Time

Pub Skills: HR Summit

Alchemist attracts young job candidates with community volunteering

22-Feb-2018 By Claire Churchard

With competition for employees as fierce as ever, companies that want to be an employer of choice are introducing unusual benefits to attract and engage staff.

Fuller’s signs on for three more years with Vianet

09-Jan-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Beer flow monitoring equipment and big data solutions provider Vianet has extended its contract to supply Fuller’s sites.

Villagers raise £72,000 in two weeks to save last remaining pub

16-Nov-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Residents of the Welsh village of Cefn Cribwr have ensured their last remaining pub will reopen after raising £72,000 to buy it. They hope to be serving their first pints in a matter of months.

No room for mediocre pubs, says Shepherd Neame boss

20-Sep-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Shepherd Neame’s focus on revitalising its managed pub estate through investment and acquisition has provided great profits for the Kent-based operator, but that does not signal the demise of the independents.

Exclusive

Outgoing Punch chief executive on the future for Punch pubs

06-Sep-2017 By Claire Churchard

Following the news that Punch chief executive Duncan Garrood has decided to leave the business, after Patron completed its deal to buy the group's pubs, The Morning Advertiser gets the inside track on why he isn’t staying for the transition period...

Online ordering

Matthew Clark halves on-trade customers ordering time

19-Dec-2016 By Nikkie Sutton

Matthew Clark claims its online ordering platform has cut its on-trade customers’ order time by half.

Business

See the bigger picture: Why taking a macro view of your business is important

23-Aug-2016 By Greg Pitcher

A change in approach took Ashley and Kelly McCarthy from finalists to winners of the BII Licensee of the Year award.

EU referendum

Brexit: "It's time for cool and calm thinking" - and a new PMA

30-Jun-2016 By Ed Bedington

Well, that was unexpected! I was planning to write about change in this week’s issue, as we prepare for the biggest relaunch of the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) in decades, but I wasn’t expecting to have my thunder stolen by Brexit!

Business

Licensee gives away free pints to attract locals back to pub

07-Mar-2016 By Emily Sutherland

An Islington licensee is giving away hundreds of free pints in a bid to drive midweek trade to his pub throughout Lent. 

Punch sell-off: 'Maybe it’s time to draw a line under past issues'

01-Oct-2015 By Ed Bedington

It’s good to see some positive words coming from new Punch boss Duncan Garrood, and a commitment to a constructive and brighter future for the sector.

Comment

Guv'nor: Work harder to keep students spending

20-Apr-2015 By Lee Price

Students in Aberystwyth do like to be beside the seaside, but the cost of education has led to a fall in numbers, and brought about a more conservative approach to spending.

How to deal with a licence review

28-Mar-2014 By Poppleston Allen

The arrival of an application to review your premises licence is almost certainly the most stressful time that you will face as a premises licence holder or designated premises supervisor (DPS). Even well-run premises can be reviewed but it is not necessarily...

Top tips for pub buyers

03-Mar-2014 By Simon Hall

Purchasing a pub can be hugely nerve-racking, with a multitude of things to consider before you get your name above the door. Simon Hall, director and head of pubs at Fleurets, shares seven points to consider before making the leap

Pubs have become more affordable, says Christie Group

21-Jun-2013 By Mark Wingett

Advisory firm Christie Group has reported this morning that pubs have become more affordable and that funding remains available for experienced operators, but the sale of distressed assets by banks has slowed.

The time has come for Government to deliver

21-May-2013 By Robert Sayles

Representatives of the drinks industry have certainly been proactive of late; increasingly desperate it would appear to get their message across via the media. However, in their haste to win the battle of hearts and minds we do appear to be receiving...

Pubs with alarm systems advised to check phone bills for premium rate charges

22-Feb-2013 By Adam Pescod

Licensees with fire and security-alarm systems have been advised to check their phone bills in case they are being charged premium rates.

Dixon: Time to get real about how much pubs can actually turn over

07-Jun-2012 By Phil Dixon

There are, I concede, three words that have blighted my now long association with the licensed retail sector — not “want another beer”, but fair maintainable trade (FMT).

Call time on barstaff dabbling in telepathy

20-Jan-2012 By Pete Brown

There’s a fascinating new development happening in our hostelries late at night. In a bold, ground-breaking experiment, a rising number of pubs are experimenting with telepathy as a way of communicating with customers.

British Gas apologises in meter reading dispute

18-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas has apologised for an ongoing meter-reading issue which has resulted in a South Yorkshire licensee being sent bills ranging from £19,000 to £40,000 a quarter, since April this year.

Hands up all those who love the beer tie?

02-Aug-2011 By Robert Sayles

A FOT option with open market rent review is now the only way forward, writes Robert Sayles in his latest blog.

Tied pubs 'not less likely to close'

05-Jul-2011 By The PMA Team

The All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group has published evidence that it claims disproves tied pubs are less likely to close than freehouses....

Adnams: Cellar & Kitchen stores to expand

30-Mar-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Suffolk brewer Adnams plans to open another five or six Cellar & Kitchen stores in the next two or three years as its re-confirms its long-term...

Economist to join MA campaign

10-Mar-2011 By Ewan Turney

The Morning Advertiser is to invite Treasury ministers to meet influential French economist Jacques Borel — the man behind the VAT cut for the...

