Pub firms left in limbo by MP vote to slash beer tie November 18, 2014 Pub companies suffered a bitter setback last night after parliament voted to let landlords buy their beer on the open market, opening the door to a historic overhaul of the industry. In a surprise loss for the government, MPs voted 284 to 269 to remove the obligation for around 13,000 UK landlords to buy their [...]
Japan Inc remains a man’s world – but that might finally be changing April 15, 2015 Learners of Japanese soon run into the phrase “shou ga nai”. Roughly translated as “it can’t be helped”, it neatly sums up a fatalistic philosophy in tune with a nation beset by earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes and typhoons. Until recently, Japan’s record on gender equality also fell into the “shou ga nai” category. Even with a [...]
Abolishing the beer tie would be terrible news for British pub-goers November 19, 2014 THE British pub is much-loved, but they have experienced a difficult few years. Changing consumer tastes and the challenging economic environment of recent years have made life tough for pub landlords and companies like Punch. We are now on the road to recovery. At Punch, we were planning to invest over £400m over the next [...]
Pub industry says end of beer tie system could lead to closures and job losses November 19, 2014 Britain’s pub groups woke up with a hangover yesterday after MPs voted in favour of a shake up of Britain’s nearly 400-year-old beer-tie system, warning that a change to rules could lead to further pub closures across the country. Companies. including Enterprise Inns and Punch Taverns – two of the UK’s largest tenanted [...]
Spectre of beer barred as Bond reorders Martini December 15, 2014 AFTER Wetherspoon’s called final orders on serving Heineken in any of its pubs last week, it looks like the Dutch brewers will not be featuring in next year’s Bond film either. Vodka has been revealed as Bond’s drink-of-choice for Spectre, due for global release in November 2015, after Beldevere Vodka was announced as the franchise’s [...]
Don’t believe Labour’s scare tactics: Free trade is good for British workers January 12, 2015 This week, our Prime Minister will meet with Barack Obama at the White House. Margaret Thatcher used to say fondly that she could “smell the freedom” in America. And doesn’t the country’s economy prove it? The US is still a jobs juggernaut: the largest standalone economy on Planet Earth. We owe it to our children [...]
The world’s brightest will shun the UK if isolationist rhetoric doesn’t stop now January 8, 2015 We all have our own image of UK entrepreneurship. Sir Richard Branson is a common first choice, and Sir James Dyson is another. For me, it is the Indian Restaurateur. When I first founded Cobra Beer 25 years ago, it was these tireless, unsung heroes of UK entrepreneurship who placed their trust and belief in [...]
Ed Miliband re-launches PM campaign with new battle against zero-hour contracts November 17, 2014 Businesses and unions are digging in for an election-year battle over zero-hour contracts and what they mean for workers Ed Miliband re-launched his campaign to be the next Prime Minister last week, with a new attack on zero-hour contracts and the treatment of workers. Businesses hit back immediately, arguing the contracts give workers flexibility, allow [...]
Labour calls for change to rules to create a statutory code to govern pub companies January 26, 2014 LABOUR’S shadow minister for pubs has called a debate in the House of Commons today in a bid to create a new statutory code for pub companies. In a move supported by Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna, Toby Perkins will call for a pubs bill to introduce rent reviews, a [...]
Labour calls for change to rules to create a statutory code to govern pub companies January 20, 2014 LABOUR’S shadow minister for pubs has called a debate in the House of Commons today in a bid to create a new statutory code for pub companies. In a move supported by Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna, Toby Perkins will call for a pubs bill to introduce rent reviews, a [...]