29-Sep-2011
The past week has been dominated by the latest round in the on-going tenant and pubco debate. But there’s one issue that we can all agree on. Businesses have been hit by wave after wave of cost increases in the past decade. The increase in regulatory...
16-Sep-2011 By Michelle Perrett
Will Clayton, the entrepreneur behind Gresham Inns and Leicester Square wine bar, the Cork & Bottle, claims that many businesses are spending a disproportionate amount of time looking to increase sales, when they are running a business where costs...
Price increases at 3663
16-Sep-2011 By Gurjit Degun
Food-led pubs are set for more doom and gloom over food prices, as foodservice company 3663 has confirmed that it will increase the cost of 35% of its products this month.
02-Sep-2011 By Gurjit Degun
Food-led pubs are having to explore different menu options and cooking techniques in a bid to keep costs down as food inflation reaches 20% on some items.
07-Jul-2011 By John Harrington and Michelle Perrett
Pubcos were attacked for failing to provide information for a national database on rents and other costs for tenants. The Royal Institute of...
01-Jun-2011 By Adam Pescod
A Royal Commission to investigate the pub industry is being recommended by the UK Independence Party. The proposal has been put forward by the...
13-May-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report
Tim Martin has warned rising cost pressures across the pub industry will inevitably lead to price increases.
27-Apr-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report
The cost of eating out in pubs shot up by 7.5% during 2010, pushing up the average price of a dish across all courses to an all-time high of £6.78.
09-Mar-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report
The Restaurant Group (TRG) has reported an increase in margins and profits at its pub restaurants for the 53 weeks to 2 January.
15-Feb-2011 By Gurjit Degun
The BBPA has called for the Government to scrap "record-breaking" tax rises on beer, as the RPI reaches 5.1%
Business Advice: An eye on the health of your business
09-Feb-2011
Nothing prompts a careful (re)assessment of business operations and costs like a recession. Sadly some businesses leave such assessment until it is...
27-Jan-2011 By Ewan Turney
M&B announced a 3.1% like-for-like sales increase for its latest period — an analysts conference call shed more light on its strategy.
27-Jan-2011 By John Harrington
Local councils are pushing for reform of alcohol licence fees in a way that could ratchet up costs for pubs. Town hall lobbyists say fees should...
VAT hike raises fears over January trading
09-Dec-2010 By James Wilmore
Pub operators are bracing themselves for an extra tough New Year - with the VAT hike expected to force the price of a pint up by around 7p. VAT will...
10-Nov-2010 By Paul Wigham
I sat this week on the inaugural meeting of the BII Panel of Professional Advisors and it sparked debate on a number of issues, says Paul Wigham.
29-Oct-2010 By Lesley Foottit
The price of eating out at the pub is becoming more expensive — showing a 5.6% increase on last year — according to hospitality analysts...
25-Oct-2010 By Ewan Turney
Underage drinking, fuelled by the "ludicrously cheap price of alcohol" in supermarkets, is costing the National Health Service £19m a year. The...
05-Jul-2010 By Peter Cripps, The Grocer
The Government has put forward four options to ban below-cost selling of alcohol and is planning to take the proposals to a public consultation...
18-May-2010 By Ewan Turney
Bad news for tied pubco tenants as the Retail Price Index reached a 19-year high in April — it will mean extra rent rises for some.
19-Mar-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report
Mitchells and Butlers (M&B), the embattled managed pub group, has revealed that it will release details of its latest strategic review next week.
12-Mar-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report
Luminar, the embattled nightclub operator, is to start a rigorous cost reduction exercise after revealing it had seen no upturn in recent trading and...
01-Mar-2010 By Sheila McWattie
Building your business doesn't always require ambitious plans and a massive outlay. Sheila McWattie investigates a few cheap, but well-targeted initiatives.
Heineken makes "excellent progress" in UK
23-Feb-2010 By Hamish Champ
Heineken, the Dutch-owned brewer that acquired Scottish & Newcastle two years ago, said it made "excellent progress" in improving its UK...
05-Feb-2010 By Ewan Turney
The Office of Fair Trading's original decision on the beer tie was "robust", according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
02-Feb-2010 By Gemma McKenna
The mandatory code will cost £859 per pub in the first year — £613 more than original estimates. The Home Office estimates the total cost across...
28-Jan-2010 By John Harrington
Manchester brewer JW Lees plans to freeze the wholesale and retail price of its beers during 2010. The brewer said it would be "cynical" to raise...
