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Call for anti-thug laws for trade

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:15:00 GMT

A senior Scottish politician has called for pub staff to get the same legal protection if attacked as emergency service workers.

Which? guide hails pub chef Chapman

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:04:00 GMT

Dominic Chapman, head chef at the Royal Oak in Paley Street, Berkshire has been crowned Best pub chef in the new Which? Good Food Guide 2009.

Marston’s offers website help for tenants

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:39:00 GMT

Marston’s Pub Company hosts can create customised websites for their pubs under a new scheme.

Welsh alcohol U-21 ban spreads

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:34:00 GMT

Bans on under-21s buying alcohol in shops have spread to south Wales following similar schemes in Scotland and London.

Enterprise tenant pays off £12.7k arrears

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:17:00 GMT

Enterprise lessee Inez Ward has managed to pay back £12,700 in rent arrears three weeks ahead of schedule to secure her future at the pub.

Liverpool Pubwatch denies price cartel

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:15:00 GMT

The co-ordinator of Liverpool Pubwatch has denied the “gentleman’s agreement” by licensees not to sell drinks below set prices is a cartel.

BII reports 10 breaches of pubcos’ codes of practice

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:38:00 GMT

Around 10 cases of pubcos allegedly breaching promises to treat tenants fairly have been reported to the BII.

Men Brewing Badly: Morrissey and Fox launch first beer

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:55:00 GMT

Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey and PubChef writer Richard Fox have launched their new brew – Blonde Ale.

Get the most out of your BDM at BII event

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:10:00 GMT

Former BII licensee of the year Ali Carter will offer advice on the BDM relationship at the BII's Southern Region meeting.

S&NPE signs up Booker as preferred supplier

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:01:00 GMT

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises (S&NPE) has signed a deal with food wholesaler Booker as preferred supplier to its 2,100 tenants.

McNamara: Future is bright for pubs

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:47:00 GMT

John McNamara reflects on his time in charge at the BII and the challenges that lay ahead.

Pubs face ban on late-night DJ gigs

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:31:00 GMT

Council bosses want to ban new late-night DJ events in the City of London and have tabled plans where no new promoted events would be allowed between 11pm and 7am without the “express written consent” of the local police commissioner.

Portman slams flawed alcohol ads report

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:44:00 GMT

Portman Group has slated the “flawed” report from Alcohol Concern that suggests children are exposed to too many alcohol ads on TV, claiming the methods used were simplistic and failed to take into account the audience profile and size.

Christie Finance secures new mortgage deal

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:12:00 GMT

Commercial mortgage broker Christie Finance has secured around £100m of funding for its clients across the retail, care and hospitality sectors so far this year — despite lenders tightening their lending criteria.

Beer mats to raise abuse awareness

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:01:00 GMT

Fifty thousand beer mats are being handed out to pubs, bars and clubs across Leicestershire to raise awareness of alcohol and domestic violence.

Shepherd Neame joins Cask Marque

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:18:00 GMT

Kent brewer Shepherd Neame has joined beer quality monitoring scheme Cask Marque.

ALMR: Members are ditching Sky

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:53:00 GMT

Around 20% of multiple operators have ditched Sky since 2003 as the average subscription price reaches £15,000 a year, according to the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers.

Shops fail underage sales test in Leicester

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:37:00 GMT

A quarter of small community-based shops in Leicester sold alcohol to under-18s in the latest round of test purchase operations.

Licensing offences up 40% in Scotland

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:29:00 GMT

The total number of licensing offences in Scotland rose by 40% over the last year as authorities cracked down on underage sales but Government is happy action is being taken against rogue retailers.

Sky Sports extends cricket coverage

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:58:00 GMT

Sky Sports has extended its rights to screen domestic and international cricket to include the period 2010 to 2013 in England and Wales.

Punch commits to 800 Energy Performance Certificates

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:54:00 GMT

Punch Taverns is to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) for 800 of its leased pubs in a bid to cut carbon emissions by 17% by 2010.

Pubwatch bans are legal

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:44:00 GMT

Pubwatch bans are legal and cannot be challenged in the High Court – that was the welcome news from the High Court yesterday in a landmark case, which safeguards the very existence of hundreds of voluntary Pubwatch organisations.

MP barred pub for smoke ban support

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:56:00 GMT

A Greater Manchester licensee has barred his local MP, David Heyes, from drinking in his pub for voting for the smoking ban after seeing half his trade disappear.

The economics of the Fair Pint

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:22:00 GMT

Brian Jacobs responds to claims that the anti-pubco Fair Pint campaign is in "cloud-cuckoo land" in its bid to break the beer tie.

