge an entrance fee. However, I recently visited another entertainment pub not far from mine where...
New Hog's Heads are in a hurry for success
10-Oct-2002
by The PMA Team Laurel Pub Company has unveiled its first five re-styled Hogsheads, which are called Hog's Heads. The company has opened five Hog's...
Laurel Pub Company wants to reinvent the pub proposition wit
10-Oct-2002
This is about a new experience with a big change in service style and the way our team approaches service." The old Hogshead barrel disappears from...
Drinking water provision
10-Oct-2002
QWe have been told that we have to provide free drinking water in this restaurant. We have bottled water on our wine list. Where does this idea come...
Mexican rave
10-Oct-2002
Corona Extra has surged ahead of Sol to become the UK's top imported Mexican beer. According to research by AC Nielsen, Corona Extra is now ranked...
Softly softly to bring in Christmas cash
10-Oct-2002
Pubs stand to make an extra £25m this Christmas if they embark on a three-pronged plan to encourage people to consume more soft drinks. Sue Garfitt,...
Eat, drink and be merry. So the old saying goes. What if peo
03-Oct-2002
Yet despite the ever-increasing demand for snacks and confectionery, there is plenty of evidence that the licensed trade is missing out on making...
