Utilities

The Lock In Podcast

New Year, new opportunities?

08-Jan-2024 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team take a look ahead to see what 2024 has in store, both the opportunities and the challenges and how you can embrace both.

Farewell 2023, here's to 2024

21-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

There's a strange feeling of deja vu as I sit down to write my thoughts on the year and hopes for the year ahead.

Challenges remain but positive changes may be in the offing on utilities

21-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

What to expect from utilities in 2024? We asked industry expert Gerry O'Hara of Nationwide Energy to give his perspective on what the coming year was likely to bring.

Review of the Week

‘It doesn't feel like inflation is under control’

10-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington spoke to Brucan Pubs’ James Lyon-Shaw to get his take on the week's events.

Big Interview

Government needs to do more: Kerridge

14-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

“There’s a huge amount the Government could and should be doing,” according to leading chef and pub operator Tom Kerridge, with a key issue being a reduction in VAT.

The Power Struggle

Act now to tackle the energy crisis

07-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

With volatile energy costs and operators locked into sky-high deals, the Morning Advertiser has teamed up with UKHospitality to launch a campaign, The Power Struggle, to ensure the industry is heard loud and clear as part of a consultation process.

Review of the Week

'Can't see it getting a lot better'

04-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with Frisco Pubs boss and podcast legend Heath Ball to get his take on the week's news, from duty changes and utilities profits to the weather.

The Lock In Podcast

Season finale: The challenges ahead

26-Jun-2023 By Ed Bedington

With season three of the Lock In podcast coming to a close, we take a look at some of the current challenges, energy, supply, inflation etc - and where we see things heading.

'Total war' - surviving 20 years in the trade

11-May-2023 By Ed Bedington

Surviving 20 years in the pub trade without going backwards is no mean feat, but the founders of the Three Cheers Pub Co can look back with a real sense of achievement.

OPINION

Governor's inflation calls a slap in the face

24-Mar-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Bank of England Governor has called on businesses, including pubs, to not raise prices to avoid fuelling inflation.

Review of the Week

‘Politics back to normal’

17-Mar-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with UKHospitality boss Kate Nicholls to get her take on the week's news, which has seen the Spring Budget announced, Ofgem's letter to Government and potential train strike breakthroughs.

Diversification will be key to success

10-Feb-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with BII CEO Steve Alton to get his take on the week's news and where the sector is heading in the year ahead.

Review of the Week

'I'm going to call it out for what it is - it's profiteering'

16-Dec-2022 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington met up with celebrity pub operator Merlin Griffiths, of Greenhouse Pubs, to hear his thoughts on the week's news and his view on the utilities situation.

Charity initiative helps keeps pubs lights on

09-Dec-2022 By Ed Bedington

A Sussex-based pub has come up with a unique way to try and offset the increased costs of Christmas lights this year.

Autumn Statement

Crumbs of comfort as VAT pleas ignored

17-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Well, we knew it was going to be grim, and any suggestion of support was going to be highly unlikely, but those who were hoping for VAT reform will have been left dismayed by the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

The Lock In Podcast

Will pubs get the support they need?

10-Oct-2022 By Ed Bedington

The podcast team returns for season three of the award-winning (James's mum gave us a rosette) Lock In podcast and we get to grips with the challenges facing the sector.

Review of the Week

Experience vs stuff is going to be key

16-Sep-2022 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Liberation Group's Jonathan Lawson to discuss the week's news, from the Queen's funeral to Government inactivity on the spiralling cost crisis.

Action is needed now Liz

06-Sep-2022 By Ed Bedington

So the wait is finally over and the one MP most of her colleagues didn’t think was up to the job is now moving into number 10, but hey ho, what do they know that the wider Conservative membership doesn’t…

Three quarters of pubs facing extinction

23-Aug-2022 By Ed Bedington

Nearly three quarters of pubs are unlikely to survive the winter unless action is taken to solve the energy crisis.

Action needed now on energy crisis

19-Aug-2022 By Ed Bedington

In the 1920s there were pictures of German consumers wheeling barrows full of cash to pay for a loaf of bread.

'We are part of the community, and that's what we're at risk of losing'

19-Aug-2022 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington catches up with Isle of Wight operator Gav Young to discuss some of the key issues of the week from tax rebalancing, to price hikes and soaring energy costs.

The Lock In Podcast

Lock In season finale - coping with what lies ahead

07-Jul-2022 By Ed Bedington

The second season of the Lock In podcast draws to a close as the team take a look at what lies ahead for the pub sector and seek some expert advice to allow operators to prepare.

The MA's Review of the Week

‘You can’t have a bad operation and charge a premium’

24-Jun-2022 By Ed Bedington

Operators continue to stare down the barrels of inflation as Ed Bedington catches up with the Little and Large Pub Co’s Manu Bhatt to get his take on the week’s news.

Tackling the crippling cost increases

19-Apr-2022 By Ed Bedington

With sky-rocketing costs across all aspects of the trade, the Lock In team take a look at what's driving those, and any steps operators can take to mitigate and make savings.

The Lock In Podcast

Money trouble: Pub finance challenges

17-Feb-2022 By Ed Bedington

With finances facing an ever-growing squeeze and debts coming home to roost next month, the Lock In team take a look at what pub operators should be thinking about when it comes to managing cash flow, dealing with debt, handling the current utilities...