Business

Rishi Sunak ‘most suitable of PM contenders’

12-Jul-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

While former chancellor Rishi Sunak was the most popular of the contenders vying for the role of Prime Minister with The Morning Advertiser (MA) readers, most of the votes were in favour of none of the candidates.

Arc Inspirations to accelerate expansion with £19m BGF investment

13-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Bar operator Arc Inspirations is set to accelerate its growth after securing a £19m investment from growth capital investor BGF, for a minority stake in the Martin Wolstencroft-led business.

Spring Statement March 2022

Sunak silent on VAT in Spring Statement

23-Mar-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Chancellor made no reference to keeping the VAT rate at 12.5% permanently in the Spring Statement on Wednesday 23 March, meaning the rate will rise to 20% in April.

Shepherd Neame scores four-year deal with Bromley Football Club

18-Feb-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Shepherd Neame has secured a new four-year pouring rights partnership with National League team Bromley Football Club.

‘Gov trying to get balance right’ with Plan B

10-Dec-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Government has brought in “proportionate measures” and is “trying to get the balance right” small business Paul Scully has said.

Business rates relief cap could 'strangle recovery'

26-Mar-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Trade body UKHospitality (UKH) has warned the business rates relief cap will endanger thousands of venues.

Insurance ruling led to 'more confusion' among operators

11-Feb-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Many operators have been left disappointed after initially believing they were eligible for an insurance payout following a landmark court ruling.

Business investment in hospitality sector plummets by almost 70%

22-Oct-2020 By Stuart Stone

Business investment in the hospitality sector fell by 68.8% year-on-year in Q2 as coronavirus continued to stifle the economy, according to data from specialist tax relief consultancy Catax.

Insurers' appeal 'another nail in the coffin' for trade'

05-Oct-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Insurers’ decision to appeal a legal judgement on business interruption insurance payouts has been dubbed another ‘nail in the coffin’ for struggling pubs.

What can we expect from the pub trade in 2020?

02-Jan-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

This year has seen a host of mergers and acquisitions plus the intrusion of Brexit and a general election yet trade professionals are hopeful 2020 will bring more certainty.

'Resilient' drinks-led businesses lead boost in sector sales

15-Feb-2018 By Georgina Townshend

The success of drinks-led businesses in January drove collective managed pub and restaurant like-for-like sales in January up 0.6%, according to data from Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

Two pubs a DAY have 'disappeared' since last April's business rates changes

05-Feb-2018 By Georgina Townshend

Two pubs a day have either been demolished or converted into other types of use such as homes and offices since last April’s business rates changes, according to analysis of Government data by real estate adviser Altus Group.

Booker reports sales rise

11-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Food wholesaler Booker has announced that its total sales rose by 3.4% in the last quarter of 2017, with like-for-like sales up by 3.8%.

Reshuffle: MP Andrew Griffiths becomes Small Business Minister

10-Jan-2018 By Claire Churchard

Prominent pub-supporting MP Andrew Griffiths has been promoted in the Government reshuffle, becoming Small Business Minister at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

ALMR welcomes proposals to reform business rates

18-Dec-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has embraced business rates reform schemes from both the Scottish Finance Minister and the London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Big interview: Oliver and William Robinson, Robinsons brewery and pub company

25-Oct-2017 By Ed Bedington

With a brewing legacy stretching back over six generations to 1838, that’s a lot to contend with, but for cousins Oliver and William Robinson it’s not a case of looking back but facing forward and driving the Stockport-based business onwards and upwards...

Brakspear expands with new appointments

24-Oct-2017 By Fred A'Court

Pub operator and brewer Brakspear is on the expansion trail with a growing managed estate.

Rates relief

Government list shines light on progress for pubs rates relief

20-Oct-2017 By Claire Churchard

Pubs still waiting for business rates relief can now check if their council has started distributing the money as the Government has published a progress list.

Free-from food is top food trend in 2017

26-Sep-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Free-from food has been the top food trend for 2017 with 38% of consumers demanding it from pubs, according to data experts.

Minister puts pressure on local authorities over rate relief

18-Sep-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Local authorities have come under pressure to provide rate relief to pubs after the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Communities and Local Government and ex-pubs minister Marcus Jones said the pace had “not been acceptable”.

Carlsberg UK boss spills the beans on brewer's future

14-Sep-2017 By Ed Bedington

When Julian Momen was appointed CEO at Carlsberg he decided the brewer had to take a different, and more edgy, path to reap a better future.

St Austell wins West of England Business of Year

08-Sep-2017 By Michelle Perrett

St Austell Brewery has won the top accolade as 2017 West of England Business of Year, for businesses with turnover in excess of £30m.

Training significantly grows spirits sales in pubs

06-Sep-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Premium spirits sales could be given a 16.9% boost if operators invest in the right training for staff, the results of a new Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) study have shown.

Stop using pubs as ‘cash cows’, reform business rates now, says ALMR

20-Jun-2017 By Fred A'Court

The Government should push ahead with a wholesale root and branch reform of the rates system that was promised at this year’s Spring Budget and during election campaigning, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has said in a letter to...

General election 2017

General election 2017: manifesto round-up

06-Jun-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

With the snap general election just hours away (Thursday 8 June), The Morning Advertiser has summarised what each party has pledged for pubs.

Bookers bucks challenging market with record sales and profit

18-May-2017 By Helen Gilbert

Bookers has reported its ‘best sales and profit’ on record despite a ‘challenging market’, its latest figures show. 

