West Midlands

Crooked House owners appeal against rebuild order ‘concerning’

28-Mar-2024 By Nikkie Thatcher

The news the owners of the Crooked House in Himley, West Midlands have appealed against South Staffordshire Council’s order to rebuild the pub has been labelled “concerning albeit fully expected”.

Mayors of the North call for VAT cut

14-Feb-2024 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Mayors of the North united to call for an industry-wide VAT cut in the Spring Budget at the Night Time Economy Summit last week.

Dedicated charity fundraiser calls time on 40-year pub crawl

02-Feb-2024 By Rebecca Weller

A mammoth pub crawl spanning all corners of the country may be a dream for many, but one man has lived the reality while raising money for charity.

Third person arrested over Crooked House fire

07-Sep-2023 By Rebecca Weller

A third person has been arrested in connection with the fire at the Crooked House pub in Staffordshire.

Two men arrested over Crooked House fire

25-Aug-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of arson over the fire at The Crooked House pub.

‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ burns down a month after sale

08-Aug-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Police are “reviewing all the available evidence” on the cause of a fire that destroyed “Britain’s wonkiest pub” after it was sold to a private buyer last month (July).

Night Time adviser to champion West Midlands hospitality

14-Oct-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The West Midlands is on the search for a night time economy leader to champion hospitality and help the sector build back from the pandemic.

gbpa 2022

Meet the finalists for Punch Pub of the Year

29-Sep-2022 By The Morning Advertiser

With the Great British Pub Awards just days away from announcing and celebrating some of the best bars in the business, we take a look at some of the finalist that are in the running to take home some silver. Today it’s the turn of the bars that are competing...

Marston’s considering ‘small pub package disposal’

05-Jul-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Pubco Marston’s is examining the possibility of selling a number of “non-core pubs” from its estate.

Mayor's actions applauded by pub campaigner

07-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

An equality campaigner for the pub sector has applauded the actions of a West Midland’s mayor who refused to take part in the Conservative Party conference due to gender inbalance.

Accommodation and food service sectors top furlough claims

07-May-2021 By Emily Hawkins

The accommodation and food service sectors – including hospitality businesses – made £4.36bn worth of furlough claims, the highest value across all sectors, as per new figures.

Birmingham pub hit with £10k fine as pubs warned about lockdown breaches

09-Nov-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Pubs have been warned not to break coronavirus rules after one site was slapped with a £10,000 fine.

16,436 pubs under tier two and three restrictions

21-Oct-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 43.69% of all pubs in England are currently under ‘high’ or ‘very high’ restrictions including closures.

Birmingham restrictions 'won't impact pubs'

15-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

Restrictions on private gatherings come into force in parts of the West Midlands today (15 September) but people are still allowed to socialise with other households at pubs.

Pub praised by authorities for response to potential Covid-19 outbreak

10-Aug-2020 By Emily Hawkins

A pub has been praised for voluntarily closing and contacting public health officials after several coronavirus cases were linked to an event it hosted on 2 August.

Thwaites declares West Midlands pub as best in bloom

21-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

A West Midlands tavern has been named the best in its Pubs in Bloom competition, out of 250 pubs across the country, by its pubco.

Police

Pub worker 'masterminds' brutal attack on own manager

08-Jun-2016 By Oli Gross

A pub kitchen worker who was the ‘mastermind’ of a brutal attack on his own pub manager has been jailed.

Plans for supermarket on pub car park rejected

15-Jan-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

Plans to build a convenience store on a pub’s car park have been quashed, after local residents expressed fears that it could threaten the business.

Statutory code: BISC to hold evidence session over consultation submission

31-Jan-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC) is set to hold an ‘evidence session’ to consider its own submission to the consultation on the implementation of a statutory code and adjudicator.

Pub customer service drops during December and festive period

06-Dec-2012 By Lesley Foottit

Customer service is at its lowest in December, according to research commissioned by customer insight agency SMG.

