
As our British taste buds continue their education in the greater flavours of the wider world, more exotic cuisines continue to be integrated into
the pub sector.

As our British taste buds continue their education in the greater flavours of the wider world, more exotic cuisines continue to be integrated into
the pub sector.

Pubs across the country are supporting CAMRA’s Mild in May campaign, which aims to encourage consumers to try the traditional beer.

A new qualification aimed at developing the skills of deputy general managers has been launched by Spirit Pub Company.
Enterprise Inns, the leased pub operator, is inviting offers for 10 “hand-picked” sites on a free-of-tie lease.

AB InBev is capitalising on its successful foray into the cider market with the introduction of a Stella Artois Cidre Pear variant.

Scotland has confirmed that it wants to set the minimum price for alcohol at 50p per unit.
A third of Britons believe that it is important to have a pub close to their home as it demonstrates that they are part of a community, according to new research.
New research by tourism body VisitBritain estimates that overseas visitors to spend over £40m annually in British pubs.
BII chief executive Peter Thomas has responded to the Diageo - Brewdog debacle claiming the incident was “unfortunate, regrettable, disappointing”.
More and more operators are seeking new income streams. So, if accommodation is going to be the next big thing then what do you need to consider before going ahead?

Sussex Police has been accused of demonising pubs ahead of Euro 2012 after contacting licensed premises in the county and urging them to introduce anti-disorder measures or risk facing enforcement action.

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Kent-based family brewer Shepherd Neame, is to be the new chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) from the end of June.

Thwaites head brewer Steve Fielding is celebrating leaving the business after 37 years with his own beer,
Stevie’s Wonder Brew.
The BII has provisionally named the half-dozen ‘experts’ who will take six of the places on the organisation’s slimmed-down national council.

National Pubwatch (NPW) has launched an online mapping tool to help the organisation draw up a list of pubwatch schemes across the UK.
The Irish Government has confirmed that the 9% VAT rate for tourism services will remain in place until the end of 2013.

A licensee has blasted the sector for its “apathetic” attitude towards the industry petition calling for an end to the duty escalator.

Diageo has kicked-off its first ever football campaign for Captain Morgan’s Spiced rum with an unofficial Euro 2012 music anthem.
Cornwall and Herefordshire reigned supreme at the Campaign for Real Ale National Cider and Perry Championships 2012.

It can often be the first thing diners drop in hard times, but there are ways to put the last course at the forefront of people’s thinking. Fiona McLelland finds out how to increase profit through desserts

The Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB) has rejected calls from Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland to expel Young’s from the organisation.

The boss of music licensing body PPL has urged licensees to report pubs and late-night venues that are dodging paying music fees.
The majority of the British public want the Government to do more to support pubs by granting tax breaks, a new national study of 2,000 adults has found.

Punch Taverns has pledged its support to pub apprenticeships by signing up to a cross-industry event on training, and supporting and establishing professional careers in the pub trade, using the BII Apprenticeship in Licensed Hospitality.
The Government has promised to reduce red tape for businesses and introduce powers to let shareholders hold binding votes over directors’ pay.

This is going to be my last column on the duty escalator for a little while. It’s not that the issue is going away — far from it. I just don’t want to turn into one of those zealots you start trying to avoid.

I was pleased to be invited to chair a panel debate at the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers’ (ALMR) 20th Anniversary Conference
last week.

Global drinks firm Diageo has apologised after a “serious misjudgement” on stripping Scottish brewer and pub operator BrewDog of Bar Operator of the Year 2012 at the BII Scotland annual awards.

Two licensees have been convicted for illegally televising Sky programmes in their pubs without a commercial agreement, and ordered to pay over £30,000 in fines and costs.
Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the managed pub operator, has announced that it has joined the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

Karen Murphy’s legal battle over foreign satellite football may be set to continue after the Portsmouth licensee revealed a wish to pursue a claim for wrongful prosecution against the Premier League.

A Berkshire MP is leading a push for more “pub-friendly” Government policies by working a shift in one of his constituency’s pubs every six weeks.
Tadcaster Pub Company, the northern England-based pub operator, has revealed that it has converted four of its tenanted pubs to managed and is looking to convert two more sites in the near future.
Livelyhood Venues, the London-based pub and restaurant operator, has appointed its first operations director as it announces plans to grow to 15 pubs over the next three years.

Foodservice supplier 3663 has teamed up with Heinz to find Britain’s Favourite Burger.

Two of the pub industry’s most influential figures, JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin and Stonegate chair Ian Payne, have spoken out against the merits of introducing a minimum unit price of alcohol.