Caroline Nodder: Energy firms must be less slapdash in their dealings with pubs

07-Mar-2011 By Caroline Nodder

There are some big plus points to being a journalist and one of them is the ability to stir companies into action on behalf of your readers. The...

Looking to a joined-up future in pub trade

10-Dec-2010 By Paul Smith

As Paul Smith leaves his role as executive director at Noctis, he reflects on his time at the organisation and predicts the future of the industry.

British Gas sends shocking £14k bill to pub

25-Aug-2010

Another licensee was shocked to receive a huge electricity bill after British Gas claimed he had been underpaying for four years. Tim Gittins...

Magners still finding pub market tough

25-May-2010 By Ewan Turney

Magners continues to have a tough time in the on-trade in Great Britain — recording a 14% volume drop against flat sector growth. However, the...

Labour candidate campaigns to save pub

13-Apr-2010 By Lesley Foottit

A Labour candidate has launched a campaign to save a Norwich pub earmarked for demolition. It emerged on Saturday that pub company Enterprise Inns...

Giles Thorley quits Punch Taverns

30-Mar-2010 By Ewan Turney

Punch Taverns chief executive Giles Thorley has announced his resignation from Punch Taverns. Punch said it is "well advanced" with the process of...

Host hit by shock electricity bill

24-Sep-2009 By John Harrington

Another host has been sent a bombshell electricity bill — this time for £8,900 — after British Gas admitted under-estimating consumption. An...

Upcoming conferences

17-Aug-2009 By MA reporter

Upcoming conferences

Late night alcohol delivery ad banned

05-Aug-2009 By Ewan Turney

An ad for a late night alcohol delivery service has been banned for being "offensive and socially irresponsible". The Advertising Standards...

'Twice as many women drinking real ale as last year'

03-Aug-2009 By James Wilmore

The number of women drinking real ale has doubled in the past year, with almost one in three supping what campaigners regard as Britain's "national...

There's money to lend - but reality bites

26-May-2009

Six months is a long time these days in whatever sector of the UK economy you happen to work. It's certainly not just the pub, bar and restaurant...

Third of Punch pubs 'churned' in three years

15-Apr-2009 By John Harrington

One in three Punch pubs has changed hands over the past three years, says the anti-pubco GMB union as it repeats its call for the beer tie to end

Pubs urged to get in touch over Comic Relief cash

25-Mar-2009 By Ewan Turney

The industry's charity awareness group is urging licensees to get in touch over how much cash they raised for Comic Relief. PubAid was set up to...

Divide and rule in speech

11-Dec-2008 By Peter Coulson

Those who are looking for specific legislative detail in the speech that the Queen read out last week do not perhaps understand the way Government works, says Peter Coulson.

Mark Kenyon: Trade's resilience being tested as never before

08-Dec-2008

The Chancellor's pre-Budget Report dealt another blow to the industry. While the VAT reduction from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent until the end of...

Employment law: Dependants day

10-Oct-2008

Since December 1999, employees have had a statutory right to take time off to deal with particular situations involving someone who depends on...

John McNamara to leave BII

04-Aug-2008 By The PMA Team

BII chief executive John McNamara is leaving the organisation after six and half years in the role after being head hunted to take over the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils, the MA can reveal.

Mike Benner, chief executive, Campaign for Real Ale

26-Jun-2008

What are the upsides of the ban? Pubs smell, look and feel cleaner. No one really liked smoke in pubs, even the smokers. The ban has driven operators...

Q&A

05-Jun-2008

TEN over two days Q. When you apply for a TEN which lasts for more than one day, does it have to be for a continuous period or can you stipulate the...

Andrew Meadowcroft: Looking at the fundamentals

18-May-2008

Just as I was starting to accept there was little positive in the sector to report, two things happened. Firstly, I read what I have always believed:...

Adnams bullish about the future

28-Apr-2008

Adnams shareholders have heard that the brewer and pubco is meeting the challenges of trading in 2008 and looking forward to the future with...

Cains reports £2.8m loss after Honeycombe takeover

10-Apr-2008 By Ewan Turney

Cains has reported a £2.8m loss for the fourteen months to 28 October 2007 following its reverse takeover of Honeycombe Leisure. The loss was in...

First time licensees to receive better training

08-Apr-2008 By Tony Halstead

First time pub entrants could soon receive a better package of induction training if a scheme launched in the north-west proves a success. Brewers...

Chris Maclean: A fight with a customer

31-Mar-2008 By Chris Maclean

I got into a fight on Saturday. Over 20 years of working in the trade it was bound to happen eventually. But it probably could have been avoided.It...

LTC receives £6,000 donation from Licensees Unite

12-Mar-2008 By The PMA Team

Licensees Unite, the organisation previously known as NALHM, has donated £6000 to the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC).

Equipment focus: Use the space

15-Feb-2008

It may seem an obvious point to make, but when deciding how much time and money to commit to a kitchen refurb, the first thing publicans have to take...

National Pubwatch founder retiring

12-Feb-2008 By John Harrington

National Pubwatch chairman Steve Baker has paid tribute to founder member Bill Stone, who is retiring from the committee. Stone, who is leaving due...