Milton Keynes

Joint venture between Charles Wells and Little Gems Country Dining unveiled

01-Nov-2017 By James Wallin

Charles Wells and Little Gems Country Dining have signed heads of terms to run a combination of the Little Gems and Charles Wells’ Apostrophe Pubs.

Business Rates

Business rates hike will hit pubs warns Young’s CEO

11-Nov-2016 By Sara Hussein

An “exceptional” rise in business rates will have a detrimental effect on pubs, Young’s chief executive officer Patrick Dardis has warned. 

'Terrible' TripAdvisor review despite saving wedding guest's life

07-Aug-2015 By Oli Gross

Saving the life of a wedding guest was not enough to save a pub from being rated as “terrible” on TripAdvisor.

Missoula ‘bias’ in Stonegate site conversions

26-Feb-2014 By John Harrington

Stonegate’s conversions of its Living Room sites will have a “bias” towards Missoula, the group’s new US-inspired venture, according to chief executive Toby Smith.

Be At One launches hot dogs at new London site

21-Nov-2013 By Mark Wingett

Be At One, the Piper-backed cocktail bar chain, is rolling out a gourmet hotdog offer across its estate.

Milton Keynes next for late-night levy

19-Sep-2013 By John Harrington

Milton Keynes is set to be the next area to implement a late-night levy.

Milton Keynes rejects late-night levy

29-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs, clubs and bars in Milton Keynes may not be subject to paying a late-night levy, after the licensing sub-committee recommended that such a fee should not be adopted.

Milton Keynes to consult on late-night levy from 1am

08-Mar-2013 By Adam Pescod

Milton Keynes Council is to consult on a late-night levy after the town’s licensing committee came out in favour of the measure at a meeting earlier this week.

It's time to roll up to Slug and Lettuce in Milton Keynes...

04-Mar-2013

Slug and Lettuce in Milton Keynes is to host the regional competition of what Snifter is informed is one of the biggest sporting crazes sweeping the UK.

Pubs and clubs in Milton Keynes face late-night levy

26-Feb-2013 By Adam Pescod

Pubs and clubs in Milton Keynes are facing a late-night levy after the town’s deputy police commander urged councillors in the town to introduce the measure.

Thomas snaps up four sites

04-Apr-2012 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

Steve Thomas, the former head of Luminar, has picked up four sites formerly operated by his old company after landlord X-Leisure assigned the leases of the units to his nightclub-operating firm We Are Dance.

No Saints reveals plans to launch 15 sites

10-Oct-2011

No Saints, the bar and restaurant group run by former Luminar chief executive Stephen Thomas, revealed plans to open at least 15 sites.

Protest over Stony Stratford smoking ban extension

20-Jul-2011 By Adam Pescod

A proposal to ban smoking on the streets of a Buckinghamshire town has been met with a 200-strong protest, forcing a meeting on the issue to be...

Trade concerned over smoking bylaw scheme

07-Jul-2011 By Adam Pescod

A Buckinghamshire town is attempting to be the first to ban smoking on its streets. The initiative in Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes, is...

Buckinghamshire town attempts street smoking ban

01-Jul-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

A Buckinghamshire town is attempting to be the first to ban smoking on its streets - a move that may cause concern for operators of land-locked pubs and bars.

Nightclub king signals big market change

26-May-2011 By The PMA Team

The traditional nightclub has been well and truly side-swiped by a half dozen different crunching factors, says The PMA Team.

No Saints' cabaret club bid

07-Feb-2011 By The PMA Team

No Saints, the company run by ex-Luminar boss Stephen Thomas, aims to open a site in a Berkshire town. The company is reported to have put in a...

Luminar in Lucky Voice karaoke link-up

29-Nov-2010 By Gurjit Degun

Luminar Leisure is launching dedicated karaoke rooms at its flagship Oceana nightclub in Milton Keynes. Running under the Go Go Karaoke brand,...

Luminar sells Birmingham Jam House

22-Nov-2010 By Ewan Turney

Nightclub operator Luminar Leisure has completed the sale of The Jam House in Birmingham to No Saints — the company run by former Luminar boss...

Ex-Luminar boss plans to bring back pizza concept

22-Jul-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report

Steve Thomas, the founder of nightclub group Luminar, is to enter the restaurant sector, resurrecting the Chicago Pizza Pie Factory brand in the UK,...

Wilkins opens his third Little Gem

02-Jul-2010 By The PMA Team

Entrepreneur Steve Wilkins, who runs Little Gems Country Dining, has taken on his third pub, the Charles Wells-owned Park, in Bedford. The Park is...

Greene King: Hungry Horse expands 50%

28-Apr-2010 By The PMA Team

Greene King has expanded its Hungry Horse brand by 51 sites in two years — around 50% — with a growth spurt of 26 new sites in the past five...

Mercury collapse links to pub losses

25-Feb-2010 By The PMA Team

The collapse of highly-rated Mercury Inns last November has been linked to large losses at two leasehold pubs — one tied and one free-of-tie — by...

Charles Wells sells four out of ten pubs at auction

17-Jul-2009 By The PMA Team

Bedford brewer and retailer Charles Wells managed to sell only four of the ten pubs it placed in a Colliers CRE auction earlier this week. Of the...

Pubs fail underage fag machine sting

08-Jan-2008

Almost 80% of targeted pubs in Milton Keynes allowed children to buy cigarettes from vending machines

Milton Keynes pub wins CAMRA award

06-Jul-2007 By Eleanor Goodman

A Milton Keynes pub has beaten more than 300 others to win the 'Pub of the Year' award from the Milton Keynes and North Bucks branch of the Campaign...

New partner and site for Peach pubco

30-Nov-2006 By The PMA Team

Peach Pub Company, the innovative food-led multiple retailer, has signed up for its seventh property - the Old Mill, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, a...

Canalside Lion is poised for new era

07-Sep-2006

A canal-side pub and restaurant with its own deli and café in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, has been placed on the market with the Milton Keynes office of Christie+Co.

Bar-Me goes plastic after glass assault

03-Nov-2005

A Laurel pub in Milton Keynes will become a glass-free zone within two months. Bar-Me is going all-plastic following a campaign by the family of...

Police hunt cars after pub shooting

23-Jun-2005

Police are looking for two cars after a shooting at a Shropshire pub. A shot was fired at the King's Head in High Street, Wellington, at around...

Music venue hits right note

12-Feb-2004

A well-known live music and real-ale pub in Buckinghamshire is on the market with Christie & Co. The Fox & Hounds, in the historic town of...

Eldridge Pope looks to reverse declines

11-Dec-2003

by The PMA Team Business at Eldridge Pope's Toad brand and its other high-street bars in October and November was 9.3% lower than the year before....

North Bucks village inn, the Three Horseshoes in Drayton Par

25-Sep-2003

It is the only pub in Drayton Parslow, a village set in farmland about seven miles south of Milton Keynes and seven miles north west of Leighton...

First-time buyer gets her Billy

17-Apr-2003

A first-time buyer ­ Rachel Morgan from Northampton ­ has purchased the leasehold interest in the King William IV pub (known locally as the King...

Freemans at helm as George is snapped up

28-Nov-2002

Not only did North Bucks pub the George Inn change hands quickly, but the sale marked something of a milestone. The George Inn was sold for an...