St Austell rolls out braille menus

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:24:00 GMT

Cornish brewer St Austell is launching braille menus in its pubs and hotels to help blind and partially sighted customers order food and drinks.

BII hails Tesco underage sales training

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:11:00 GMT

Supermarket giant Tesco has become first off-trade retailer to be recognised under the BII's Good Practice Recognition Scheme – it is rewarded for its Think 21 induction training programme.

Winehouse supports Hawley Arms rebuild fundraiser

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:43:00 GMT

Amy Winehouse and comedian Noel Fielding were among the stars who attended a concert to raise money in aid of rebuilding the Hawley Arms in Camden.

Outside smoking banned at pub

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:30:00 GMT

A licensee has been ordered to refuse service to customers who smoke on the street outside her pub.

Pub water bills to rise from 2010

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:21:00 GMT

Many licensees face big increases – perhaps as much as 26% – in water bills from 2010 under new plans.

Pioneering Batemans to scrap rent reviews

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:02:00 GMT

In an industry first, Lincolnshire brewer and retailer Batemans is offering to scrap rent reviews for existing and new tenants in an attempt to remove tenants’ fear that they will be “punished” for trading success.

Major banks deny loans clampdown

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:27:00 GMT

Major banks have denied they are tightening the screw on loans and overdrafts as the economic slowdown continues to hit the leisure sector.

Wells urges halt to punitive hikes

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:18:00 GMT

The Government has to put a stop to the relentless burden of taxation and regulation on pubs, according to Charles Wells chief executive Paul Wells.

Government to cut red tape

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:11:00 GMT

The Government has released new plans to cut red tape in health and safety regulations. A new report recommends fewer inspections of “low-risk” premises, such as pubs.

Empty property tax outcry

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:02:00 GMT

The response to the campaign against empty property tax has been “phenomenal”, with licensees among those showing their opposition.

Triple fff sees 50% increase in demand

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:02:00 GMT

Triple fff Brewing Company has seen a 50% increase in demand since its Alton’s Pride was named Champion Beer of Britain 2008.

Beer festival sees dip in visitors

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:52:00 GMT

Attendance at this year’s Great British Beer Festival was down 10% on 2007, reflecting the overall downturn in pub visits, but bar sales remained at a good level.

Pubs forgotten in stamp-duty plan

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:57:00 GMT

The licensed property trade is being cold-shouldered by the Chancellor after he hinted at plans to suspend stamp-duty charges in the residential sector.

Pub alternative use market slowdown

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:52:00 GMT

The demand for pubs being bought and converted for alternative use has declined over the past year.

Barracuda ups cask offer by 30%

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:29:00 GMT

Managed operator Barracuda Group has increased the number of its pubs offering cask ale from 125 to 170.

Greene King refuses Fair Pint meeting

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:54:00 GMT

Greene King Pub Partners is the latest tenanted operator to decline an offer to meet the anti-pubco Fair Pint campaign before the Parliamentary probe.

Admiral Taverns "broadly in line" with forecasts

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:10:00 GMT

Admiral Taverns pubs are trading “broadly in line” with expectations except in relation to AWP income, according to managing director Lynne D’Arcy.

Food prices reach record level

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Food prices continue to soar having risen a record 13.7% on last year – fuelled by rises in bacon, pork and poultry.

'No rise in disorder from Licensing Act'

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:04:00 GMT

The industry has once again rubbished reports that relaxed licensing hours has led to a wave of disorder and says the rise in fixed penalty notices simply means police are doing their job more effectively.

Madonna pub: Genuine mistake on prices

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:20:00 GMT

The pub part-owned by Madonna’s husband Guy Ritchie charged varying amounts for drinks because of a genuine mistake, a spokesman for the venue says.

Admiral launches online tenant support

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:53:00 GMT

Admiral Taverns has launched a new website with a dedicated licensee support section to advise existing and potential tenants.

Pub managers fined for flouting smoke ban

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:26:00 GMT

A licensee couple in Milton Keynes have been fined for flouting the smoking ban after police checked CCTV footage at the pub and found evidence of smoking – the pair were left £1,800 out of pocket.

Cannabis farm found at Burnley pub

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:16:00 GMT

Police raided a Burnley pub and seized over 1,000 cannabis plants from the premises yesterday.

Three Brakspear pubs get Cask Marque

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:07:00 GMT

Three Brakspear pubs have been awarded Cask Marque accreditation for the quality of their draught beer.