Business rates reform ‘critical’ as ‘burden reaches tipping point’

05-May-2017 By Claire Churchard, Georgina Townshend

Fundamental business-rates reform is “even more critical” now the country faces the challenges of negotiating its future relationship with Europe, a group of eight leading trade bodies has told the main political parties.

Bidvest Foodservice to rebrand as Bidfood

17-Feb-2017 By Daniel Woolfson

Bidvest Foodservice, the national food wholesaler, is changing its name to Bidfood.

Chancellor warned business rates could 'paralyse' pubs

13-Feb-2017 By Liam Coleman

Pubs are in danger of being 'paralysed' by new business rates, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has warned after writing to the Chancellor calling for rates reform.

Booker merges with Tesco in £3.7bn deal

27-Jan-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Booker and supermarket giant Tesco have announced they have agreed terms to merge in a huge £3.7bn deal.

Autumn Statement

ALMR: Government must support ‘struggling’ businesses

24-Nov-2016 By Sara Hussein

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has criticised the lack of support for “struggling” businesses in yesterday’s Autumn Statement (Wednesday 23 November).

BEER

Brewery slams 'violent and aggressive' alcohol watchdog ruling on Psycho beer

07-Nov-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

The director of Eden Brewery has expressed his disappointment after the Portman Group ruled that one of its products encouraged “violent and aggressive behaviour”.

Wholesalers

Booker’s sales up by 13%

17-Oct-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

Booker’s sales are up 13% for the first half of the financial year (H1) to £2.5bn.

Business rates

Q&A on the 2017 business rates revaluation

13-Oct-2016 By Liam Coleman

With the dust settling on the announcement of provisional business rates for 2017 onwards, we take a look at the essential questions ahead of the new rates being introduced in April 2017 with some help from Christie & Co's property valuer Adam...

Works Must Pay

How roadworks hell ruined my pub, and I was left without a voice

20-Sep-2016 By Oli Gross

Jamie Pike, tenant at the Upton Inn, South Gloucestershire, told Oli Gross of the ‘hell’ he experienced when roadworks devastated his pub. Pike contacted the Morning Advertiser after discovering our campaign, Works Must Pay, which is fighting for a fairer...

Roadworks compensation

Works Must Pay: MPs throw weight behind roadworks campaign

20-Sep-2016 By Oli Gross

The Morning Advertiser’s roadworks compensation campaign, Works Must Pay, continues to gather momentum as MPs throw their weight behind the fight for a fairer system for pubs

Coffer Peach Business Tracker

Strong summer performance for managed pubs

15-Sep-2016 By Daniel Woolfson

Managed pub and restaurant groups performed well over the summer despite worries customers would spend less because of June’s Brexit vote.

Wholesalers

Booker’s hefty rise in Q2 sales

15-Sep-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

The Booker Group has reported a 15.2% rise in total sales for the second quarter of the year, driven by a steady rise in catering and small business customers.

Cider

Cider industry 'remains challenging'

07-Sep-2016 By James Evison

Aston Manor remain bullish with export growth despite drop in UK sales.

Marketing

7 ways to be a digital marketer

26-Jul-2016 By Chris Lowe

Digital marketing is a must for any business, big or small. It can be daunting, but fear not, there’s a lot you can do on a modest budget to start or enhance your journey. 

Rural business rates

'We shouldn't be paying': Councils urged to use business rates powers

16-Jun-2016 By Oli Gross

Pressure is mounting on local councils to use their powers to help small rural pubs reduce their business rates, after revelations urban equivalents are benefiting from favourable discounts.

Business rates

Hope for rural business rates cut after licensee anger

09-Jun-2016 By Oli Gross

Rural licensees have been left outraged after discovering they are now liable for higher business rates than their urban equivalents.

Spirits

Maxxium to focus on London and cities after head office shuffle

08-Jun-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Branded spirits supplier Maxxium will restructure its business to better reflect the modern-day spirits market and to capitalise in growth areas, such as major UK cities.

Legislation

Retroactive powers for pubs code adjudicator

04-Mar-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Trade still waiting for the name of the pubs code adjudicator with the role active from May 2016.

Finance

Late payments still issue for craft brewers as govt reveals small businesses owed £32k

05-Feb-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Late payments are still a major headache for craft brewers according to Cloudwater Brew Co founder Paul Jones, despite attempts from the Government to tackle the issue.

Pubco reform campaigners join forces to form super group

17-Dec-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Pub company reform campaigners band together to form the British Pub Confederation.

Autumn statement

Licensees 'distraught' after extra tax burden is revealed

03-Dec-2015 By Oli Gross

Licensees have reacted angrily to the news that three quarters of pubs will have to stomach an extra £1,500 a year tax burden, which could be the tipping point “between life and death” for many businesses.

Legislation

Autumn Statement reaction: Punitive tax hike risks endangering livelihoods

25-Nov-2015 By Oli Gross

As George Osborne unveiled Government's spending plans, it was what he didn’t say that grabbed the trade’s attention.

M&B reports revenue up 6.6%

24-Nov-2015 By MC Allegra FS

Mitchells & Butlers has reported like-for-like sales up 0.8% for the year to 26 September with revenue up 6.6% to £2.1bn.

Caution over business rates revise

19-Oct-2015 By Emily Sutherland

The trade has given George Osborne’s shake-up of business rates a cautious welcome, despite some fears that squeezed councils will use pubs as ‘cash cows’ to generate extra income.