My Shout Rss news feed for Morning Advertiser

It’s time to sell GBBF to the wider world

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:43:00 GMT

The Great British Beer Festival is becoming a venerable British institution but could benefit from a bit of a rethink, says Tony Jennings.

Food throws lifeline to wet-led pubs

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:02:00 GMT

Traditional wet-led pub operations are already feeling the strain, so a more diverse offering may be their only way forward, writes Simon Chaplin.

A summery summary of the coalition’s work

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:25:00 GMT

It is time for ministers to turn warm words into action. The Save the Pub Group will hold them to account if they don’t, writes Greg Mulholland.

Unite to maximise the benefits of 2012

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:13:00 GMT

If there is a genuine spillover benefit for the whole UK in 2012, let’s ensure all areas outside London are ready to capitalise, writes Stephen Crawley.

Keep heroes in mind when raising funds

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:57:00 GMT

Chairman of Quercus Pub Co, David Elliott, is urging licensees who have not yet adopted a charity for their business to consider supporting Help For Heroes.

CAMRA’s critics should aim at the real enemies

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:39:00 GMT

Tony Jennings, CEO of Budweiser Budvar UK, is unimpressed by individuals and companies criticising CAMRA to boost their own publicity.

Oldies’ drink warnings are based on myths

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:18:00 GMT

Paul Chase is concerned by the "one-size-fits-all" recommendations of the Royal College of Psychiatrists on alcohol problems among the elderly.

Why not take Tetley’s from macro to micro?

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:32:00 GMT

The future is bright for small, innovative brewers if they don't go the same way as Tetley's and "get too big", says Greg Mulholland.

Lure punters with the best of British produce

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:48:00 GMT

Managing director of Caledonian Brewing Co, Stephen Crawley, is urging pubs to celebrate the best of British produce to attract customers.

Fears of a property flood are unfounded

Fri, 20 May 2011 01:15:00 GMT

The impression that the pub property market is being or is about to become flooded with tenanted pubs is unfounded, says Neil Morgan.

Time is running out for pubcos to reform

Thu, 12 May 2011 08:08:00 GMT

Lib Dem MP and Save the Pub Group chair Greg Mulholland says time is up for the pubcos and the Government must now intervene.

Why freehouses merit a bigger role in new order

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:05:00 GMT

The freehouse is better placed to meet community needs, like when a post office or paper shop is needed, says Tony Jennings.

Use the royal wedding to raise pubs’ profile

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:36:00 GMT

However you plan to commemorate the royal wedding, chances are you’re looking forward to the bonus bank holiday on 29 April.

Don’t empower those wanting to close pubs

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:39:00 GMT

The pubco model stifles entrepreneurship when we need this to revitalise pubs, says Greg Mulholland.

Tied pubs provide good opportunities

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:54:00 GMT

There are at least 10,000 too many pubs in the UK and there is simply not the demand or frequency of pub visits any more, says David Elliot.

Annual rent reviews — we just love ’em!

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:20:00 GMT

Pubs need to evolve — and we must keep our eye on the coffee sector, says Paul Wigham.

Black days ahead for Big Brewing’s dark forces

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:28:00 GMT

Declining global beer sales show that Big Brewing is losing ground slowly but surely in the mature markets of Europe and America, says Tony Jennings.

Burns must inspire us to pack the pubs again

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:38:00 GMT

Stephen Crawley highlights Burns as an inspiration for the on-trade and for keeping pubs at the heart of the proposed Big Society.

There’s a lesson for us all in book on brewing

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:51:00 GMT

Tony Jennings discusses why Dethroning The King: The Hostile Takeover Of Anheuser-Busch is worth a read.

Bacardi enters ready to drink cocktail market

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:10:00 GMT

Bacardi Brown Forman is launching into the ready to drink cocktail market with Bacardi Mojito and Bacardi Cuba Libre.

2011: a chance to make pubs more appealing

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:36:00 GMT

Dave McNulty reflects on 2010 and considers how to make pubs even more appealing in 2011.

The Great British pub faces a critical year

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 09:52:00 GMT

The rise in VAT next January and low-cost supermarket alcohol will make 2011 a critical year for the pub trade, says Greg Mulholland.