Carlsberg secures Welsh deal with Evan-Evans

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:15:00 GMT

Carlsberg is to offer beers from Welsh brewer Evan-Evans to its thousands of freetrade customers in Wales.

Adnams puts Cellar & Kitchen expansion on hold

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:54:00 GMT

Suffolk brewer and pub operator has put its Cellar & Kitchen retail venture expansion plans on hold this year to focus on the shops it has already opened.

Consumers will pay more for good pub-grub

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:01:00 GMT

Consumers are willing to pay an average of 36% more for a gastro-pub meal if the service, food and atmosphere are of a high standard, according to a new survey.

Lib Dem plans make pubs the scapegoat

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:25:00 GMT

Pubs and bars would again be made the scapegoat for antisocial behaviour under new plans from the Liberal Democrats – which would give councils the power to hit pubs with extra taxes.

Marston's tipped as obvious Cains buyer

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:14:00 GMT

Industry experts are tipping Marston’s as an obvious buyer for Liverpool brewer Cains, which went into administration yesterday, because of its strategy to acquire regional brewers and maintain the facilities.

Pubwatch drops minimum pricing

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:44:00 GMT

Carlisle Pubwatch has dropped its minimum pricing scheme after being warned it is illegal – members had agreed not to sell drinks for less than £1.50 last summer after a series of promotions in the town.

Camra pledges support for Cains brewery

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:17:00 GMT

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has pledged its full support to any potential purchaser of the Cains brewery.

Madonna's pub faces price investigation

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:02:00 GMT

The pub reported to be owned by Madonna and Guy Ritchie is to be investigated for selling drinks at different prices to tourists and regulars.

Agencies struggle to find pub hosts

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Relief agencies are struggling to find qualified licensees to take over Britain’s growing stock of empty pubs.

Pubs now face tree inspection costs

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Licensees are urged to undertake costly and time-consuming inspections on their trees under new draft health and safety guidelines.

Penalties for illegal music

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Licensees face stiff penalties if they let DJs play unlicensed tunes via laptops in their venues.

Enterprise and Punch won't meet Fair Pint

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:12:00 GMT

Enterprise and Punch have told the anti-pubco Fair Pint campaign they will not meet the group before the Parliamentary inquiry into pub companies, the MA can reveal.

Fair Pint disappointed by pubco no-show

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:41:00 GMT

The anti-pubco campaign group hits out at claims it is "ill-informed".

S&NPE: We won't meet Fair Pint

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:18:00 GMT

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises joins Punch and Enterprise in refusing to meet the anti-pubco campaign group before MPs start their probe of pub companies.

JDW asks for 30% drop in freehold prices

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:30:00 GMT

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has been asking vendors of freehold property to drop their prices by up to 30% as it looks for a "meaningful correction" on prices in commercial property values.

BDM and licensee relationship on agenda for forum

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:45:00 GMT

The relationship between Business Development Managers and licensees will be one of the topics on the agenda at a British Beer and Pub Association forum.

Angel's Share crowned top US cask beer

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:30:00 GMT

The Angel’s Share from Lost Abbey Brewery in San Marcos, California has been crowned best American cask conditioned beer at the GBBF.

FSB speaks out on tips loophole

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:16:00 GMT

Closing the loophole on tips will benefit small pubs and restaurants against large operators.

Pub ID scheme hailed as a success

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:18:00 GMT

Challenge-21 has been hailed as a great success after a poll revealed 91% of 18-24 year-olds know about the scheme.

Litre of beer battle begins

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:10:00 GMT

The licensee of a Polish bar has vowed to take his battle to serve beer in litres all the way to the House of Lords after being threatened with a £2,000 fine and given 28 days to switch glassware over to pints.

BII rent review roadshows

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:24:00 GMT

The BII is to run a series of roadshows, featuring a number of trade experts, on how best to prepare for rent reviews in association with the Morning Advertiser.

'Pint of beer for 21p is possible'

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:19:00 GMT

A West Bromwich licensee says he could lower beer prices to as little as 21p in a bid to beat off competition — but may have to dip into his own pocket to fund it.

Pubs miss out on flood funding

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:14:00 GMT

The Government has confirmed it does not plan to offer funding for flood prevention at pubs — even if the licensee lives there.

£14,000 fine for illegal Sky

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:28:00 GMT

A licensee has paid out £14,308 for screening Sky using a domestic card in an out of court settlement in a civil case brought against him by Sky's solicitors.

Police offer drink spiking help

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:07:00 GMT

Police in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire are supplying pubs and off-licences with devices aimed at preventing drink spiking.

