Pubco + Head Office

Strong return: As trading has picked up, economic headwinds could create more activity on the pub property market (credit: Getty/sturti)

Pub property market to ‘ramp up’ this year

By Gary Lloyd

The pub property market is set to “ramp up” during the second half of 2022 with sales of sites expected to come from Stonegate, Marston’s and Amber Taverns, according to a new report from Christie & Co.

Rising costs: Bath Pub Company managing director Joe Cussens says there is no help with ever-increasing energy prices

Bath Pub Company lfl revenue up 34% v 2019

By Gary Lloyd

Bath-based pub operator The Bath Pub Company has reported a 34% increase in like-for-like (lfl) revenue in the first half of 2022 versus the same period in pre-pandemic trading in 2019.

Warning: Sacha Lord has also called for a temporary reduction in VAT on business energy bills from 20% to 5%

Lord: crisis is more damaging than covid

By Gary Lloyd

Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord has demanded the Government return to parliament to intervene in the economic issues that are “more damaging than Covid”.

A cry for support: Leaders' confidence crashes due to cost-of-living crisis (Getty/ South_agency)

Action needed as hospitality leaders’ confidence plummets

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The confidence of pub, bar and restaurant leaders has tumbled over the second quarter of 2022 after costs soared for both businesses and consumers, according to CGA and Fourth’s second-quarter Business Confidence Survey.

Delighted: Nightcap chief executive Sarah Willingham (credit: Nicky Johnston)

Nightcap announces 23.6% revenue increase

By Gary Lloyd

Nightcap, the owner of The Cocktail Club, the Adventure Bar Group and the Barrio Familia group of bars, has reported a 23.6% like-for-like revenue increase for the final 13 weeks of its financial year, ended 3 July 2022.

Company portfolio: Red Oak Taverns now operates 208 sites across the UK, which are predominantly leased and tenanted

Red Oak secures £110m debt facility

By Nikkie Thatcher

Multi-site operator Red Oak Taverns has secured a six year £110m whole loan arranged by Excellion Capital to push forward with the group’s growth plans.

Free pdf download on spirits and wines for pubs

free pdf download

Let spirits and wine do the work for you

By Gary Lloyd

Spirits and wine sales at pubs are making a massive comeback – so you could be missing a trick if you don’t make sure your offer includes these favourites.

CMBC technical specialist John Fogg Q&A session

the cask project

All the technical help you need for cask

By Gary Lloyd

Adding a cask beer offering to your pub can be a great way to introduce a new revenue stream while paying homage to what many describe as the most quintessentially British of products.

Big plans: Robinsons has seen profits climb ahead of its move to amalgamate its head office, brewing and packaging operations

Robinsons turns loss into £4.5m profit

By Gary Lloyd

Stockport-based brewer and pub operator Robinsons Brewery has announced an operating profit of £4.5m after ploughing £3.5m into its managed and tenanted pub estates.

Sales rising: Fuller's has opened a landside site at Heathrow's Terminal 2

Fuller’s buoyed by 3% sales boost

By Gary Lloyd

London-based pub operator Fuller, Smith & Turner (Fuller’s) has announced total sales are up 3% on pre-pandemic levels and it has three sites in the pipeline, in its latest trading update.

Consumer ideas on how to improve the cask category

the cask project

Could cooling cask create a greater customer base?

By Marc Walker, consumer journalist and cask ale lover

As someone who came of age in the late 1990s, my journey to cask ale drinker might be considered fairly typical; as a student, I simply went for the same drink as my peers: big brand, non-descript lager, entirely unaware that an alternative, boasting...

Upwards trends: Barkby Group has seen positive growth to all sides of its business (credit: Getty/John Lamb)

Barkby Group reports 122% revenue boost to pub arm

By Gary Lloyd

Gastropub operator Barkby Group has reported revenue rise of 122% in its latest FY results ended 2 July 2022, and added it will look to dispose of non-core assets to focus on its property development business and pub arm.

Recent news: pubs code adjudicator Fiona Dickie recently appeared in front of a select committee, among others, to discuss how the pubs code is working

opinion

Showing progress in the tied pub relationship

By Fiona Dickie, pubs code adjudicator

I was grateful for the opportunity to appear before a parliamentary select committee this week, to give evidence about the progress of the pubs code in bringing fairness to the tied relationship in the regulated pub trade.