Charitable fund-raising is a must for every pub

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:59:00 GMT

The BBC's Children in Need is a great opportunity to increase profits, attract customers and put a smile back on a lot of faces, says David Elliott.

Opportunity knocks, but trade is bunkered

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:54:00 GMT

David Elliott looks back at last week's Ryder Cup and defends Brulines' i-Draught system.

Licensing reforms could be devastating

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:31:00 GMT

Trade bodies and law firms are struggling to be heard over the below- cost debate, says Paul Wigham.

Standing up to the pub trade’s Four Horsemen

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 01:58:00 GMT

Supermarkets, smoking ban, beer tie and official meddling are the pub trade's four horsemen, argues Tony Jennings.

Learn a lesson from Apple’s Genius Bar

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:15:00 GMT

Pubs could learn a lot from Apple, says Dave McNulty, Coca-Cola Enterprises trading director — on premise.

Simplicity is the key to creating quality food

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:14:00 GMT

Stephen Crawley takes his hat off to good food pubs that don't try too hard, but offer a good British pie and a foaming pint of beer.

Do you really want our views, Ms May?

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 01:30:00 GMT

We should all be concerned with Home Secretary Theresa May’s proposed licensing reforms, says David Elliott.

Trade holds up well after Cup humiliation

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:07:00 GMT

The World Cup gave a boost to the trade, which has been helped by the recent good weather, says Stephen Oliver.

The nouvelle hell of the gastropub

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:14:00 GMT

Budvar's Tony Jennings hails the rise and rise of the gastropub — but wishes the concept could be renamed.

Practice can make our trade perfect

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:17:00 GMT

The Pub Industry Framework Code of Practice has made me optimistic that the future of this industry is on firmer footing, says Neil Morgan.

Seventeen years of challenge and change

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:57:00 GMT

Caledonian Brewing Company MD Stephen Crawley reflects on 17 years with the company, and looks to the future.

People want choice, service and quality

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 01:30:00 GMT

Dave McNulty drafts his manifesto for licensees to help pubs keep up with political change.

Facebook is just the start for pubs…

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:22:00 GMT

Social networking is transforming the way we live our lives — and there is plenty more change on the horizon, says Paul Wigham.

Pub trade needs to brush up its image

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:47:00 GMT

It is an unfortunate consequence of the “hype-rich” times in which we live — image is everything.

How pubs contribute to democracy

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:48:00 GMT

Pubs and British general elections have a somewhat chequered common history, says John Grogan.

Toilet talk reveals a variety of attitudes

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:30:00 GMT

As the pub industry prepares for yet more Government intervention, my mind wandered to a particularly British topic — toilets, says Stephen Crawley.

Sport Relief and BA — what a contrast!

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:01:00 GMT

Last weekend brought home to me the highs and lows of our great country, says former Greene King Pub Partners boss David Elliott.

I’ll count my own calories, thanks

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:46:00 GMT

Having moved from pubs to brewing — the delights of our cask-ale range have helped modify my physique, says Stephen Oliver.

Stand up to the anti-alcohol brigade

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:20:00 GMT

Whatever you think about the actions of the Belgian brewery workers, by getting their bosses back to the table, they won that round.

How about a leaders’ debate on pubs?

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:59:00 GMT

John Healey's new role as minister for pubs means that public houses will play a greater role in the general election campaign, says John Grogan.

How Scandinavian drinking differs

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:29:00 GMT

Caledonian Brewery managing director Stephen Crawley considers how the Sweedish off-trade differs from our own.

The anomaly of the wholesale price pub rise

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:22:00 GMT

Peter Linacre asks why the wholesale price of beer in the UK doesn't decrease as the demand for beer declines.

Educated barstaff make great salesmen

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:24:00 GMT

You can’t beat an educated bar team for improving beer sales, says Budvar UK chief executive Tony Jennings.

Pubs should welcome our soldiers home

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:00 GMT

Greene King Pub Partners managing director David Elliott calls on pubs to do even more for our troops abroad.

Silver sector will be crucial to pub success

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:15:00 GMT

The pub trade can not afford to be ageist, says Budweiser Budvar chief executive Tony Jennings.