Alton's Pride is Champion Beer of Britain

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:20:00 GMT

Triple fff's Alton's Pride is named Champion Beer of Britain at the Campaign for Real Ale's Great British Beer Festival.

Smokers forced to pay out £550 for dropping fag butts

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:58:00 GMT

Two men in Nottingham have been hit with fines and costs of over £550 for dropping cigarette butts.

Carlsberg: Price rises lead to higher earnings

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:04:00 GMT

Carlsberg has announced that price rises are compensating for the increase in cost of raw materials and leading to higher gross earnings for the brewer.

'Darling, you are killing pubs'

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:57:00 GMT

The Chancellor will go down in history as the man who launched the £5 pint for the London Olympics and closed thousands of community pubs.

Government crackdown on rogue employers

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:31:00 GMT

The Government has launched a new crackdown on rogue employers who ignore the minimum wage and health and safety regulations.

Pub licence variations 'will be cheaper and easier'

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:07:00 GMT

A new streamlined system for varying licences could save hosts up to £250 per application, the Government has said.

Scots: Minimum pricing unfair

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:00:00 GMT

Most Scots think it would be unfair to be forced to pay more for alcohol than in England, according to new research from the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Barbox sold to Amphire

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:19:00 GMT

Amphire, the provider of e-commerce and purchasing services to the hospitality and foodservice industries, has bought Barbox, the leading online ordering service for the licensed trade, for an undisclosed sum.

John McNamara to leave BII

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:56:00 GMT

BII chief executive John McNamara is leaving the organisation after six and half years in the role after being head hunted to take over the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils, the MA can reveal.

Only one in three have tried real ale

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:25:00 GMT

Just one in three Britons have tried a pint of real ale, according to new research from Camra.

Rebellion grows over empty property rates

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:54:00 GMT

A back bench rebellion is growing over the Government's decision to charge full business rates on empty commercial properties.

Sky lands Stanford 20/20 cricket

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:31:00 GMT

Sky Sports has won the rights to show the inaugural Stanford 20/20 for 20 cricket match in the autumn as well extending its deal for Heineken Cup rugby.

Record attendance expected at beer festival

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:07:00 GMT

Over 1,000 volunteers will help serve up Britain's best beers to 65,000 visitors this week at the Great British Beer Festival.

Pubs under huge tax burden

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:58:00 GMT

Britain’s pubs will only start making a profit this Saturday – thanks to the raft of taxes imposed on the sector.

BBC reveals hygiene breaches

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:01:00 GMT

Two major managed pub companies, Yates’s operator Town & City Pubs and Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), have taken disciplinary action against staff after food hygiene lapses uncovered in a BBC documentary.

Minimum price warning

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:23:00 GMT

Ministers and officials have been warned against pushing for minimum pricing of alcohol — by the Government department responsible for business.

MP leading new probe slates Licensing Act

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:21:00 GMT

The Licensing Act has failed in its aim of cutting costs and red tape for licensees — that’s the initial view of the MP heading a new probe into the reform.

Trade calls for minimum wage restraint

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:05:00 GMT

Further rises in the national minimum wage could lead to job losses and pub closures, a trade body has warned.

Is minimum pricing back?

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Current pressures on the Government suggest it is seriously considering minimum pricing again.

InBev announces further 3.3% price rise

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:25:00 GMT

InBev has announced a second price increase this year of 3.3% in the on and off-trade from 15 September.

Council to investigate high pub rents

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:32:00 GMT

An overwhelming 97% of tenants in South Norfolk blame high rents as the most negative factor affecting trade.

BII: KPMG report no more than tittle-tattle

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:02:00 GMT

The BII has blasted a Government commissioned report on social responsibility as nothing more than “tittle-tattle”.

Government to close tips loophole

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Tips will no longer be able to count towards minimum wage payments — and employers are “encouraged” to make it clear to customers where their tips go in a fundamental shake-up of laws.

Minimum wage for 21-year-olds

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Labour Party plans to extend the full adult minimum wage to 21-year-olds will hit pubs hard, trade experts warn.

100% SIA pass rate for Ripley and Long Eaton door staff

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:45:00 GMT

All 11 tested licensed premises in Ripley and Long Eaton in Derbyshire had Security Industry Authority (SIA) licensed door staff.

German High Court rules against smoke ban

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:36:00 GMT

Germany's High Court has ruled the country's smoking ban is unlawful as it discriminates against small, one-roomed pubs.

'Introduce kids to alcohol at home'

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:56:00 GMT

Tory leader David Cameron believes children should be introduced to alcohol at home and that drinking can be social and is part of life.