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The Morning Advertiser Lock In Podcast episode 45

The Lock In Podcast

The ongoing impact of the Pubs Code...

By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team take a look back at the Pubs Code and the impact of MRO - how has the legislation reshaped the UK pub market for the better or worse, and what does the future hold?

Father’s Day weekend: trade was good at UK pubs even though the weather wasn’t perfect (credit: Getty/djiledesign)

Weather dampens weekend but footfall high

By Gary Lloyd

Trade at pubs during the Father’s Day weekend was good despite predictions for blistering sunshine quickly turning into a damp squib, particularly on Saturday, for many across the UK.

Go after those diners: pubs can offer the same quality, and more, than restaurants (credit: Getty/Xsandra)

Pubs can win custom from restaurants

By Ed Sibley, commercial director, Lumina Intelligence

Consumers are concerned. Whether you are already feeling the pinch or know it’s coming round the corner, the vast majority of the UK are looking to cut back.

To beer or not to beer: multiple operator Fuller’s has put opera and Shakespeare shows on and gained huge traction with customers

Events & Occasions feature

FEATURE: Be wise before the events and occasions

By Michelle Perrett

There is nothing like an event or a big night to pull in the punters. Offering something special in the current climate to get people to come out is becoming more of a challenge than ever before.

Sector suffering: managed pubs lfl sales have dropped while bars remain flat and restaurants show modest growth (credit: Getty/Charday Penn)

Spending stalls as managed pubcos lfl sales fall

By Gary Lloyd

Like-for-like (lfl) sales at Britain’s leading managed pub groups in May fell by 1% versus pre-Covid-19 levels of 2019, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker has revealed.

Dealing with the bumps in the road: Brendan Padfield of the Unruly Pig

Calm in a cost-of-living crisis?

By Brendan Padfield

Brendan Padfield, owner of the Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk, reflects upon the growing storm clouds facing hospitality.

Licensing solicitor Poppleston Allen on off-trade sales after Covid

How do off-trade sales work post-Covid?

By Poppleston Allen, licensing solicitors

Operators may recall that in July 2020, the Government passed legislation through the Business & Planning Act 2020 that provided a relaxation for those premises that did not have the benefit of off-sales provision on their premises licence.

Tree planting among company’s schemes: BrewDog co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie

BrewDog launches £12m eco-friendly plant plan

By Gary Lloyd

Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog has commissioned work to create a £12m bio-energy plant at its Ellon base that will power the production of 176m pints per year while reducing carbon emissions by 7,500 tonnes.

Revolution update: renovated bars, such as its Cheltenham site, are proving popular with customers

Revolution Bars Group confident in trading update

By Gary Lloyd

Multiple operator Revolution Bars Group has announced it is confident of delivering EBITDA results “slightly ahead” of market expectations that currently stand at £10m.

Southern base: MA Leaders Club members will be hitting the streets of Brighton in September (image: Getty/Abstract Aerial Art)

MA Leaders Club

MA Leaders September location revealed

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Morning Advertiser can now announce the MA Leaders Club event in September will be taking place in Brighton.

Expert tips: Poppleston Allen partner Jonathan Smith outlines licensing hearings

Licensing hub - Legal with Poppleston Allen

The lowdown on licensing hearings

By Jonathan Smith, partner, Poppleston Allen

Licensing law involves a lot of detailed administration. There is a lot of form filling (thankfully mostly online nowadays), particularly in respect of varying your Designated Premises Supervisor, changing the name and address of the licence holder or...

Openings and revamps: A big week for Revs with two new sites openings and one site revamp, as others launch sites and makeover others

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

Revolution opens bars and revamps more, police station turns into pub

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Revolution has opened new sites in Exeter and Preston and as well as pumping £200k into its Wilmslow site, the Inn Collection Group has turned a police station into a pub and Red Oak Taverns has renovated its Blunham venue.

Growth reflects quality on offer: City Pub Group executive chairman Clive Watson

City Pub Group like-for-like sales up 5% on 2019

By Gary Lloyd

Multiple operator City Pub Group has said its like-for-like sales have continued to strengthen faster than predicted as its May 2022 figures are 5% ahead of the same period in 2019.