Pubs must keep the momentum going

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:29:00 GMT

The end of this year and the first six months of 2010 are still likely to be tough, says Christie + Co head of pubs Neil Morgan.

New session should bring new approach

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:27:00 GMT

The return of Parliament provides an opportunity for the friends of pubs and beer, both inside and outside the House, to adopt a fresh approach, says John Grogan.

We can all help with alcohol education

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:35:00 GMT

Alcohol faces many challenges in the UK, as it becomes the new smoking, says Stephen Crawley.

From swags to riches: bring on those ladies

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:34:00 GMT

Bring on the SWAGs — Sassy, Wise and Grown Up — says Greene King Pub Partners chief executive David Elliott.

Cask is among our finest achievements

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:03:00 GMT

Cask ale is one of Britain’s glorious legacies to the world, says Marston's managing director Stephen Oliver.

French adopting our style of pubs

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:26:00 GMT

The French are beginning to replicate the Great British pub, says Peter Linacre.

New ideas - however simple - help us all

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:43:00 GMT

New ideas - however simple - help us all

Get the basics right and success is yours

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:52:00 GMT

Any business not offering value to 30% of its customers is in trouble, says Andy Slee.

Minimum pricing debate will hot up

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:47:00 GMT

The onset of the August bank holiday weekend sadly reminds us that summer is almost over and the political conference season will soon be upon us.

Here’s to cask beer and some Ashes luck

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:33:00 GMT

British beer and British pubs are slowly, but surely, gaining momentum, says Stephen Crawley.

My Shout: Three cheers for the revival of cask ale

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:01:00 GMT

I love beer —and most of all I love a good pint of cask ale in a pub.

Summer sales don’t have to be rained off

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 02:15:00 GMT

Every rain cloud has a silver lining if you can just turn your mind to it, says Stephen Oliver.

Trade needs to build from a new base

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:59:00 GMT

We need some real friends among the Conservatives who understand the issues and are prepared to bring about change, says Peter Linacre.

We must keep new prohibitionists at bay

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:56:00 GMT

There must be lots like me who are sick to death with having our industry blamed for the social and health problems caused by alcohol abuse.

There's still time for an upswing in 2009

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:31:00 GMT

You won’t often hear me say this, but God bless America

Do it right to escape a mandatory code

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:03:00 GMT

Who could have predicted six months ago that Punch Taverns and pubco representatives would sit down in the same room as Fair Pint, says John Grogan.

Here’s to a good innings for our pubs

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:40:00 GMT

Does cricket mirrors the ups and downs of life, asks Caledonian managing director Stephen Crawley.

End the business rates stranglehold

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:36:00 GMT

it’s very disappointing that local authorities are adding significantly to the failure of pubs and small businesses, says Greene King Pub Partners managing director David Elliott.

It’s so easy to play the blame game

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:35:00 GMT

If Bec allows the feckless, incompetent and indolent to pin the blame on others rather than themselves, the trade will continue to be a poorer place for it, says Stephen Oliver.

The whys and wherefores of the tie

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:07:00 GMT

Two unrelated news events in this weekend’s press made me ponder the continuing saga of the beer tie, says Peter Linacre.

Pubs provide escape to another world

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:51:00 GMT

Has anybody ever thought of the doorway to a pub as being a kind of “star gate”, entry to another dimension, asks Tony Jennings.

Licensed trade must learn from history

Fri, 29 May 2009 12:44:00 GMT

Responsibly run pubs at the heart of the community, should be the industry's next campaign, says Andy Slee.

Trade can’t sit back and wait for inquiry

Fri, 22 May 2009 01:54:00 GMT

Just as MPs have to recognise that life will never be quite the same again so does the industry, says John Grogan.

My best ever visit to a Great British pub

Fri, 15 May 2009 02:10:00 GMT

I had the perfect visit to a great British pub this week, says Stephen Crawley.

We get attacked on all sides over the tie

Fri, 08 May 2009 09:25:00 GMT

The BBPA has failed on lobbying and the ALMR have been disingenuous with their views on the tie, says David Elliott.

Darling saw no votes in any concessions

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:50:00 GMT

Whether it’s this Government or one of the other lot that takes over this poisoned chalice, we’re stuffed, says Stephen Oliver.

