New figures released by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), the national trade body for pubs and bars, reveal that Britain’s national pub chains have become the country’s number one coffee seller, with over 3.6 million cups sold each week. Commenting on the figures, which were collated from the ALMR’s membership, Strategic Affairs Director, Kate Nicholls … [Read more...]
BBPA Awards winners 2012
The winners of the British Beer & Pub Association industry awards have been announced, including the special Chairman’s Award. Heart of the Community award 2012 Winner - Joseph Holt: The judges felt that Joseph Holt deserves the award because the company has shown that everyone, from brewery to boardroom, cellar man to Chairman, seeks to make a difference. The company … [Read more...]
Apprentices with ‘Spirit’!
Spirit Pub Company, who announced a 16% increase in profit before tax in their financial results on Tuesday, makes a major commitment to apprentices and training, and currently has over 500 apprentices on five apprenticeship qualifications with an aim to increase this to 800 over the current financial year - an apprentice in every pub. The Apprenticeship Programme was … [Read more...]
First sale and lease back pub for Brakspear
Brakspear has bought its first pub on a sale and lease back basis: The Running Horses in Mickleham, Surrey. Owners Steve and Josie Slayford become the lessees at the award-winning pub, having been at The Running Horses for 17 years, initially as lessees before buying the freehold in 2009. It is now a successful food-led pub with five letting rooms, and was recently named … [Read more...]
High taxes ineffective in reducing alcohol consumption
A new paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Drinking in the Shadow Economy, demonstrates how illicit alcohol consumption is becoming a permanent and growing problem due to excessive taxation – losing the Treasury as much as £1.2 billion a year in tax revenue. Even more significantly, the paper suggests that making alcohol more expensive is not an effective way … [Read more...]