The Punch Buying Club, the online purchasing website, has just celebrated its 100,000th order.

Whitbread’s Brewers Fayre chain has launched a Tex Mex all-you-can-eat buffet.

Norfolk’s famous Hoste Arms estate has been sold to a family friend who has plans for expansion.

Weather conditions on these shores are erratic at the best of times, but this year it’s more unpredictable than ever. March, which was officially the third warmest on record, was quickly replaced by April’s seemingly endless showers. One can only guess what May will bring.
Peach Pub Company, the multiple pub operator, has received initial financing worth half a million pounds from brewer Molson Coors, with an option to secure more at a later date.

Regional price disparities are disappearing as the cost of dining out in pubs leaps by over 4%.

Inventive Leisure, the Revolution Vodka Bar operator, has secured two more sites, including the biggest location yet for a stand-alone Revolución de Cuba rum-bar concept in Manchester.

A system that replaces on-screen TV graphics and logos with adverts “might be the way of avoiding copyright” for licensees considering using foreign satellite systems to show football in their pubs.

Moves by the Czech government to undermine the state-owned Budweiser Budvar brewery by handing its key export markets to rival AB InBev, which owns the American Budweiser brand, have been thwarted.

The BII needs to persuade people that the pub industry offers a viable career, according to one of its new directors.
A team of trade experts has launched a Pubs Advisory Service (PAS), claiming it to be part of the official agreement between the Government and the industry to manage the pubco-tenant relationship.

Licensees in Wales are being urged to sign a petition by a Welsh Assembly member, who is calling on Sky to reduce its prices for pubs to more accurately reflect the business rate relief enjoyed by Welsh pubs.

Punch Taverns and controversial licensee Dave Mountford have come to an agreement over the rent review of his pub the Rising Sun, Middleton, Derbyshire - although the details are not being disclosed.
Downing Corporate Finance plans to raise up to £16m via its recently-launched Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) to invest in a portfolio of freehold and long-leasehold pubs.

A St Austell Brewery pub in Cornwall has thought of an innovative way to drive custom by introducing a barber shop at the premises.

A Cheshire licensee has slammed a council for failing to protect his bar from “unfair” competition that he claims has left his business up to £17,000 out of pocket.
Little Chef, the iconic roadside chain, has appointed a subsidiary of LT Pub Management, the pub management specialist led by Billy Buchanan, to provide operational support.

Courvoisier, a leading Cognac from Maxxium UK, is collaborating with three top mixologists in the development of a major consumer cocktail event this summer.

Marston’s has launched a new tenancy agreement called Pegasus designed to allow rent to go up and down in line with beer volumes.

JD Wetherspoon has reported a 2% rise in like-for-like sales in the 13 weeks to 22 April, as it revealed plans to further scale down its opening programme and predicted its tax bill will reach half a billion pounds this year.

A Lancashire licensee believes a new £1bn Government scheme aimed at tackling youth unemployment could go a long way to alleviating the problem of regular staff turnover in the pub industry.
Spirit Pub Company, the managed and leased operator, could convert 200 of its leased sites to franchises, M&C Report has learnt.

Conserving energy in your pub could also help cut costs. Angela Needle, head of energy consultancy at British Gas Business, shares her top tips
Heineken UK has unveiled a multi-million pound promotional campaign for its leading cider brand Strongbow.

Stag and hen nights may have a poor reputation but they don’t all involve L-plates, bawdy behaviour and vomit. Licensees should make the most of these much-maligned events.

It is somewhat ironic that as soon as the recent drought orders had been announced, it seems like the rain hasn’t stopped falling! While all the nation’s farmers and gardeners will be delighted, the rainfall produces challenges and, of course, opportunities for our industry.

Licensees taking on overseas staff will need to adjust their employment contracts to meet recently-announced UK immigration rules.
Barnstable and North Devon Licensed Victuallers’ Association (LVA) is on the recruitment trail, fearing it could face closure due to a lack of members.
Licensees have been warned to ensure they have management practices in place if they are planning to show Olympics and Euro 2012 action in their pubs.
Imbiba Partnership, the investment company behind Drake & Morgan, plans to launch a new bar and restaurant concept called Darwin & Wallace with the first funds raised through its recently launched Enterprise Investment Scheme, M&C Report understands.
Batemans, the Lincolnshire brewer and pub operator, has opened its first managed pub and is looking to run more sites on a managed basis in the future, M&C Report has learnt.

The chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG), Burton MP Andrew Griffiths, has promised a “robust and rigorous” investigation into beer tax fraud after unveiling plans for an inquiry last week.

The Great British Pub Awards 2012 has officially launched today and is now open for entries.
An academic from the University of York has received a British Academy award to explore the role of village pubs.

