Pubco + Head Office

THE CASK PROJECT

GK launches Cask Ale Club for franchises and T&L division

21-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Brewer and pub operator Greene King has launched a ‘Cask Ale Club’ initiative exclusively available to its ‘Pub Partners’.

Famed sandwich maker and publican to open third pub

20-Nov-2023 By The Morning Advertiser

Sandwich supremo Max Halley and publican Ethan Davids are opening their third pub together later this month.

Punch appoints ex-Peach MD Stoddart as strategic adviser

20-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Co-founder of Peach Pubs Hamish Stoddart has joined Punch Pubs & Co as a strategic adviser to its board.

OPINION

Lack of guide books means people are not finding pubs

20-Nov-2023 By Tim Bird, owner of Cheshire Cat Pubs & Inns

Where have all the guides gone? That is my question and I am not referring to the helpful folk who talk us around a stately home or indeed the younger version who help the community, collect badges and, in my experience, bake rather nice cakes for charity.

THE CASK PROJECT

Rocking Rudolph returns, cancer charity to benefit again

20-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Greene King is hoping to boost charity coffers again this year with the release of festive favourite cask ale Rocking Rudolph.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Business rates support ‘is the big one’

17-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser editor Ed Bedington spoke to Oak Taverns managing director Simon Collinson to get his thoughts on the week's news and the upcoming Autumn Statement on Wednesday 22 November.

Marston’s CEO Andrea replaced by Merlin strategy officer

17-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Marston’s CEO Andrew Andrea has agreed with the board he will step down from his role with immediate effect and will be replaced by Merlin Entertainment chief strategy officer Justin Platt.

Stonegate CEO Ian Payne to retire

17-Nov-2023 By Finn Scott-Delany

Stonegate chairman and founder Ian Payne MBE has decided to retire at the end of January 2024 and step down from his role with the group after 13 years.

‘Tale of two halves’ as Young’s reports ‘strong’ results

16-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

London-based pub operator Young’s has reported a 12% lift to its adjusted profit before tax and labelled the 26-week period of its financial year as a “tale of two halves”.

Emeny hails ‘excellent financial results’ at Fuller’s

15-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Pub operator Fuller’s has delivered “excellent financial results” with like-for-like (lfl) sales up 12.7% in the first half of its financial year (H1 2024) compared to the same period last year.

Administrators appointed to former Wear Inns pubco

15-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The property company that operated north-east-based pub business Wear Inns after it was acquired in August 2018 has gone into administration meaning all 25 sites are now on the market.

Managed pubs provide bright spot despite sales growth slowdown

15-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Sales growth slowed at managed pubs in October due to poor weather, including Storm Babet.

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

The Piano Works moves to Nightcap venue

15-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Nightcap, Loungers and Hydes have recently launched new sites across the country.

Logistics staff contracted by Greene King to strike in Xmas run-up

14-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Lorry drivers and warehouse staff contracted by Greene King will take part in a series of strikes after a below-inflation pay offer was rejected.

UK pubs raise vital charity funds by selling poppies

11-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The Blue Ball Inn is one of many pubs across the UK that have raised tens of thousands of pounds by selling poppies on behalf of the Royal British Legion.

THE CASK PROJECT

Hook Norton brewer: quality and price point key for cask’s future

10-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Maintaining quality and not being scared to charge what your beer is worth will help cask beer stay at the forefront of UK pubs.

Admiral Taverns posts improved turnover and EBITDA

09-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Despite economic headwinds creating a “challenging backdrop” for its licensees, Admiral Taverns has posted improved turnover and EBITDA figures in its 2023 financial year (FY23) results.

POLL

POLL: Is your outside space appealing during winter?

08-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Outside space at pubs is a sure-fire way to increase footfall during summer but how does your site fare during the colder and darker months?

Like-for-like sales up 9.5% at JDW

08-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has reported like-for-like (lfl) sales in the first 14 weeks of its financial year (FY24) were 9.5% higher than the same period last year.

JDW hikes Christmas dinner price by 13%

07-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has raised the price of its Christmas dinner by 13% for 2023, but the pub goliath claims it’s still “excellent value”.

Peach Pubs key to future growth for Revolution

07-Nov-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Peach Pubs is key to future growth for Revolution Bars Group as many younger guests at its other brands are being impacted most by inflationary pressures.

Oakman updates on challenges and improvements

06-Nov-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

CEO of multiple operator Oakman Group Peter Borg-Neal has updated the company’s response to industry challenges and trading improvements in a recent shareholder letter.

Rate of site closures slows

06-Nov-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

While the number of Britain’s licensed premises dropped by 3.6% over the past 12 months, the pace has slowed as the ear has gone on.

EXCLUSIVE

North reopening ‘cherished’ bar

03-Nov-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator North has revealed it is reopening a ‘cherished’ site in Chapel Allerton next week following its closure last month (October).

PROPERTY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

BrewDog eyes Asia expansion after Hong Kong launch

01-Nov-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

It's been a big month for BrewDog, with new sites launching in Hong Kong and Amsterdam, and now the operator is looking to further spread its wings into Asia.

North Brewing opens first international site

31-Oct-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

Leeds-based brewer and operator North Brewing has announced has opened its first international bar in Treviso, Italy.

