Business

enterprise bill

Government "can do more" to help pubs - despite saving businesses £25m

18-Sep-2015 By Oli Gross

The industry has welcomed an assessment of the Enterprise Bill - which claims it will save businesses £25m a year in total – but some insist “more can be done” to help reduce costs for pubs.

Training

Find a new leader within your ranks

04-Sep-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Teething problems are part and parcel of adding new sites to a business. But by building a good team at established sites, which is strong enough to drive growth, multiple-site operators can focus their energy on getting new sites off the ground.

Knockout blow for 158 Punch pub licensees

02-Sep-2015 By Ed Bedington

Interestingly enough, following on from my last piece on paranoia and the pub trade, Punch seemed determined to underline this by selling off a lot of pubs that it has been suggested would have been moving down the market rent-only option (MRO) route.

Google advice competition revealed by pubs minister

02-Jul-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Community pubs minister Marcus Jones has announced a new prize that will give bars and restaurants the digital skills they need to attract new customers.

How to run a successful seasonal business

22-Jun-2015 By Laurie Macdonald

Seasonal businesses are a difficult task to take on. While the prospect of an almost guaranteed busy on season is attractive, the trails of a slow off season can challenge even experienced publicans. Laurie MacDonald takes an in depth look at how to make...

Protection needed against 'malicious' online reviews

19-Jun-2015 By Oli Gross

Licensed retailers are calling for protection from malicious online reviews after a report concluded that many may be unlawful.

It's the pub experience that's key to success

15-Jun-2015 By Ed Bedington

“You don’t sell beer, you sell an experience. If you don’t offer that experience, you’re buggered.”

Technology

Zonal announces liveRes deal

05-May-2015 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Zonal Retail Data Systems has announced the acquisition of online bookings company liveRES, a deal it said would create the UK’s “most sophisticated and innovative online booking and table management system”.

Challenges of a lease

11-Mar-2015 By Jessica Mason

Carmel Daly-Fletcher, BII Licensee of the Year 1998, has been widely recognised as being one of the top pub managers in the country. But when she made the transition from manager to leaseholder, even with her first-class credentials, she found it a challenging...

Pubs’ prompt to apply for government growth vouchers

27-Jan-2015 By Mike Berry

Pubs are being reminded to apply for the chance to claim up to £2,000 worth of subsidised specialist business advice before March’s deadline.

Smeg UK announces new regional sales team

07-Jan-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Domestic appliance and equipment manufacturer Smeg UK has announced the appointment of a new commercial foodservice regional sales team.

Reader Survey: Let us know your information needs

29-Sep-2014 By Mike Berry

Tell us your views on the topics that are valuable to you and the information you rate as essential to run your pub business.

Demand for fair business rates

26-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Last week, more than 100 companies, including leading firms in the pub trade, signed an open letter calling for an overhaul of the business rates system. They labelled the tax as a “critical problem” that is “no longer fit for the 21st century”. Ahead...

Leading industry figures sign open letter demanding business rates overhaul

16-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

More than 100 companies, including leading firms in the pub trade, have signed an open letter calling for an overhaul of the business rates system.

Mulholland insists he was ‘never likely’ to be on pubs code committee

08-Sep-2014 By James Wallin

Greg Mulholland, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, has explained his absence from the committee to discuss the pubs code.

Councils still failing to correctly inform businesses about rates refunds

01-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

More than 90% of councils have have not informed firms that they are still able to back-date a claim under the Small Business Rates Relief scheme, according to a new study.

Multiple operators may miss out on business rate relief

25-Jun-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

European legislative restrictions could mean multiple operators missing out on receiving the business rate relief they were promised if they have already been given other aid.

BBPA outlines proposals to help small businesses

16-Jun-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has proposed amending the definition of small businesses and introducing new rules that force councils to “be more transparent” in regards to business rate relief.

Licensee blasts bank over rise in interest rates

20-Mar-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

A Welsh licensee has hit out at HSBC after the bank doubled interest rates on two business overdrafts.

Cumbrian pub is runner-up in Britain’s Friendliest Business competition

07-Mar-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

A Cumbrian pub has finished runner-up in a national competition to find the UK’s friendliest business after judges praised its strong community ethos.

BBPA welcomes Welsh Government extension of Small Business Rate Relief

07-Feb-2014 By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the Welsh Government’s decision to extend Small Business Rate Relief to March 2015.

Big six energy suppliers to reduce back billing period to 12 months

23-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

All of the ‘big six’ energy suppliers have confirmed they will reduce the period for back billing small businesses to 12 months next year.

Autumn statement: Chancellor offers business rates help for pubs

05-Dec-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Chancellor George Osborne has promised pubs with a rateable value of under £50,000 a rebate of £1,000 over the next two years.

BBPA asks Chancellor for business rates and beer duty help

04-Dec-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer & Pub Association has written to Chancellor George Osborne urging him to extend Small Business Rate Relief in the Autumn Statement.

SABMiller scholarships to help enforce responsible drinking

26-Nov-2013 By Lewis Brown

Scholarships giving people a qualification in responsible retailing are being offered by a brewer as part of the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal on alcohol.

Punch wins National Business Award

14-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Punch Taverns was announced 'Business Enabler of the Year' at the National Business Awards in London earlier this week.