Whitbread has reported a 2.6% increase in like-for-like sales for the year to 1 March 2012, on the back of continued growth at Costa Coffee, but said that trading had been variable during the year and that it expected that trend to continue.

BII interim CEO Peter Thomas has been asked to serve in the role full-time for 12 months to offer “stability” and “commercial leadership”, following a turbulent year in which the institute has run up a deficit of around £400,000.
Former Regent Inns executive and Momo Leisure co-owner Jeremy ‘Jez’ King has teamed up with entrepreneur David Cappendell to acquire the Norfolk-based Animal Inns business from owner Henry Watt for an undisclosed sum.

Pub People Company, the Midlands-based multiple pub operator, has signed a deal with a local brewer to produce bespoke beers that will be available exclusively in its outlets.

Almost eight out of 10 (77%) Welsh licensees would back the introduction of a 50p minimum price per unit of alcohol, according to a survey commissioned by charity Alcohol Concern.

BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of removing ‘smoke-free’ signage from their pub premises, in a survey carried out as part of the Government’s Red Tape Challenge.

An early day motion (EDM) supporting the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA’s) Community Pubs Month has been backed by 38 MPs since it was tabled by pub campaigner Greg Mulholland MP last week.

Licensees are being encouraged to make sure that they are aware of what is going on around their venues — such as major retailers closing down — to help with business rates appeals.

This industry needs a strong professional body now more than ever. As the tax burden increases inexorably, on-trade beer sales fall steeply, and pubs close in their hundreds with the passing of each financial year, licensees seek strength and leadership from those that represent them.

A range of new licensing measures have come into force today (25 April) under the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act .

So the Live Music Bill became the Live Music Act on 8 March 2012. It won’t come into effect until October, which is a pity for the Royal Jubilee and Olympics.

Spirit Pub Company has decided to sell the freehold of a Greater Manchester outlet, which has been labelled “Britain’s toughest pub”.

Robinsons is taking an innovative approach to promoting responsible drinking by including units of alcohol on its pump clips, pre-empting what it predicts will be a legislative requirement of the future.

Hall & Woodhouse, the Dorset-based brewer and pub operator is to freeze the wholesale prices of its draught cask ale brands for its tenanted pubs for the fourth consecutive year.

More than one in 12 alcoholic drinks sold in supermarkets, outside of promotions, would fall foul of plans to ban sales below 40p per unit, and cider would be hit the hardest.

A Young’s pub in London’s Leadenhall Market attempted to break into the Guinness Book of Records yesterday (23 April) as hundreds of drinkers recited Shakespeare’s Toast for St George from Henry V on St George’s Day.
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) has launched its search for the best operations managers.

John Healey, Labour MP for Wentworth, has agreed to join the panel of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) Duty Fraud Inquiry, which was launched last week.

It’s interesting that Jägermeister and Red Bull, two of the greatest on-trade success stories of recent years, are both emphasising the importance of a perfect serve in their campaigns.
Licensees can apply for trade day tickets for the Great British Beer Festival from this week.

After hearing about Charlie McVeigh’s ambitions for his Draft House pub chain, how he aims to double in size to six by the end of this year and get to 15 by 2015, it wouldn’t naturally occur to you say, “Yes, but what else are you doing?” So, leaning back in the sunshine in the beer garden at the Westbridge, stroking his beard, he volunteers the information himself.

Shadow business minister Toby Perkins tops the bill at next month's MA250 event on 21 May at Savill Court Hotel, Windsor.

The licensee of the PMA’s Best Sports Pub of the Year is fearful of missing out on £500,000 of summer revenue after the 103-inch television screen in her pub was smashed by an intruder.

Leicestershire-based Everards brewery has awarded 15 of its best performing licensees with awards for for their hard work and dedication.
Best Bar None, the pub and club accreditation scheme, has announced the appointment of Philip Kolvin QC as its new chairman following the resignation of Lord Redesdale, who has served in the role since 2007.
A new application form for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) is set to be released by the Government on 25 April.

Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, has this morning reported a 4.6% increase in like-for-like sales across its managed division for the 50 weeks to 15 April, helped by a 4.5% rise in its fourth quarter, and said it was well-placed to benefit from the events taking place this summer.

PubAid is calling on licensees to share information about their charitable fundraising efforts.

Minister for Tourism and Heritage John Penrose MP has urged local authorities to take a “pragmatic” approach to the granting of temporary event notices (TENs) during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Pubs have seen a 6% fall in beer sales in the first quarter of 2012, according to the latest quarterly Beer Barometer from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), issued today.