Men jailed for £5m keg theft plot

28-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Five men from the Midlands have been handed jail sentences totalling 14-and-a-half years for their part in a plot to steal £5 million worth of beer kegs from across the region.

JD Wetherspoon to open 13 new sites

06-Jan-2012 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, has revealed details of 13 sites it plans to open in the first three months of this year.

Penn Street Taverns to sell four pubs

06-Aug-2010 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report

Penn Street Taverns, the Birmingham-based pub group, is selling four freehold pubs in the West Midlands through agent Christie + Co.

Publican Local Focus: Wolverhampton wanderings

13-May-2010

Wolverhampton is no stranger to being labelled one of the less glamorous cities in the country. After being placed in the UK's Crap Towns list in...

Christmas social for West Midlands pubs

17-Nov-2009 By Ewan Turney

Licensees in the West Midlands are invited to enjoy a beer tasting and Christmas social on 1 December. The event is being organised by the West...

Cheapest" pub in Britain under fire

31-Mar-2009

A pub is being forced to slash its opening hours after it was accused of attracting a culture of binge drinking and drug taking.Police are demanding...

Two convicted of foreign satellite offences

03-Oct-2008 By John Harrington

Another two licensees have been convicted of copyright offences for screening Premiership football via foreign satellite systems. A further host,...

Camra names best 16 real ale pubs

11-Sep-2008 By Ewan Turney

Camra has launched the 36th edition of the Good Beer Guide featuring 1,227 new pubs and 73 new breweries.

Focus Midlands: Middle kingdom

24-Apr-2008

I don't know anyone who calls themselves a Midlander - the region, as a whole, doesn't have that emotive identity. Yet everyone who lives here is...

Largest haul of stolen kegs for 25 years

13-Mar-2008

A massive haul of more than 32,000 stolen kegs and casks have been seized in a series of raids across the Midlands. Kegs and casks with a replacement...

Police storm pub in check for drunks

17-Jan-2008 By Joe Lutrario joe.lutrario@william-reed.co.uk

A dozen police officers burst into a Birmingham pub to check for drunk customers. The raid on the Prince of Wales, which occurred in November, left...

Police storm pub to check for drunks

10-Jan-2008 By Joe Lutrario

A dozen police officers burst into a Birmingham pub to check for drunk customers. The raid on the Prince of Wales, which occurred in November, left...

Punch names its top BRM

09-Jan-2008

Michael Bridger, who is responsible for pubs in the West Midlands, is named the pubco's best business relationship manager

Licensing red tape headache

02-Nov-2007 By John Harrington

Hosts face a postcode lottery over the amount of licensing paperwork they will have to cope with

Karaoke con is back

11-Oct-2007 By John Harrington john.harrington@william-reed.co.u

The pub karaoke conman has been targeting outlets across the West Midlands, North-West England and North Wales, the Morning Advertiser has learnt....

Karaoke conman is on the loose

05-Oct-2007 By John Harrington

The pub karaoke conman is targeting outlets in the north west

THE AGENTS

16-Aug-2007

Rosie Greenwood Fleurets Birmingham Office Negotiator Our geographical responsibility as one of the most strategically-placed offices in the Fleurets...

As easy as ABCQ

19-Apr-2007

As the final stages of CaskForce approach, Rosie Davenport reports on the vital trade training aspect of the competition Competition prizes don't get...

Bullish market in Birmingham

30-Mar-2007 By James Wilmore

The West Midlands is no different to the rest of the country in seeing a shortage of freehold pubs available. However demand remains high with some...

Acid' burns 24 punters

18-Dec-2003

A substance believed to be acid was thrown into a Bristol pub, causing burns to 24 customers. An "unidentified corrosive substance" was thrown into...

THAT's the way to do it for skills

29-Jan-2003

The chefs, licensees and hotel managers of the future have been given a boost with a new initiative to provide them with the best training...

Solihull introduces street-drinking ban

10-Oct-2002

Police in Solihull, West Midlands, have warned they will not hesitate to use their new powers to arrest people who drink in alcohol-restricted zones....