Proud: CEO Jonathan Lawson praised the teams for dealing with the challenges of the past year

Liberation Group chief hails ‘sector-leading’ performance

By Gary Lloyd

Channel Islands and West Country-based brewer and operator Liberation Group has announced its managed UK pubs have seen like-for-like (lfl) sales grow 18.6% for the final three quarters of its financial year ended 29 January 2022, versus the same period...

Celebration offer: the deal is for customers visiting Greene King Local Pubs or Flaming Grill sites

Greene King giving away free pints

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub company and brewer Greene King is giving away free pints for one day only, across more than 400 of its sites, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s royal coronation.

Why selling cask gives a pub an advantage

the cask project

Making cask ale more commercially viable

By Anthony Hughes, director of Lincoln Green Brewing Company

We’ve seen the statistics and know from our own experiences; cask is in decline.

Huge investment: Revolution Cheltenham will relaunch in time for the Jubilee weekend

£250k overhaul for Revolution Cheltenham

By Gary Lloyd

Revolution Bars Group has invested £249,000 into a makeover for its Revolution Cheltenham bar, which is set to reopen in time for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Growing portfolio: Liberation Group acquires two West Country sites from OHH Pub Company

Liberation Group acquires 2 sites from OHH Pub Company

By Amelie Maurice-Jones


Liberation Group’s UK Butcombe Pubs & Inns acquired the Northey Arms in Box, Wiltshire and the Rising Sun in Backwell, North Somerset from OHH Pub Company yesterday (Thursday 26 May).

Bright future: The Coaching Inn Group chief executive Kevin Charity said the company was looking to 'expand the estate at pace' (image: Getty/MicroStockHub)

RedCat continues to grow inn portfolio

By Nikkie Thatcher

Rooney Anand’s investment vehicle RedCat Pub Company has announced the purchase of the Castle of Brecon hotel, bringing the number of pub hotels owned by its subsidiary The Coaching Inn Group to 26.

J&S Pub Co takes on Star pub, Mist, in Scarborough

J&S takes on 5th Star site

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

North Yorkshire multiple operator, J&S Pub Company, has taken on its fifth Star Pubs & Bars pub, Mist in Scarborough, north Yorkshire, bringing its pub estate to seven.

Opinion piece: when working well, the pubs code can be part of a smooth relationship between tenants and the pub company, says pubs code adjudicator Fiona Dickie

opinion

What tenants need from the pubs code

By Fiona Dickie, pubs code adjudicator

With the current trading and economic challenges facing tied tenants, they want to be able to focus on running their businesses.

Female drinkers' choices could lead to more cask ale sales

the cask project

Female drinkers could be key in cask take-up

By Gary Lloyd

Licensee Ady Smith operates Greene King pub the Dove Street Inn, in Ipswich, with partner Karen. Here he explains how they took on the site and how cask can break ground with younger people.

How to improve your range of soft drinks and sell more

Soft drinks feature

FEATURE: Go hard on capturing soft drinks sales

By Phil Mellows

It’s an old conundrum for the publican. You’d like to sell more soft drinks. You’d like to stock a bigger range. You’d like to offer your non-drinking customers something a little more interesting. In an ideal world. But as you may have noticed lately,...

What's in the news 13 May 2022?

Review of the week

'Everyone has got so creative with outside space, it's fantastic'

By Nikkie Thatcher

Directors of Green Salmon Co Jason Green and David Salmon spoke with The Morning Advertiser's Nikkie Thatcher to discuss the top headlines of this week including outlining how they retain staff and a trading update on the business.

Strong recovery: St Austell Brewery has more funding available to improve further in 2022

St Austell Brewery back in profit post-Covid

By Gary Lloyd

South-west-based brewer and pub operator St Austell Brewery has reported a strong recovery and a return to profitability in 2021 after the impact of the pandemic.

Spotlight

(Credit: Getty/dschnarrs) Stay ahead of your rivals with the free Beer Report 2024 The Morning Advertiser's Lock In Podcast episode 77 S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more) Competition kicked off: entry for the 2024 Great British Pub Awards is now open Hunt is under way for the Great British Pub of the Year The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast shortlisted for award Lock In podcast shortlisted for top award

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...

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