Professional Services & Utilities

Pub is the Hub secures £100k funding

23-Mar-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub is the Hub has secured a £100,000 injection of funding from the Government for its Community Services Fund that will go directly to pubs that are looking to diversify.

SMALL TALK

Jasper Cuppaidge of Camden Town Brewery on crowdfunding and running 'awesome' pubs

20-Mar-2015 By Emma Eversham

Camden Town Brewery launched its Hells Raiser crowdfunding campaign to help finance a new brewery in February and has already over-reached its £1.5m target. Founder Jasper Cuppaidge talks about his reasons for going down the crowdfunding route and why...

Running a pub

Running A Pub: Trading up

18-Mar-2015 By Glynn Davis

In the second of our series on the challenges of running a pub, Glynn Davis looks at the practicalities of taking those first steps in expanding your horizons by running a large premises or more than one outlet.

Riverside pub with unique flood defences for sale

16-Mar-2015 By Ellie Bothwell

A riverside Oxfordshire pub, which has unique flood defences has been put on the market.

Pubs warned over business rates info request

16-Mar-2015 By Mike Berry

Licensees have been urged to respond quickly to requests for information from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) about their pub’s trading performance, if they want to avoid fines and unnecessary red tape.

Hospitality operators among "1000 Companies to Inspire Britain" in 2015

12-Mar-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Several hospitality operators have been named in the London Stock Exchange's list of 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain, celebrating some of the UK’s fastest-growing small and medium sized businesses.

Challenges of a lease

11-Mar-2015 By Jessica Mason

Carmel Daly-Fletcher, BII Licensee of the Year 1998, has been widely recognised as being one of the top pub managers in the country. But when she made the transition from manager to leaseholder, even with her first-class credentials, she found it a challenging...

Experience

Running a pub: Personal experience of starting out

10-Mar-2015 By The Publican's Morning Advertiser

When John Cavanagh took up a five-year lease at the Hamilton Russell Arms, in Thorpe Thewles, County Durham, four years ago, it had lost much of its trade following a fire.

Recruitment

Running a pub: How pubcos recruit publicans

10-Mar-2015 By The Publican's Morning Advertiser

Matthew Ralphs, recruitment marketing manager, for Enterprise Inns explains how the pubco recruits tenants and lessees into its business.

Eating out sector sees January growth despite depressing winter weather

12-Feb-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Public appetite for eating out has remained strong despite snow and cold weather, new data reports.

What does a pubco mean by 'reasonable' and 'fair'?

10-Feb-2015 By Robert Sayles

Pubcos always appear keen to reassure demands placed on licensees are both ‘reasonable’ and ‘fair’. However, these terms are vague and ambiguous - needless to say, there’s invariably a very good reason for this dearth of clarity, writes Robert Sayles.

Charles Wells to enrol new tenants on Passport to Profit

05-Feb-2015 By Mike Berry

Charles Wells is to automatically enrol all new tenants onto its Passport to Profit scheme following its success across selected sites in its pub estate.

Editor's Comment

Price hikes defy logic

05-Feb-2015 By Rob Willock

Pub customers are understandably confused. And so are licensees. And so am I, frankly.

Vast majority of bar staff paid less than Living Wage

04-Nov-2014 By James Wallin, M&C Report

New research has shown that 90% of bar staff and 85% of waiters and waitresses are paid under the Living Wage – as the rate was raised again.

BrewDog commits to paying staff the living wage

03-Oct-2014 By John Harrington, M&C Report

BrewDog, the Scottish brewer and pub operator, has made a commitment to pay all its UK 314 staff at least the living wage.

Lessee opens third site in her home town after £210k refit

03-Oct-2014 By James Wallin

A Hampshire multiple operator has taken on her third lease with a £210,000 refurbishment in collaboration with Star Pubs & bars.

New wi-fi accreditation scheme for businesses launches

29-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Publicans can now sign up to a new wi-fi accreditation scheme to verify that their business’ internet is properly filtered.

Marston’s ordered to pay damages in latest PICA-service hearing

11-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

The Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration (PICA)-Service has ruled against Marston’s over complaints about poor communication and failure to provide regular business reviews.

One week left to win £1,000 in cash

08-Aug-2014 By Robyn Black

There's one week left to grab a grand - just by telling us who the pub trade’s best suppliers are.

9,000 pubs now have Cask Marque accreditation

25-Jul-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Cask Marque, the industry watchdog responsible for assessing the quality of cask ale, has accredited its 9,000th pub.

Boy, 3, drives car down two 30ft banks and crashes in pub garden

24-Jul-2014 By James Wallin

A three-year-old boy managed to drive his father’s car down two 30ft embankments and into a pub garden – but walked away with just a bump to the head.

North Bar wheels out impressive Tour de France trading stats

16-Jul-2014 By James Wallin

North Bar is celebrating victory in the Tour de France, with company sales rising 61% as a result of the cycling extravaganza.

5 steps to making an insurance claim as a pub owner

23-Jun-2014 By Business Insure

Pub owners and operators should always ensure they have correctly covered themselves with insurance, lest they be caught unawares by one of life’s many random misfortunes, and left seriously out of pocket. In this article, insurance provider Business...

Beannchor MD Bill Wolsey is made OBE

16-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

Bill Wolsey, managing director of Northern Ireland-based hospitality firm Beannchor, has become an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Pub named and shamed for minimum wage underpayment

09-Jun-2014 By Mike Berry

A Cheshire pub has been named and shamed for not paying its staff the minimum wage.