The Big Interview: Rufus Hall, Orchid

07-Nov-2013 By Rob Willock

Orchid boss Rufus Hall is on a charm offensive as he tells Rob Willock the story of the group’s rise and rise from the ashes of a pre-pack to a successful estate of 250 pubs that are positively blooming.

Council flaws hit business rate relief take-up

06-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

Fewer than 20% of councils have clear and up-to-date guidance on how to apply small business rate relief, meaning that many firms miss out on the assistance, according to a study from Oxfordshire-based chartered surveyors Bankier Sloan.

Petition urges rates relief for pop-ups

05-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

A petition has been launched urging retailers of ‘pop-up’ premises to be able to qualify for three months’ business rates relief.

Trade associations join forces to launch 'Better Rates for Pubs' campaign

22-Oct-2013 By Michelle Perrett

A range of trade associations have joined together to launch a campaign on business rates called‘Better Rates for Pubs’

Pubs among small businesses with worst credit scores, says new survey

04-Oct-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Company credit scores are not being taken seriously by small businesses, especially pubs, even though they can inflate the cost of overheads by up to 30%, according to research from price comparison service makeitcheaper.com.

Four of 'big six' energy suppliers to end automatic rollover contracts

19-Sep-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Four of the ‘big six’ energy suppliers have confirmed they will be terminating the use of automatic rollover business contracts, following British Gas’s lead in July.

High street review calls for levy and 2015 business rates revaluation

04-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A new report into the future of high streets has called for a one-off levy for businesses, and for the Government to reintroduce the 2015 business rates revaluation.

British Gas to stop selling auto-rollover business energy contracts

17-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas will stop selling auto-rollover business energy contracts from 1 September 2013.

Booker profits in first quarter

10-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Food wholesaler Booker Group has reported a 1% rise in like-for-like sales excluding its Makro business in the 12 weeks to 21 June, with non-tobacco up 3.1% and tobacco down 2.5% on a like-for-like basis.

Top tips for making the most of online reviews

11-Jun-2013 By Elliot Adams

Customer reviews are playing an increasingly important role on the success of a business. These days everyone has an opinion on the experience they have and they want to share with people in a similar situation. Reviews have the potential to boost sales...

Pub finance broker sets up crowd-funding website for licensees

02-May-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A pub finance broker is to set up a crowd-funding website for licensees planning to buy their next site, or who are in need of general funding.

Wholesaler Palmer & Harvey targets pubs with launch of new food division

17-Apr-2013 By Jo Bruce

Delivered wholesaler Palmer & Harvey is targeting pubs with the launch of a new food division.

Star Pubs & Bars to roll out new mystery visitor programme

21-Feb-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Star Pubs & Bars is rolling out a new mystery visitor programme to help its lessees ensure their retails standards are of the highest quality.

Pub borrowing to be 'slightly cheaper', says Acorn Commercial Finance

06-Feb-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs are set to find it easier and cheaper to gain access to finance as a bank aimed at lending to small businesses has cut its fees for brokers.

Bar and restaurant sector is the UK's most distressed

04-Feb-2013

Bars and restaurants experienced the biggest increase in business distress of all industries in the final quarter of last year, according to new figure from Begbies Traynor.

Alcohol Strategy plans for Cumulative Impact Zones will cost £18.9m

05-Dec-2012 By John Harrington

Plans to add a health-related licence objective for venues in cumulative impact areas (CIAs) will cost the industry £18.9m per year, according to Government estimates.

FSB urges Government to improve business insurance cover in high-risk flood areas

30-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has raised concerns that many businesses in high-risk flood areas cannot get adequate insurance cover and will have to pay out themselves to repair damage.

Licensee sets up petition calling for 'urgent review' of business rates

31-Oct-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has set up a Government petition asking the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for an “urgent review of the business rates system”.

Hospitality sector business survival rate lower than average

31-Oct-2012 By M&C Report

The survival rate among pub, restaurant and hotel businesses that were on the brink of collapse in 2006 was significantly lower than the average among troubled UK firms, new figures show.

Nottingham’s pub BID to join forces with Nottingham Retail BID

18-Sep-2012 By Michelle Perrett

Nottingham’s Leisure Business Improvement District (BID) is to join forces with its retail counterpart, the Nottingham Retail BID, creating one of the largest single BIDs in the country.

British Gas teams with Plain English Campaign to help pubs understand energy bills

23-Jul-2012 By Adam Pescod

British Gas has teamed up with the Plain English Campaign to help pubs and other small businesses understand the “complex jargon” which often hinders them getting the best energy deal.

Top Tips: Raising funds for your pub business

18-Jul-2012 By Phil Mellows

Looking to grow your pub empire? Think there’s a shortage of money around? Well, think again. There are plenty of potential investors out there — it’s just that the organisations who have got it, are afraid to use it.

MP vows action on fairer pub business rates calculations

14-Jun-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Business secretary Vince Cable’s new parliamentary private secretary has vowed to introduce a bill in Parliament to change the way business rates are calculated for pubs and small businesses.

Businesses are missing out on opportunities to cut energy bills

13-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

Nearly half (47%) of businesses, including pubs, are overlooking simple opportunities to cut their energy bills, despite more than two thirds (68%) making operational efficiency their top priority in 2012, according to new research by British Gas.