Barrister

Wetherspoon spends £50k on aborted review

21-Apr-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon spent about £50,000 on legal and other fees preparing to defend itself at an aborted licence review for one of its pubs that failed...

Staff parties could fall foul of mandatory alcohol code

04-Mar-2010 By John Harrington

Staff parties and wedding drinks receptions could fall foul of the upcoming mandatory alcohol retailing code, a legal expert has warned. Speaking at...

Tim Martin takes to the stand

13-Nov-2008 By The PMA Team

JD Wetherspoon is suing its former property advisor Van de Berg for fraud and breach of contract. The PMA Team went along to watch founder Tim Martin...

Under 18s can serve behind the bar

31-May-2007 By James Wilmore

Under-18s can serve behind the bar under the new Licensing Act - but every sale has to be approved by a "responsible person".The Department for...

Bar.07 Preview: a wealth of ideas

29-May-2007

There are two ways for the average pub to look on that flash style bar down the road. One is to ignore it and pretend it's got nothing to do with...

London lawyers to challenge Sky

17-Aug-2006

A firm of London solicitors is offering to defend licensees against criminal prosecution for showing foreign satellite football. The firm,...

Back-bar lighting can weaken spirits

17-Feb-2005

Free pourers that haven't been dried and high-intensity back-bar lighting could mean licensees are unwittingly serving weakened spirits and putting...

Now you see 'em­ now you don't

25-Nov-2004

A "disappearing act" by a group of councillors during a licensing hearing at Tamworth in Staffordshire has left solicitors bewildered and a local...

Punch host quits after rent battle

10-Jul-2003

By Claire Hu Punch lessee Brian Freeman is leaving the trade after being left with bills of £25,000 arising from a two-year rent review battle....

Disease-hit pubs launch legal bid for £5bn compensation

11-Jan-2002

Licensees affected by the foot-and-mouth outbreak are to issue the Government with a writ for £5.1bn compensation.The writ will be issued by the...