Rule change extension: off-sales will be permitted for a further year (credit: Getty/Paper Boat Creative)

NTIA welcomes extension to off-sales

By Gary Lloyd

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has welcomed the Government’s move to allow hospitality sites to continue selling alcoholic drinks to be consumed outside their premises.

Pint price: drinkers at more than 700 JD Wetherspoon pubs can buy a pint of Ruddles Best for under £1.50

JDW serving pints for under £1.50

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon is selling pints of beer of £1.49 in a large majority of its pubs across the nation.

Record year: Nick Collins and Alex Reilley (right) of Loungers

Loungers plans to open ‘at least’ 500 sites

By Gary Lloyd

All-day bar-restaurant brand Loungers said it expects to open at least 500 sites across its Lounge and Cosy Club brands, after reporting a record year of financial and operational progress.

Greene King creates new role to champion cask ale

the cask project

Cask has to be perfect to attract younger drinkers

By John Malone, head of brewery customer engagement, Greene King

Brewer and pub operator Greene King has created a new role that is set to champion the most British of drinks – cask ale. Here, head of brewery customer engagement, John Malone, explains what he and the Suffolk-based business is doing to help the cask...

Scandalous and unfair: Industry officials criticised the Pubs Code

Pubs code labelled ‘wholesale failure’

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The pubs code came under fire as a “wholesale failure” at the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee meeting yesterday (12 July), designed to assess the usefulness of the code.

Urgent reforms called for: Colliers says business rates reduction must not be gradual (credit: Getty/AlexKozlov)

Next Tory leader must reform business rates

By Gary Lloyd

Tory leadership hopefuls must reform business rates and rule out a phased downwards transition to cut tax and save the high street, according to commercial estate agent Colliers.

Fierce competition: the pubs will now be visited by judges before winners are decided

Great British Pub Awards

2022 GBPA finalists unveiled

By Nikkie Thatcher

The shortlist for this year’s ‘pub Oscars’, the Great British Pub Awards have now been announced.

Financial input discussion: Peter Borg-Neal (right) at the Pub Conference with MCA editor Finn Scott-Delany

Oakman contemplates minority stake sell-off

By Finn Scott-Delany

Oakman Group is in talks with private equity groups to put more cash in the balance sheet and accelerate its expansion plans, MCA’s Pub Conference has heard.

Enticing interior: the Famous Three Kings pub is dedicated to sport

SPORT FEATURE

FEATURE: Building a sports offer at your pub

By Gary Lloyd

Many pubs make a real profit from increased footfall by screening top sports action but using a service such as Sky or BT Sport can be expensive.

In style: more than a third of Londoners favour a craft beer

Londoners sup 2.5 pints every week

By Gary Lloyd

Londoners drink two and a half pints of beer every week and most enjoy a mainstream brand of beverage, according to research by Bermondsey craft brewer Fourpure.

Evidence session: the Government's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee will be examining the pubs code and assess how it is working

Pubs code to be examined by business committee

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee will question a number of people from the industry on how the pubs code is working later this month (Tuesday 12 July).

Moving up: Young’s expects its recent site acquisitions to benefit the business this year

Young’s revenue up 39.7% in Q1 2022

By Gary Lloyd

Brewer and pub operator Young & Co’s Brewery has announced revenue is 39.7% for the first quarter of this year, in a trading update ahead of its AGM on Tuesday 5 July.

Spotlight

(credit: Getty/ViewApart) Experts give comment for the Beer Report 2024 Ed Bedington opinion on James May interview OPINION: James May is right... but not about everything The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast episode 78 Making the most of your ghost

Property of the week

KENT - HIGH QUALITY FAMILY FRIENDLY PUB

£ 60,000 - Leasehold

Busy location on coastal main road Extensively renovated detached public house Five trade areas (100)  Sizeable refurbished 4-5 bedroom accommodation Newly created beer garden (125) Established and popular business...

Most popular News

Follow us

The MA Lock In Podcast

Join us for a Lock In

Pub Trade Guides

View more