MY PUB

My Pub: the Beresford Arms, Morpeth, Northumberland

30-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The Beresford Arms in a food-led gastropub in the north of England that was a finalist in the Great British Pub Awards in the Best Pub for Food category.

PROMOTIONAL CONTENT

Explore a world of flavours with Mission Foods

30-Oct-2023 By Mission Foods

Looking to make your pub menu really stand out this autumn-winter season?

OPINION

Sober October deniers’ pubs will struggle to survive

30-Oct-2023 By Hari Fell, Tudor Farmhouse Hotel, Clearwell, Gloucestershire, and founder of NoLo Cocktails

As a hotelier of 20 years and having given up alcohol more than four years ago, I read Gav Young’s opinion piece ‘A Pub is for life not for 10 months of the year’ with dismay.

Pubs counter ‘no-shows double’ research claim

27-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The unwelcome sight of increased numbers of ‘no-shows’ has reared its ugly head once again in the sector but not all pubs The Morning Advertiser spoke to are convinced the situation is getting worse.

Transferred Punch pubs key to revenue boost

27-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Punch Pubs & Co’s move to convert leased and tenanted pubs to its managed division has been cited as the “predominant driving force” for a 10.2% lift in revenue in its trading update for the 52 weeks ended 13 August 2023.

FEATURE - FOOD TRENDS

FEATURE: Food trends for winter

27-Oct-2023 By Emma Eversham

Shorts and T-shirts have finally been replaced by sweaters and sou’westers as the UK’s weather resumes its usual service following an unseasonably warm and dry September and October.

Sector backs wellbeing scheme for staff in big numbers

26-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Pubcos including Greene King, BrewDog and St Austell Brewery are among more than 100 hospitality groups that have pledged to improve training and support for their staff.

Hall & Woodhouse offloads Rio

25-Oct-2023 By MCA

Independent brewer and pub company Hall and Woodhouse has sold soft drinks brand Rio to A.G. Barr for £12.3m.

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

Morgan Pub Collective site opens after £270k refurb

24-Oct-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The Morgan Pub Collective has taken on its sixth pub with Greene King Pub Partners, a Surrey operator has taken on his second pub and Brakspear pumps £2m into two L&T sites.

PCA COLUMN

Improving the tied tenant and business development manager relationship

24-Oct-2023 By Fiona Dickie, pubs code adjudicator

The relationship between the business development manager (BDM) and tenant is a significant one.

BIG INTERVIEW

The Big Interview: Tom Davies of Brakspear

23-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Regrets? Tom Davies of Brakspear doesn’t dwell on them.

Fuller’s: Pub closures will increase tenfold without business rates relief

23-Oct-2023 By Hannah Currie, MCA

Pub and restaurant closures will increase tenfold unless the government finds a more equitable way of raising tax through business rates, says Simon Emeny, chief executive of Fuller’s.

Greene King invests more than £15m into Hive Pubs

20-Oct-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Greene King Pub Partners, the leased and tenanted arm of Greene King, has invested more than £15m into its Hive Pubs model since its inception two years ago.

CASK WEBINAR

Don't miss our cask webinar live today at 3pm

20-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

If you want to start or improve your cask beer offer, sign up now for free to watch our webinar on cask ale that goes live today at 3pm (Tuesday 31 October).

Brakspear boss: business rates rise threat hangs over the sector

20-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies has described the threat of business rates rises and the current discount being axed in April next year as “the Sword of Damocles” hanging over the sector.

Career change considered by 42% of industry staff

19-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

More than two in five workers in the hospitality sector are considering a career outside the industry despite job satisfaction levels increasing ‘significantly’ during the past 12 months.

Government ‘must act’ to avoid £1.95bn business rates rise

18-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Pubs and bars have been warned they face huge multimillion-pound hikes in business rates bills from April 2024 if the Government fails to act when it comes to freezing rates and failing to retain discounts currently offered.

Managed groups register 12 months of sales growth in a row

18-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups have completed 12 consecutive months of year-on-year sales growth in September, according to the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker.

CMBC secures 'momentous' 10-year agreement with Stonegate

17-Oct-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has announced a new 10-year partnership with the UK’s largest pub company.

Ex-England cricketers host ‘thank you’ lunch for firefighters

17-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The Cat & Wickets pubco, owned by former cricket stars Harry Gurney and Stuart Broad, has hosted a ‘thank you’ lunch for the firefighters who doused the blaze that destroyed its Tap & Run pub in June 2022.

CASK WEBINAR

How to improve your cask offer – free webinar

16-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Whether you’re a licensee wanting to start serving cask beers or a pub company looking for a few tips to improve the offer you already have – this free webinar is one you won’t want to miss.

Publican Awards

Publican Awards 2024 open for entry

16-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The hunt is on for the best operators in the hospitality sector as the industry’s leading awards gets underway for 2024.

My Pub

My Pub: the Bulls Head, Holymoorside, Derbyshire

13-Oct-2023 By Gary Lloyd

The Bulls Head pub is located in Derbyshire and operated by Great British Menu 2022 chef Mark Aisthorpe but it's not just food that the site is excelling with.

Brakspear pumps £2m into two L&T sites

13-Oct-2023 By Nikkie Thatcher

South east-based multiple operator Brakspear is investing £2m into two of its leased and tenanted sites after signing agreements with growing pub groups Little & Large and Friendship and Beer.