17-Nov-2009 By The PMA Team
Enterprise Inns has reported a £55m drop in full-year pre-tax profits to £208m for the year to 30 September. Profit after exceptional items was £11m compared to £209m in 2008.
17-Nov-2009 By Ewan Turney
A benchmarking survey of pub operating costs — designed to help in rent calculations — has been opened up to the whole trade for the first time....
'Smoking costs NHS in Wales £1m a day, research reveals'
05-Oct-2009 By James Wilmore
Smoking is costing the NHS in Wales a staggering £1m a day, research today reveals. And the shocking figures show that more than one in five...
Pubs "foolhardy" to raise prices
02-Oct-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Pubs that put up prices by around 10p a pint following tax hikes have been described as "foolhardy" in this year's Good Pub Guide. The annual guide...
Mark Daniels: To Sky or Not To Sky, that's my question
28-Sep-2009
On the one hand, I'd quite like to be able to offer my customers the ability to watch Sky in the pub, but on the other Sky's pricing model is quite...
Mark Daniels: Hypermiling my electricity bill
21-Jul-2009
I've recently purchased a new car. I'm not saying this because I feel I have bragging rights, nor did I do it because I've got plenty of cash to...
17-Jul-2009 By The PMA Team
Nightclub company Luminar has reported same outlet sales fell by 3.3% during the first 18 weeks of the year to 2 July compared to the previous year....
15-Jun-2009 By The PMA Team
Punch Taverns has reported that it has stabilised performance in both its leased and managed division for the 40 weeks to 30 May. Like-for-like...
10-Jun-2009 By Ewan Turney
The cost of a pub meal could drop back to 2006 levels as competition for customers increases, according to one market analyst. Peter Backman of...
Enterprise Inns suspends dividend after profits slide
12-May-2009 By Hamish Champ
Enterprise Inns has announced it is suspending its interim dividend after reporting interim pre-tax profits down £29m at £103m.The UK's second...
08-May-2009 By Tony Halstead
The widening drinks price gap between tenanted and managed pubs grew further this week as the real effect of the Budget duty hike became clear. The...
06-May-2009 By Ewan Turney
JD Wetherspoon recorded a like-for-like sales increase of 0.5% for the 13 weeks to 26 April and is now "slightly more positive" about its prospects.
20-Apr-2009 By Ewan Turney
The price of a pint of real ale has increased by an average of 5.5% since last year's Budget, according to new figures from the Camra.
Nightclubs likely to ramp up cut-price booze deals
24-Mar-2009 By Hamish Champ
The UK's nightclub sector will increasingly use free-entry and all-inclusive admission/drink deals to ride out the recession, according to Mintel,...
Enterprise Inns sets up web "help desk
19-Mar-2009
Enterprise Inns has hired consultancy firm Gleeds to develop a web based help desk for licensees dealing with repair work in their pubs.After Gleeds...
BFFF launches frozen food fightback
17-Mar-2009
Pubs are being urged to make the most of frozen food to help control costs. The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has launched a new campaign...
Carlsberg hit by loss of pub sales
18-Feb-2009
Carlsberg has seen its UK performance hit by the shift in the sales mix to cheaper off-trade beer.Reporting full-year results for 2008, the Danish...
03-Feb-2009 By Ewan Turney
London brewer Fuller's has announced plans for a 2.5% increase in beer prices but will absorb cost increases until 1 April. The London Pride brewer...
Fuller's raises beer prices by 2.5 per cent
03-Feb-2009 By Hamish Champ
Fuller Smith & Turner, the London-based brewer and pub operator, is the latest group to raise the price of its beer following rising raw material...
02-Feb-2009 By Ewan Turney
Carlsberg is to increase its wholesale prices for draught and packaged beers by 2.8% from 2 March. The Danish brewer blamed an increase in material...
Robinsons announces price freeze
27-Jan-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Brewer Frederic Robinson has revealed it will not be asking its licensees to pay more for its products this year. Tied trade director William...
23-Jan-2009 By Ewan Turney
Like-for-like profits at Marston's tenanted and leased pubs slumped 6% on last year for the 15 weeks to 17 January — but brewer and operator is helping tenants by absorbing wholesale beer price rises.
23-Jan-2009 By M&C Report
Nightclub operator Nexum Leisure has revealed that like-for-like sales at its core estate have increased by 6%. Revealing its sales for a five week...
14-Jan-2009 By The PMA Team
Spirit, the managed division of Punch Taverns, will not respond to the 99p-a-pint offer from JD Wetherspoon, according to boss Mike Tye. The company...
