Health

Reopening rules: operators shared their experiences of customers being confused by how to use the NHS coronavirus app to scan into venues (image:Getty/Olivier Le Moal)

'No one knows how to use the NHS app'

By Emily Hawkins

Pubgoers have been hesitant to use the NHS contact-tracing app and been reluctant to hand over their details, operators have reported.

Hard to believe: 'Looking back, we had no idea of the challenges we would face including three national lockdowns, tiered and regional reopening strategies,' Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie explained

Coronavirus: a year of closures

In numbers: 12 months since Boris Johnson told pubs to close

By Stuart Stone

With 20 March marking a year-to-the-day since last orders were called in pubs just days before a first national lockdown, The Morning Advertiser looks back on some of the defining data from the past 12 months.

Reopening on cards: the Health Secretary suggested pubs could reopen soon in the Greater Manchester town (image: JThomas, Geograph)

Bolton pubs given reopening date

By Emily Hawkins

Pubs in Bolton will be allowed to reopen from Saturday 3 October, the Department of Health has confirmed.

Cost worry: ‘I am concerned operators could be spending hundreds of pounds on new layouts and capacity measures, that may, come 4 July, be wrong’, says Sacha Lord (centre)

Opinion

The longer we wait, the less ready we will be

By Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester

It's just over three weeks until the sector is meant to reopen - but little is known on how we’re meant to be reopening.

Breathing room: what difference could adopting WHO’s one-metre social distancing guidance make to the UK’s pubs after lockdown ends?

#Unitedwestand

Scaled down social distancing ‘might just save’ pubs

By Stuart Stone

While Brits were doing their best to enjoy a VE Day bank holiday weekend in lockdown, Denmark cut social distancing from two metres to one metre in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance. Could a similar step help UK pubs when the time comes...

Proactive steps: publicans across the country and taking extra measures to ensure the safety of their staff and customers

#UnitedWeStand

Extra measures that can protect your staff and customers

By Alice Leader

Washing your hands, catching sneezes, disinfecting surfaces are all instructions publicans have taken on board to keep their site safe from coronavirus – but many are also going above and beyond these guidelines.

Minimising risk: a national office provider believes pubs delivering takeaways could help reduce the risk of the virus damaging their trade

Coronavirus

Pubs ‘should switch to takeaways’ amid coronavirus panic

By Alice Leader

A national provider of office space is asking food outlets – including pubs – to “step up” and switch to delivering meals to staff across its buildings over the next few months during the coronavirus outbreak.

Peacekeeping force: how can pub staff effectively resolve customer conflict?

MA500

How to be a pub peacemaker

By Stuart Stone

CPL Online director of learning and education Martin Hilton shared how publicans can turn their staff into an effective peacekeeping force and steer customers off the warpath with a handful of conflict resolution tips.

Sugar fears: health experts call for ‘ready to drink’ alcoholic beverages to be reduced in sugar and calories

RTD beverages present ‘double burden to health’

By Alice Leader

Popular sugary alcoholic drinks are a ‘double burden’ on consumers’ health because of their alcohol and sugar content, coupled with the huge cash onus placed on the NHS, according to new research.

Counting calories: alcohol drink producers explain why consumers aren’t seeing more low-calorie products in pubs

Don’t miss out on the low-cal alcohol revolution

By Alice Leader

With abstinence to alcohol becoming more ‘mainstream’ among young adults and fuelling the growth of low-and-no alcohol products, some operators may be missing out on an opportunity in the low-calorie sector.

Mindful drinking: Club Soda and Budweiser are developing an online tool to help moderate hospitality employees' drinking habits

Club Soda and Budweiser to track drinking habits

By Emily Hawkins

Brewer Budweiser and mindful drinking organisation Club Soda have joined forces to develop an online project that will aim to help people working in the licensed trade who want to drink less alcohol.

How are you? Your wellbeing matters: The LTC has offered advice on a healthy lifestyle and publicans have been advised to digitally disconnect by Speakap

How can publicans look after their wellbeing?

By Emily Hawkins

Industry experts have advised operators who are still feeling the impact of a busy festive trading period or are worried about the upcoming month on how they can best look after their wellbeing.

Variety of options: operators can benefit from stocking multiple milk alternatives

Which milk alternatives should pubs stock?

By Emily Hawkins

Pubs should increase their range of milk alternatives so they can cater to people looking for indulgent options as well as functional, a new report recommends.

Health-conscious consumers: Greene King pubs in London will start selling the fermented drink kombucha

Greene King pubs to stock kombucha

By Emily Hawkins

Greene King pubs in the capital are to begin selling the fermented drink kombucha, which is believed to have health benefits.

Calorie intake: the report revealed the average customer consumed an additional 330 calories a week due to upselling

Upselling in pubs is fuelling obesity crisis

By Nikkie Sutton

Upselling techniques used in pubs are helping to fuel the obesity epidemic by leading customers to consume thousands of additional and unnecessary calories, a new report is claiming.

Guv'nor: Pubs really can be good for your health

Opinion

Guv'nor: Pubs really can be good for your health

By Peter Tiley

The trade has taken a bit of a battering recently. The Chief Medical Officer recently cut recommended drinking limits and declared there is “no such thing as a safe level of drinking”, talk continues of a lower drink-drive limit and this year’s Dry January...

Independent pub sales fall 5.5%

Property

Independent pub sales fall 5.5%

By MCA

Independent pubs saw sales fall 5.5% in 2015, in comparison to a 4.7% increase for branded chains, according to the latest research.

Drinkaware: 'Drinking less resolution most likely to fail'

Drinkaware: 'Drinking less resolution most likely to fail'

By Adam Pescod

New research from alcohol education charity Drinkaware has revealed that despite resolutions to be healthier and drink less in 2012, today (3 February) is the day most people expect to fail to cut back their drinking.

Responsibility Deal has 'led to real changes'

Responsibility Deal has 'led to real changes'

By Mark Wingett

The Government has said that its Responsibility Deal, which includes participation from leading operators in the pub and restaurant sectors, has led to real changes that are “helping people to live healthier lives”.

Responsibility deal condemned

Responsibility deal condemned

By Adam Pescod

The Government’s responsibility deal will fail because it creates a fundamental conflict of interest within the drinks industry, according to public health campaigners and an influential committee of MPs.

Unit information: one of the pledges

Pubs urged to make responsibility pledges

By John Harrington, M&C Report

Pub operators have been asked to make three specific commitments on responsible retailing — including providing alcohol unit information at point...

Balance North East campaigning for minimum price

Backing for bylaw minimum pricing

By John Harrington

The plan to use local bylaws to set a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit is gaining momentum among councils. The proposal is spearheaded by...

Drinkaware-funded Fistral Blu Cafe in Cornwall

Trade 'should fund' health plans

By John Harrington

Health secretary Andrew Lansley wants the industry to help fund local initiatives to make people healthier. He has urged more private sector funding...