Brewing up a storm in SW11 November 24, 2010 AMID the gloom afflicting the pub industry right now, one chink of light has been the relative success of real ale. Perhaps due to the way its homely, hearty image seems more attractive in recessionary times, ale has increased its share of the beer market and grown its drinker base in the past year, according [...]
Slump in leisure spending leads to a surge in 24-hour licence applications November 14, 2010 HARD-pressed pubs and bars hit by the slump in leisure spending are turning to 24 hour licences in an effort to maintain sales. According to legal information provider Sweet & Maxwell, the number of 24-hour alcohol licences for pubs, bars and nightclubs jumped 12 per cent to 946 this year from 845 the year before. [...]
Slump in leisure spending leads to a surge in 24-hour licence applications November 14, 2010 HARD-pressed pubs and bars hit by the slump in leisure spending are turning to 24 hour licences in an effort to maintain sales. According to legal information provider Sweet & Maxwell, the number of 24-hour alcohol licences for pubs, bars and nightclubs jumped 12 per cent to 946 this year from 845 the year before. [...]
OUT OF OFFICE: CHELTENHAM IN THE CITY February 16, 2011 ONE of the City’s great hospitality jamborees, the Cheltenham Festival, kicks off in just under a month. It’s centenary year for the festival this time round, but you don’t have to be in Cheltenham – or squashed round a telly in the pub on your lunch break – to enjoy the action. On 15 March, [...]
Barracuda looks to Costa to fuel sales November 1, 2010 BARRACUDA is to launch Costa coffee at its pub estate – and will now open at 9am for breakfast. Costa coffee is expected to be available in 100 of its 217 pubs by Christmas with the rest launching in 2011. Barracuda, which also has the Smith & Jones brand, is pursuing a more food-focused policy [...]
How the enigmatic Bramson won investors’ trust February 3, 2011 SHAREHOLDERS’ decision to put Sherborne Investors in charge of F&C Asset Management’s board yesterday resolved six months of tension. The question now is whether new chairman Edward Bramson can relieve the uncertainty that has dogged F&C for years. Bramson, who made a rare public appearance at yesterday’s meeting, is an enigmatic figure who has remained [...]
How the enigmatic Bramson won investors’ trust February 3, 2011 SHAREHOLDERS’ decision to put Sherborne Investors in charge of F&C Asset Management’s board yesterday resolved six months of tension. The question now is whether new chairman Edward Bramson can relieve the uncertainty that has dogged F&C for years. Bramson, who made a rare public appearance at yesterday’s meeting, is an enigmatic figure who has remained [...]
Wetherspoon gives upbeat view for new year as investments pay off November 4, 2010 JD Wetherspoon said it will make a profit this year, thanks to strong sales and investments in new and existing pubs. The pub chain, which has almost 800 pubs in Britain, reported a rise in profit before tax of 7.3 per cent to £71m, with total sales of nearly £1bn. Wetherspoon is making significant investment [...]
THE TIPSTER January 16, 2011 DISCOUNT pub group JD Wetherspoon has a trading update due out on Wednesday that should offer some insight as to the impact bad weather had on sales in the pre-Christmas period. A degree of this has presumably been priced in already although broker sentiment does seem to be building against the stock. IG Index is [...]
Enterprise puts dividend on ice amid tough trading November 16, 2010 ENTERPRISE Inns said yesterday it would not pay a dividend in the current year and expected trading conditions to remain challenging. Shares in Britain’s biggest pub group went down by more than ten per cent at one stage. The company stopped paying dividends in May 2009 to help reduce crippling debt of nearly £4bn. It [...]