Wales

Welsh First Minister backs Sky prices petition

25-May-2012 By Michelle Perrett

A petition calling on Sky to lower its subscription prices for pubs in North Wales has received the backing of the Welsh First Minister.

Welsh landlords urged to sign petition calling for Sky to reduce pub prices

02-May-2012 By Adam Pescod

Licensees in Wales are being urged to sign a petition by a Welsh Assembly member, who is calling on Sky to reduce its prices for pubs to more accurately reflect the business rate relief enjoyed by Welsh pubs.

Welsh landlady hopeful of upturn in trade after receiving Assembly grant for pub refurbishment

01-May-2012 By Adam Pescod

A Welsh licensee is hopeful of an upturn in trade after receiving a grant from the Welsh Assembly.

BBPA against Welsh Government plans to make Food Hygiene Rating Scheme compulsory for pubs

13-Apr-2012 By Lesley Foottit

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has hit out at Welsh Government proposals to make the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) compulsory for pubs in Wales.

Welsh pub loses trade after council forbids A-boards

24-Feb-2012 By Lesley Foottit

A Welsh pub has lost 90% of its trade since being forced to remove A-boards from a nearby main road.

North Wales pubs targeted by robberies

15-Feb-2012 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs in North Wales have been told to be on their guard at closing time after a robbery and an attempted robbery on two pubs took place yesterday (14 February) evening.

Pubco sites go up for auction

03-Feb-2012

Thirteen freehold sites from Punch Taverns, Enterprise Inns and a private vendor are set to go under hammer at an auction held by Sidney Phillips.

Going the extra yard to deliver great results

15-Nov-2011 By Jamie King

So another English team fails in its bid for World Cup glory and Martin Johnson’s band of merry men come home with their tails between their legs, offering a list of excuses as to why they failed to match their potential with our expectations.

Ban on cigarette vending machines in Wales

24-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

A Welsh Government ban on the sale of tobacco from vending machines in Wales has been approved and will come into force on 1 February 2012.

Brains Chef of the Year announced

29-Sep-2011 By Lesley Foottit

A Cardiff pub chef has been crowned Brains Chef of the Year 2011.

First big bite of the apple

05-Sep-2011 By Pete Brown

It’s wet. It’s dull. Dreams of summer have disappeared on the wind like the smoke from a rained out barbecue. This can only mean one thing: it’s festival season.

Peter's steps up corned beef pasty campaign

23-Aug-2011 By Lesley Foottit

Peter's Foodservice is launching a petition to secure more support in its quest to have the corned beef pasty recognised as a Welsh national dish....

Welsh AM: pubcos must give a bit back

05-Aug-2011 By Adam Pescod

A newly-elected Welsh AM has called on pubcos to give "a little bit back" and consider offers from communities for pubs before putting them on the...

Smoking ban: traditional inner city pubs have suffered most

23-Jun-2011 By Adam Pescod

Traditional inner city pubs have suffered the most since the introduction of smoking bans in Scotland, England and Wales, says a new report from the...

Peter's drive to make pasty food of Wales

19-May-2011 By Lesley Foottit

Pasty baker Peter's Foods is leading a campaign to get the corned beef pasty recognised as the offical dish of Wales. It will be petitioning for...

Brains invests £5m on pub revamps

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

Welsh brewer and pub operator SA Brain has announced plans to spend £5m renovating 22 pubs over the next 12 weeks. Projects will range from...

Brains teams up with South Wales Echo to save the pub

15-Mar-2011 By Graham Ridout

A South Wales newspaper has started a campaign to save local pubs — The South Wales Echo has teamed up with Welsh brewer Brains.

Brewer gives stout a push with double saints day offer

24-Feb-2011

Pubs stocking Welsh stout Brains Black will be able to offer customers the chance to win a branded hat or T-shirt on St Patrick's Day and St David's...

SA Brain teams up with Costa coffee

03-Dec-2010 By John Harrington

SA Brain has opened a stand alone Costa Coffee outlet in one of its Cardiff pubs as part of a franchise agreement.

Alcohol Concern: give Wales licensing powers

29-Nov-2010 By Lesley Foottit

Alcohol Concern has called for powers over licensing and pricing to be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales following a "lack of progress"...

'Councillors' city centre pub crawl'

25-Oct-2010

Cardiff councillors have taken to the streets after dark to witness first-hand the effects of the city's £400m night-time economy. On Friday night,...

SA Brain secures £20m funding

13-Sep-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report

SA Brain, the Welsh brewer and pub operator, has secured £20m in funding that it intends to use to secure pub acquisitions. The firm currently owns...

Pub is the Hub launch in Wales

09-Sep-2010

Pub is the Hub held a launch event in Prince Charles' estate Llwynywermod in the Breacon Beacons to celebrate its expansion into Wales. Licensees...

ASH claims smoking ban survey is 'misleading'

08-Sep-2010

A leading anti-smoking charity has hit out at a study which claims the smoking ban is the main cause of pub closures in the UK. Action on Smoking...

SA Brain agrees £20m finance deal with Lloyds Bank

08-Sep-2010

SA Brain, the Welsh brewer, is looking to buy more pubs after agreeing a £20m funding deal with Lloyds Bank, it has been reported. The Western Mail...

