The best pint bar none: Camra names Yorkshire local Britain’s pub of the year March 3, 2017 A Yorkshire pub that was saved from extinction by local villagers has been crowned Britain's pub of the year. The award from the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) was given to the George & Dragon pub in Hudswell. The pub closed in 2008, and the local community was left with just a village hall. But, [...]
Enterprise Inns becomes Ei as managed pub strategy pays off February 9, 2017 Enterprise Inns becomes Ei as managed pub strategy pays off Britain’s biggest pub owner Enterprise Inns expects to deliver full-year financial results in line with expectations after like-for-like income growth of 1.6 per cent in the 18 weeks to February 2017. Announcing a name change to Ei Group, the pub owner said its expansion strategy [...]
Fuller’s buys West Sussex craft brewer Dark Star for undisclosed sum | City A.M. February 20, 2018 London brewer Fuller’s has taken over Dark Star, a craft beer business based in West Sussex. The deal will give Dark Star access to funding so that it can expand into new markets, as it continues to operate as a standalone business. Dark Star’s managing director James Cuthbertson said: “The deal means we will continue [...]
DEBATE: Could quitting social media like Wetherspoons did be a good idea for brands? April 18, 2018 Could quitting social media like Wetherspoons did be a good idea for brands? Beatrice Timpson, director at Media Intelligence Partners, says YES. A social media profile is only as good as its content. If, like Wetherspoons, you have 900 Facebook and Twitter accounts, each attracting very moderate engagement from followers, and no overarching sense of [...]
Wetherspoon’s Tim Martin: Government tax policy is hitting the pub sector and forcing people to drink at home March 16, 2017 Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin has issued a call to arms to pubs and restaurants in an attempt to convince the government to slash "unfair" taxes levied on the sector. The pub chain founder said tax policy is not only harming the pub sector, it is also forcing poorer people to drink at home as alcohol can [...]
Tim Martin, chair of JD Wetherspoon, says the Budget didn’t do enough for Britain’s pubs March 10, 2017 JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has hit back at chancellor Philip Hammond's Budget, arguing it doesn't do enough to support pubs from increasing cost pressures. Wetherspoon's share price dipped in morning trading as investors took note of Martin's warning that lower sales and increased costs in the second half of the year will hit the [...]
Salisbury spy poisoning exposes insurance gap around chemical and biological attacks April 30, 2018 The head of Pool Re, the government-backed terrorism reinsurance pool, has called for a debate on the insurance industry’s reaction to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents following the attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last month. A report published today by Pool Re highlighted the risk to [...]
Long Weekend in Speyside, Scotland: Here’s where to stay and what to do if you’re heading up to the Highlands for a Burns Night mini-break January 19, 2018 Melissa York samples the scotch on St Andrew’s Day in the Highlands The Craigellachie, Speyside, Scotland The weekend: You’ve missed Saint Andrew’s Day and Hogmanay, but there’s one more Scottish winter festival to go. Burns Night is coming up on Thursday, and what better way to honour Rabbie than by heading up to the Highlands [...]
Barsham Barns review: These luxury cottages in North Norfolk raise the bar for self-catering getaways June 4, 2018 When it comes to travelling with my entourage of beautiful friends, I’m finished with hotels. I’m done with hanging around near a cheese plant in the lobby as the last stragglers check in. I’m tired of resorting to £6 cocktails in empty hotel bars, and of “let’s freshen up and meet downstairs in 15 minutes”. [...]
London mayor Sadiq Khan taken to task for more than doubling Night Czar Amy Lamé’s pay December 14, 2017 Sadiq Khan was taken to task today for doubling the pay of his Night Czar Amy Lamé, even though she is yet to meet with all of the London boroughs. The mayor was quizzed this afternoon by London Assembly member Susan Hall, who said Lamé had only met with 18 of the 32 London boroughs [...]