Food

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

Unruly Pig takes top spot in 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

25-Jan-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Suffolk-based the Unruly Pig has been crowned number one on this year’s Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list.

New products round-up

Gunpowder Gin form BrewDog’s spirit arm, Liberation Brewing’s first non-alcoholic beer

20-Jan-2022 By Gary Lloyd

There are plenty of new products being launched at the moment so there’s a good chance something will help you light up your offer in the run-up to Burns Night and Valentine’s Day.

Leicestershire pub fundraising to provide breakfast for disadvantaged children

20-Jan-2022 By Rebecca Weller

A Leicestershire pub has started a fundraising project to provide disadvantaged children at a nearby school with a healthy breakfast.

Whitbread share top tips for success with vegan dishes

17-Jan-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Chris Seaby, head of food and beverage development at Whitbread, who joined the pub restaurant and hotel operator last year after 26 years at retailer M&S, offers tips on plant-based food and shares insights on Whitbread’s Veganuary offer

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs set to be revealed

13-Jan-2022 By Ed Bedington

The best gastropubs in the business are set to be announced as The Morning Advertiser gears up for the reveal of the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list for 2022.

The Lock In Podcast

Hard times ahead?

13-Jan-2022 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team review the Christmas that wasn't and take a look to the months ahead and what to expect. We talk the challenging financial situation with top advice from expert advisor Chris Worden from 1st Business Rescue, hear from award winning...

Unlimited pint refills at BrewDog, new vegan range and deal extension

12-Jan-2022 By Gary Lloyd

Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog has brought back its ‘All You Can Drink Jan’ offer, introduced a new vegan food range and extended its two-for-one vegan Mondays offer to cover every day of January.

‘Six Nations rugby more important than all football events bar World Cup’

11-Jan-2022 By Gary Lloyd

Some 44% of sports fans said they plan to watch the 2022 Guinness Six Nations live in a pub this year with only the FIFA World Cup ranking higher, according to research by MatchPint, which allows pub customers find venues showing sports matches, and hospitality...

Northumberland licensee feels 'really lucky' not to lose trade

05-Jan-2022 By Rebecca Weller

City pubs were hit much harder than rural pubs over Christmas but rallying local communities was essential to survival, according to one licensee.

Struggling pub forced to launch crowdfunding campaign

24-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

East Sussex pub, the Marina Fountain, has launched a GoFundMe campaign after the Omicron Covid variant, mixed messaging from the Government and a paltry grant allowance has left it in an “impossible situation”.

Kerridge: ‘Hospitality is being hung out to dry yet again’

16-Dec-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has revealed 654 cancellations at one of his sites to shine light on industry-wide problems caused by the UK Government’s “mixed messages” about the Omicron variant.

Expect to see Middle Eastern and US dishes on pub menus in 2022

14-Dec-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Diners’ wishes to escape the UK while still wanting to care for the planet are set to lead what they expect to see on pub food menus in 2022.

Omicron fears cause 35% bookings drop at Top 50 Gastropub

10-Dec-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Christmas has turned “pear-shaped” for Lancashire-based gastropub the Parker’s Arms, with bookings dropping by 35% due to customer fears about the Omicron Covid variant.

GBPA 2021 winner eliminated from MasterChef: The Professionals

07-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) Best Young Pub Chef 2021 winner, Samuel McClurkin, has been eliminated from BBC One’s MasterChef: The Professionals.

Operator's bid to become the ‘most festive-spirited pub company’

06-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The Inn Collection Group has offered free Christmas lunches for isolated older people and shelter for those affected by Storm Arwen across its pubs in a bid to become the UK’s ‘most festive-spirited pub company’.

Award winning craft brewery officially opens Cornish pub

06-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Cornish craft brewery, Harbour Brewery, officially reopened the St Tudy Inn on Saturday 4 December in preparation to welcome customers for Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Two pubs crowned Britain’s best roast dinners

03-Dec-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Eight Bells in Hawkhurst, Kent and the Perch on Lancing Beach near Brighton beat tough competition to win the ‘Best Meat Roast Dinner’ and ‘Best Vegetarian Roast Dinner’ in Knorr Professional’s Great British Roast Dinner Competition.

Star Inn at Harome fire ‘started deliberately’

02-Dec-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

A fire at Michelin-starred the Star Inn at Harome in North Yorkshire is believed to have been started deliberately, according to a police statement.

Morrisons and StarStock step in to help hospitality industry amid supply issues

02-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Pub operators across the UK have been offered help to fulfil food and drink orders from supermarket chain Morrisons and online marketplace, StarStock.

GBPA 2021 winner through to next round on MasterChef: The Professionals

01-Dec-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The winner of Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) 2021 Best Young Pub Chef award has made it through to the next round on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals.

The lock-in that’s lasted three nights

29-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Customers trapped in the Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales after heavy snowfalls have been locked in for three nights now.

Average cost of pub meals rises by 15p

25-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The average price of a pub meal increased by 1.9% this year compared to last year, according to research.

M&B records sales growth in past eight weeks after losses in financial year

25-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has recorded like-for-like sales growth of 2.7% in the past eight weeks versus 2019 since the end of its financial year, during which its like-for-likes dropped by 9.6%, impacted by Covid-related restrictions.

Fire 'reduces Top 50 Gastropub to ashes'

25-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Emergency services were called to battle a fire at an Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub in North Yorkshire last night and are still tackling it this morning.

Admiral Taverns invest its largest capital investment into Chester pub

23-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Admiral Taverns has reopened one of its pubs after injecting its largest capital investment of £370,000 into extensive renovations.