Run a pub? Take our survey on personal finance

16-May-2014 By Mike Berry

Running a pub can be a rewarding and profitable career, but involves a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Some licensees will certainly struggle to make a success of their business.

Target of cutting 1 billion units of alcohol by 2015 on track

28-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

The drinks industry is on track to meet its target of removing one billion units of alcohol by 2015, having reached 25% of the target in the first year (2011-2012), a new report shows.

Pubco directors banned for 13 years over £1.4m debts

17-Mar-2014 By James Wallin

Two bosses of a pub management company have been disqualified from acting as directors for total of 13 years after failing to pay creditors £1.4m.

Minimum wage to rise 3% to £6.50

12-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

The Government has confirmed that the adult minimum wage is to rise by 3% to £6.50 from October, a rise of 19p.

Flexible trading hours 'neither fuel or cut violence'

25-Feb-2014 By John Harrington

Staggered pub closing times introduced in 2005 have neither reduced instances of violence or increased them, an academic study has concluded.

#PubOpsClub: Tenanted pubcos should segment their estate by trading type

18-Feb-2014 By Robyn Black

Tenanted pubcos should segment their estate according to trading types, according to a multiple operator frustrated by a lack of expertise among business development managers (BDMs).

Warning that Anti-Social Behaviour Bill could be 'enormously damaging' for trade

03-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Leading licensing lawyers have warned that new legislation tightening closure powers on the licensed trade could be “enormously damaging”, leading to increased police intervention and loss of trade.

Pub trade faces paying back 'hundreds of millions' in overpaid tax rebates

29-Jan-2014 By Michelle Perrett

The pub trade must pay back “several hundred million pounds” in overpaid tax, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has said.

Leisure businesses plan to increase wages in coming year, according to Barclays survey

27-Jan-2014 By John Harrington

More than two thirds (69%) of UK hospitality leisure businesses plan to increase wages in the coming year, according to a survey of 684 firms by Barclays.

FOT option will result in Armageddon warns Pubco CEO

13-Jan-2014 By Robert Sayles

Pubco CEO Roland Rodent is the latest in a long line of industry experts to claim an FOT option for tied tenants will have apocalyptic repercussions. Robert Sayles met up with him at one of his flagship pubs The Jolly Roger to find out more.

Pubs could be financially crippled after severe gales hit the country

24-Dec-2013 By Lewis Brown

Severe weather has devastated the country and affected pubs, forcing some to close for Christmas and lose out on business.

Big six energy suppliers to reduce back billing period to 12 months

23-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

All of the ‘big six’ energy suppliers have confirmed they will reduce the period for back billing small businesses to 12 months next year.

Max Property Group reports rise in portfolio value

12-Dec-2013 By Mark Wingett

Max Property Group, the company that acquired 29 Enterprise pubs in a £44.4m sale-and-leaseback deal in January 2011, has reported a 6.6% uplift in the value of the portfolio for the six months to the end of September.

PMA readers raging about their rates

28-Nov-2013 By Mike Berry

The results are in, and they don’t make for pretty reading. Licensees that responded to our survey on business rates delivered an emphatically damning verdict on the current system and the damaging impact it is having on their pubs.

Pubco debt talks reach stalemate

26-Nov-2013 By Robert Sayles

Pub campaigner Robert Sayles' latest take on the pubco model.

Bramwell's demise shows that the going’s still tough

08-Nov-2013 By Mike Berry

The reaction in the PMA office when the news broke that Bramwell Pub Company had entered administration was mostly one of mild surprise rather than any great shock, writes Mike Berry.

How to appeal to families: Turning the rugrats into cash cows

04-Nov-2013 By Catherine Quinn

Pubs able to attract families and keep children occupied should see increased custom and profits. As the PMA finds, there are many ways to make your pub family-friendly

How to boost business over Halloween & Bonfire Night

28-Oct-2013 By Phil Mellows

As if directed by a witch’s spell, Halloween has become one of the biggest nights of the year for Britain’s pubs, a great time to get the tills jangling like ghostly chains in a hurry.

Wage growth in hospitality outstrips inflation

18-Oct-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Wage growth in the hospitality sector has outstripped inflation in each of the last three months on record, according to the latest research from the Assoication of Licensed Multiple Retailers(ALMR). 

Natwest and RBS add £150m to Leisure Fund

16-Oct-2013 By Mark Wingett

NatWest and RBS have added a further £150m to their dedicated Leisure Fund aimed at small and medium-sized businesses after receiving “incredible” demand from across the industry.

WaverleyTBS to be placed into Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation

10-Oct-2013 By John Harrington

The administrator of WaverleyTBS has confirmed that the drinks wholesaler, which collapsed one year ago, is to be placed into Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (CVL).

Pubs among small businesses with worst credit scores, says new survey

04-Oct-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Company credit scores are not being taken seriously by small businesses, especially pubs, even though they can inflate the cost of overheads by up to 30%, according to research from price comparison service makeitcheaper.com.

Office of Fair Trading says no to new industry super complaint probe

03-Oct-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said that it will not look into the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) super complaint again just yet.

Four of 'big six' energy suppliers to end automatic rollover contracts

19-Sep-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Four of the ‘big six’ energy suppliers have confirmed they will be terminating the use of automatic rollover business contracts, following British Gas’s lead in July.

PMA helps resolve £3,000 British Gas bill row

30-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

British Gas has agreed to pay more than £3,000 to resolve an electricity bill dispute with a Buckinghamshire licensee after the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) intervened.