Is this the end of the ‘crunch’ beginning?

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:23:00 GMT

This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps the end of the beginning, says Peter Linacre.

We need courage to fight the ideologues

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 01:58:00 GMT

It always ends in tears when Utopian individuals or movements get hell bent on changing our lifestyles, says Tony Jennings.

No miracles needed — just be resourceful

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:46:00 GMT

Its not all doom and gloom out there, says Christie + Co head of pubs Neil Morgan.

Pubs must be given a sporting chance

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:59:00 GMT

As the summer fast approaches the temperature in the simmering debate about televised sport in pubs is about to rise, says John Grogan.

Minimum pricing is not a magic bullet

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:55:00 GMT

Caledonian Brewing Co managing director Stephen Crawley says minimum pricing is not the panacea.

Take action to create a good news story

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:41:00 GMT

The trade must stress its good news in this time of economic concern, says David Elliott.

'It’s hard to keep the gobby hobbits happy'

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:05:00 GMT

Marston's Beer Company managing director takes a controversial swipe at Camra members.

It’s time to question our business models

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:31:00 GMT

Peter Linacre says it is time to question the models we use following the trouble experienced by banks.

Why can’t the trade take a political stance?

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:45:00 GMT

Pub trade needs to unite and take a political line, says Tony Jennings.

What do we mean by ‘value for money’?

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:57:00 GMT

While there are some rocky roads ahead, we can learn from the experience of others in laying the foundations for future prosperity, says Andy Slee.

EU leaders consider proposal to cut VAT

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:55:00 GMT

The EU is considering allowing Government's to lower the VAT rate on food in pubs, says John Grogan.

Service and quality are keys to success

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:49:00 GMT

In the current economic climate it is pleasing to find pubs bucking the trends, says Stephen Crawley.

Like Obama, we are at the start of a long fight

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:50:00 GMT

The industry is in for a long battle, says Greene King Pub Partners managing director David Elliott.

Half of pubs to close? What a massive claim

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:53:00 GMT

As a rule, we industry commentators try to avoid “blue-on-blue” — there’s enough of that going on in the 99p trading wars at the moment.

Take a leaf out of the Pythons’ book

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:21:00 GMT

It might not seem it, but these might be the very best of times for operators looking to seize opportunities, says Peter Linacre.

Zen and the art of brand maintenance

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:30:00 GMT

Give an old product new life by exploring its traditions, says Buweiser Budvar UK chief executive Tony Jennings.

Counting on the element of surprise

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:48:00 GMT

A move back to basics is surely making a start, says head of pubs at Christie + Co Neil Morgan.

Will 2009 be a better year for pubs?

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:55:00 GMT

Will 2009 be the year that pubs at last gain a place at the centre of the political agenda like that other great British institution, the post office, asks John Grogan.

Plenty to write home about

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:20:00 GMT

if the Great British Pub does not re-invent itself and evolve out of the current climate to offer great value to the citizens and tourists of Britain, I’ll eat my hat, says Stephen Crawley.

The time for change is upon us

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:33:00 GMT

Greene King Pub Partners managing director David Elliott says it is time for a change in the industry.

What about the ties in other trades?

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:13:00 GMT

For all Fair Pint’s lobbying, the fact is that hosts chose to go into their tied arrangements, says Marston's Stephen Oliver.

Minimum pricing is an easy distraction

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:59:00 GMT

Minimum pricing is not the panacea for all ills, says Peter Linacre.

We're the best people to save ourselves

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 02:03:00 GMT

A visit to a pub is going to be a rarer event, says Tony Jennings.

To be successful, offer value for money

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:58:00 GMT

A friend of mine recently returned from China where he worked as back-up to the successful British Olympic swimming team.

Cask is on the rise, so let's tell the world

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:58:00 GMT

Cask ale can give pubs a reason to cheer in torrid economic times, says Stephen Crawley.

Make this Christmas work for your pub

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:36:00 GMT

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the British pub a bastion of hope for just about everyone in this country, asks Greene King Pub Partners chief executive David Elliott.

Finding gold in the Scottish hills

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:37:00 GMT

Great customer service is the name of the game in the pub industry, says Stephen Oliver.