Majority of licensees not looking to have completely vegan menu, snap poll finds

23-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

The results from a recent poll conducted by The Morning Advertiser (MA) has revealed 60% of operators would not consider switching to an all plant-based menu.

Kerridge: ‘I was 100% committed to drinking’

22-Nov-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Tom Kerridge, the owner of Marlow-based gastropubs including the Hand & Flowers, opened up about his past alcohol use, and said the “exhilarating” nature of the industry often drew in people prone to excess over moderation.

Whitbread menus to feature plant-based 'Garden Gourmet' dishes

22-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

In January 2021 45% of meat-eaters aged 25 to 34 had cut down their meat consumption, research by Mintel showed, and the number of Brits adopting a vegan diet in 2020 skyrocketed by 40%, according to Finder, showing the demand for plant-based dishes has...

BrewDog to open new bar in third tie-up with Red’s True Barbecue

19-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

BrewDog will open its latest bar at midday today (19 November) with the first 100 customers given the chances to win prizes including free beer for a year.

GBPA 2021 winner to appear on MasterChef: The Professionals

18-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Head chef at the Dog at Wingham, Kent Samuel McClurkin, has been announced as a contestant on this year’s BBC programme MasterChef: The Professionals.

British cuisine and sustainability top food and drink trends for 2022

17-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Ethical consumption, British ingredients and health have been tipped as the top trends for eating and drinks into 2022.

Poll - would you make your menu 100% vegan?

17-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Plant-based dishes could encourage chefs to be more adaptable with their food but would incur higher labour costs and, while there is a clear desire for vegan options, an all-vegan menu would not suit all customers, according to publicans.

Food prices set to rise at least 3% by new year

17-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Foodservice prices will be under severe pressure in the run up to Christmas due to rising demand, product shortages and distribution issues, new research has revealed.

Property round-up

Multiple operator takes third site with Star, Strike bowling alley with craft beer launches

17-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Among the latest property news this week is Star Pubs & Bars teaming up with Farr Brew for a third joint venture, McMullen unveils new site, Strike bowling alley opening in Wandsworth, Beavertown’s nitro stout-battered fish dish and the Flowerhouse...

Licensing hub – legal with Poppleston Allen

Stay on the right side of the law with deliveries and takeaways

16-Nov-2021 By Suraj Desor, solicitor Poppleston Allen

With the rise in home delivery and takeaway in recent years, accelerated by the pandemic, many operators such as our online delivery and restaurant clients have seen this as a great way to expand business.

Promotional content

Are your products generating high profit levels to the till?

16-Nov-2021 By Venners, expert food and beverage stocktakers and compliance auditors

A recent report looking at the often undervalued and neglected topic of product yield within the pub sector has been launched by Venners, the expert food and beverage stocktakers and compliance auditors to the hospitality industry.

‘Fear of the unknown’ a big concern for Christmas trading

15-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Not knowing how bookings will be and the worry of restrictions being imposed on the sector are concerns for Christmas, one operator has told The Morning Advertiser.

How to make this Christmas a belter

15-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

The festive period is often the time when pub operators make most of their annual sales and this year, more than ever, needs to be a good one after the disasters suffered not just last Christmas (stop singing that Wham! song) but throughout the past 20...

How can pubs capitalise on the growing boost to the entertainment industry?

12-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Cinema bookings saw the highest level of growth (17.3%) since October 2019 during October 2021, data according to Barclaycard showed.

Pubs urged to be disciplined with Christmas ordering

11-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Beef, pork, and salmon are set to be in short supply over the festive period this year while turkey has made a comeback following the CO2 supply problems.

TV chef teams up with pub operator Fuller's

09-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Pub operator Fuller's has partnered with Brian Turner CBE as ambassador of its Sunday roasts across the company's managed pubs and hotels.

Stonegate Group to host unique recruitment event

09-Nov-2021 By Rebecca Weller

Pub operator the Stonegate Group is hosting a recruitment day on Wednesday 10 November at the Alice in Houndsditch, London.

Shepherd Neame reports strong trading since reopening

09-Nov-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Kent brewer and pub operator Shepherd Neame has reported strong trading since reopening its 310 pubs for the 52 weeks ended 26 June 2021.

JDW to slash food prices by 16% for 3 months

09-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is dropping its prices on a variety of meals across 660 of its sites until the end of February next year.

Supply chain issues ‘here to stay for foreseeable future’

08-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Disruption to the supply chain is an issue that doesn’t seem to be going away, one operator has predicted.

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

Entries for Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs awards now open

05-Nov-2021 By Top 50 Gastropubs

Think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned Newcomer of the Year or Front of House Team of the Year at the 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub awards then enter the coveted special awards now.

'We're trapped in some kind of Squid Game, every week is a new challenge'

05-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Brewhouse & Kitchen's Kris Gumbrell to pick over some of the issues in the news of recent times, from the fallout of the budget, through to Christmas concerns and ongoing supply worries.

Tips on how to maximise World Vegan Month

01-Nov-2021 By Julie Cleijne, founder of Sustainable Kitchen Consultants

Sustainable menu expert Julie Cleijne, founder of Sustainable Kitchen Consultants and creator of a new plant-based toolkit for operators, Flex Up Your Menu, in partnership with Garden Gourmet, offers tips for pub caterers for World Vegan Month, which...

3.6% of TripAdvisor reviews ‘fake’ in 2020

27-Oct-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Review site TripAdvisor has claimed it identified 3.6% of review submissions last year as fake, with the majority being rejected before they were posted.

BrewDog announces biggest site ever as ‘new type of venue’

25-Oct-2021 By Gary Lloyd

Scottish bar operator BrewDog will open a mammoth flagship site at the revamped Waterloo Station, London, in summer next year.