Pub is the Hub launches in Wales

08-Sep-2010 By John Harrington

At least 50 rural Welsh pubs could get help to offer new services under the Pub is the Hub scheme, which has had its official launch in Wales.

Alcohol devolution move gets short shrift

17-Aug-2010 By Matt Eley Matt

A bid to have licensing powers devolved to Wales has been slapped by down by the secretary of state. Last week Welsh Assembly health minister Edwina...

Wales' bid to control licensing is rejected

17-Aug-2010 By John Harrington

The UK Government has "no plans" to devolve alcohol licensing powers in Wales to the Welsh Assembly. Welsh Assembly minister Edwina Hart last week...

'A pint of bare and a bag of nuts'

16-Aug-2010 By Matt Eley Matt

A pub has increased its pulling power with punters by hosting art classes - with naked models. The Flying Duck in Glasgow has seen takings soar after...

Black Lion Hotel is on the market

13-Aug-2010 By The PMA Team

The iconic Black Lion Hotel in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Mid Wales, has been put up for sale just over a year after it was taken over. The former...

Pub is the Hub to open Welsh office

19-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore

Pub is the Hub is set to open an office in Wales thanks to help from a new Prince of Wales-led charity. The scheme, which helps pubs diversify, will...

Tied Welsh pubs must have guest beer option, report says

12-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore

Welsh pubs should have the right to stock a guest beer or cider, even if the UK government does not legislate on the beer tie, an Assembly committee...

Welsh committee urges beer tie reform

12-Jul-2010 By Gemma McKenna

Pubs in Wales should have the right to stock local guest beers, even if the beer tie is not reformed — that's according to a Welsh Assembly committee.

Pub is the Hub helps Welsh pub build a playground

07-Jul-2010 By Lesley Foottit

The back garden of a Denbighshire pub has been turned into a £7,500 children's playground with Pub is the Hub funding. It was licensee Anna...

Wales aligns with England on fag machine ban

05-May-2010 By John Harrington

Cigarette vending machines are due to be banned in Welsh pubs in October 2011, in line with England. The Welsh Assembly Government has confirmed the...

Wales re-states call for tougher pricing powers

28-Apr-2010 By John Harrington

A Welsh Assembly minister has once again asked for greater powers to tackle cheap drink in supermarkets and pubs.

Licensee to contest Neil Kinnock's former seat

20-Apr-2010 By James Wilmore

A frustrated licensee has put himself up as an independent parliamentary candidate in Wales after losing patience with Labour's treatment of pubs....

First national pub ban issued under new DBO powers

16-Apr-2010 By John Harrington

A West Midlands woman is believed to be the first to get a nation-wide pub ban under powers introduced last September. Laura Hall has been issued...

Drinkaware: Brits drink 50% too much in December

15-Mar-2010 By Lesley Foottit

Britons exceeded drinking guidelines by 50% during December, according to new research by alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware. With daily...

Lottery winner takes on Brains pub

09-Mar-2010 By Lesley Foottit

A £13m lottery winner has ditched her leisurely lifestyle to take on a SA Brains tenancy in Llanelli, Wales. Former supermarket checkout assistant...

Cardiff pub chef crowned Face of Pie Week

03-Mar-2010 By Lesley Foottit

The head chef of a Cardiff pub has been crowned 2010's Face of British Pie Week, in association with Jus-Rol Professional. Adam Pavey won the prize...

Brains launches Welsh rival to Guinness

02-Mar-2010 By Robyn Lewis

Welsh brewer Brains chose St David's Day yesterday to announce a return to the stout sector. Brains Black was launched by former Wales scrum half...

The Face of British Pie Week 2010

26-Feb-2010

Focusing on being 'a good, honest pub' has made the Goat Major in Cardiff a tourist hotspot for visitors to Wales' capital city. And now tourists and...

Evan Evans slams 'poor' Welsh brewers

24-Feb-2010 By Ewan Turney

Welsh brewer Evan-Evans has hit out at the growing mass of small Welsh brewers producing "poorly-constructed beers" with "tonsil cleansing...

Smoke ban takes toll on famous Welsh music venue

23-Feb-2010 By Lesley Foottit

A famous Welsh live music venue, which hosted the Manic Street Preachers, is close to shutting down after 40 years in the same hands. Owner and...

BBPA campaign hits 100,000 supporter mark

02-Feb-2010 By Matt Eley Matt

Support for the British Beer & Pub Association's (BBPA) campaign 'I'm backing the pub' has swelled with 100,000 people now on board. With so...

'Firms call for Scots lending 'matchmaker' to accelerate recovery'

02-Feb-2010 By James Wilmore

The directors of small businesses in Scotland have been forced to dip into their own savings to stay afloat during the recession. The Federation of...

Red Lion, Llangadog: Getting the Lion's share

01-Feb-2010 By Lesley Foottit

Llangadog licensee Kevin Skone talks to Lesley Foottit about attracting destination trade, traditional Welsh food, marketing and business advice....

Fat Cat opens two gastropubs

29-Jan-2010 By Jo Bruce

Derby-based Fat Cat Group has opened two gastropubs — the Crown Inn in Anstey, in Leicestershire, and the Queens Head, in Frodsham, Cheshire.

'Drink-drive arrests down 16.5% in December'

22-Jan-2010 By James Wilmore

The number of drivers arrested after testing positive for alcohol in England and Wales in December fell by 16.5% on the previous year, police have...