Pubco + Head Office

Excellent reputation: Steve Goodyear to be succeeded by Young's non-exec chair by Steve Cooke from July 2024

Young's announces non-exec board changes

By Rebecca Weller

Southern England-based pub operator and brewer Young’s & Co has announced Steve Goodyear will step down as non-executive chairman from next summer.

New launches: Inception Group prepares to open its 15th site

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

Roxy Leisure & Inception Group to launch sites

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

New venues are in the works from Inception Group and Roxy Leisure, and significant investments have been made by Star and Hydes to enhance their pubs for summer.

Second innings: a look around the newly reopened Tap & Run pub

Cricketers’ pub reopens after blaze

By Gary Lloyd

The Tap & Run pub, owned by cricket stars Harry Gurney and Stuart Broad, has begun its second innings after a fire destroyed the site a year ago. Here are some pictures showing how the reopened site looks now.

St Austell trading up: the last four weeks of trading to 10 June 2023 shows like-for-like sales rising by 20%.

St Austell Brewery turnover up by 34%

By Gary Lloyd

South-west-based brewer and pub operator St Austell Brewery has grown its turnover by 34% to £209.2m – surpassing pre-pandemic sales by 10%.

BrewDog background: there have been many acquisitions from the business since it started

BrewDog’s acquisition history

By Nikkie Thatcher

The Morning Advertiser has taken a trip down memory lane to look at how BrewDog has become the global bar business it is today.

Company news: Ciara Allan (left) and Laura Lewis (right) have been appointed to Arc Inspirations' board

Arc makes two new board appointments

By Nikkie Thatcher

Leeds-based multiple operator Arc Inspirations has announced the appointments of a new chief financial officer (CFO) and a promotion to marketing director.

Who is the new ceo of Stonegate?

McDowall 'I'm in my dream job'

By Ed Bedington

For some of us, we’re lucky enough to enjoy our jobs, but for Stonegate boss David McDowall, he’s delighted to find himself doing the job he’d always wanted!

Rules flouted: MP Kevin Hollinrake says ‘paying the legal minimum wage is non-negotiable and all businesses’ (credit: Getty/shisheng ling)

Gov 'names and shames' pubcos for underpaying staff

By Gary Lloyd

The Government has 'named and shamed' more than 200 companies for failing to pay their lowest paid staff the minimum wage – and a number of pubcos have made the list which dates between 2017 and 2019.

Positive outlook: Thwaites says people are rediscovering the pub (credit: Geety/Wasan Tita)

Thwaites profits before tax up 19%

By Gary Lloyd

Brewer and pub operator Daniel Thwaites said “factors that have shaken consumer confidence are going into reverse” as it reported profit before tax rose by 19%.

Complete makeover: Admiral Tavern and Shepherd Neame invest in pubs across the country

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

£2.1m ploughed into pubs this week

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

A combined sum of £2.1m has been invested in pubs this week by Admiral Taverns and Shepherd Neame.

Cream of the crop: Licensee of the Year award winners Joe Buckley and Flo Pearce (centre) with Damian Saunders of Sky (left) and the BII's Steve Alton (right)

2023 LOYA winners crowned

By Nikkie Thatcher

Joe Buckley and Flo Pearce from the Tollemache Arms in Harrington, Northampton have been named the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII)’s 2023 Licensee of the Year.

Trading figures: sales in pubs were up by 8.8% against May 2022 but high inflation means this was below the same month last year in real terms (image: Getty/recep-bg)

May’s like-for-like sales up 8.8%

By Nikkie Thatcher

Warm weather and a trio of bank holidays resulted in like-for-like sales in pubs having increased by 8.8% year on year.

Green light for Amber sites: the Water House is set to open next week

Amber Taverns announces three openings

By Gary Lloyd

Community wet-led pub operator Amber Taverns has announced the opening of three freehold pubs this month (June 2023), in Cheshire, County Durham and Ayrshire.

Leading light: Sarah Willingham of Nightcap will describe her journey to build the business so quickly

Nightcap leader to star at MCA Pub Conference

By Finn Scott-Delany

Nightcap co-founder and CEO Sarah Willingham will appear at MCA’s Pub Conference next week, fresh from snapping up Dirty Martini in a pre-pack deal.

Optimistic: Simon Emeny said the progress made has given Fuller's ‘the perfect post-Covid springboard for the future’

Fuller’s lfls up 13.3% while revenue rises 33%

By Gary Lloyd

Simon Emeny of London-based pubco Fuller, Smith & Turner (Fuller’s) has revealed his optimism for the future as like-for-like (lfl) sales rose 13.9% in the 10 weeks to 10 June 2023.

Public support is there: BBPA CEO Emma McClarkin said the on-trade consistently contributes to the UK economy and needs help

BBPA calls for Gov action as sector boosts GDP figures

By Gary Lloyd

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called for “meaningful action” to tackle fiscal headwinds as GDP figures released today (Wednesday 14 June) showed a 0.2% increase to the economy – buoyed by visits to pubs.

Price hike: inflation was driven up by cost rises in vegetables, fish, sugar and jams & syrups categories (credit:Getty/fcafotodigital)

Foodservice inflation jumps back above 20%

By Gary Lloyd

Year-on-year foodservice inflation has jumped up to 21.4% after slowing at the end of March – the first time it had dropped below 20% since mid-2022.

Are pubcos exploiting rate relief?

OPINION

Are pubcos going to exploit rate relief?

By Phil Dixon, trade adviser

It was ‘Black Country Bus’ Syndrome: Two, one million pounds turnover local publicans contacting me in the matter of a few days.

Tuck in: JDW, which is chaired by Tim Martin, has scored impressively high across the UK for its food hygiene

JDW food rating score almost perfect

By Gary Lloyd

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has scored an average rating of 4.99 out of 5 in the latest food hygiene rating league for its 763 pubs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Company acquisition: 'These are long-established, well-run bars that fit well with our existing portfolio and our model of running multiple brands in clusters in London and around the country,' Nightcap CEO Sarah Willingham says

Nightcap acquires Dirty Martini

By Nikkie Thatcher

Bar operator Nightcap has acquired the Dirty Martini chain of cocktail bars and Tuttons Brasserie in a £4.65m pre-pack deal.

Swings & roundabouts:

BrewDog reports £24m operating loss

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

BrewDog has reported an operating loss of £24m in its latest trading update, but its founder retains “unshakeable confidence” in the Scottish brewery.

Openings and revamps: Pubs get fresh looks, Rekom to open site

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

Rekom to open 2nd Proud Mary pub

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Rekom is set to launch its second Proud Mary pub in Swansea, while pubs from Hyde, Star, Castle Pubs and SALT have reopened after revamps.

Report findings: 'It’s encouraging to see overall tenant satisfaction is in line with last year’s survey, despite the increasingly challenging and demanding market conditions that continue to plague the industry,' says PCA Fiona Dickie

Marston’s stands out on tenant satisfaction

By Ed Bedington

Tenant satisfaction with their pubcos remained unchanged from last year, according to a recent survey by the pubs code adjudicator (PCA), with Marston’s and Greene King notable exceptions.

Spotlight

(credit: Getty/ViewApart) Experts give comment for the 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

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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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