Entertainment

Musical highlighting the plight of pubs set for December tour

21-Nov-2017 By Stuart Stone

Arts Council England funded show ‘Last Orders at The Dog & Dumplings’ is set for five tour dates in December.

Book based on barred pub customers hits crowdfunding target

16-Nov-2017 By Stuart Stone

A book of short stories inspired by the infamous barred list of a Herne Hill pub will be published in spring 2018 after hitting its fundraising target of £4,000 on crowdfunding publisher Unbound earlier this month.

Film makers set to release documentary on demise of the British pub

05-Sep-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Documentary film makers have said they hope their film Ripping Out The Bar, which focuses on the demise of the British pub and took four years to make, will "inspire a few more people to support their local".

Quarter of consumers visit pubs to watch live sport, latest CGA research reveals

05-Sep-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Arsenal football fans spend the most money when visiting pubs to watch live sport, followed closely by Chelsea supporters, statistics from CGA's latest research has revealed.

What sports pubs need to know about the transfer window

01-Sep-2017 By Tommy Leighton

Last night, Sky Sports’ Jim White loosened his bright yellow tie, took a long, deep breath and brought another hectic transfer window to a shuddering halt. But what will your customers be talking about in the coming weeks and months? And were your local...

Greene King Pub creates spoiler free Game of Thrones ‘safe space’

25-Aug-2017 By James Beeson

A Manchester pub has created a ‘safe place’ for Game of Thrones fans, ahead of the season finale on Monday 28 August.

Opinion Pete Brown:

Great British Beer Festival is 'same old, same old'

24-Aug-2017 By Pete Brown

Did you go to the Trade Day at the Great British Beer Festival this year? Pete Brown shares his experience and it's not as glowing as the organisers might have hoped.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Turnaround Pub, sponsored by Molson Coors

24-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

Our final set of previews for this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards are the nominees for Best Turnaround Pub, sponsored by Molson Coors.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Student Pub

22-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

Our next set of previews for the finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards are the nominees in the Best Student Pub category.

Name of the game: evolution of pub entertainment

17-Aug-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Once upon a time, not so long ago, all pubs needed to do to entertain their punters was have a dartboard, a pool table and perhaps a fruit machine tucked away in the corner with some ballads playing in the background.

Startle technology set to 'revolutionise' the pub quiz

16-Aug-2017 By Fred A'Court

Pubs will soon be competing against one another in a nationwide music quiz, thanks to entertainment company Startle International.

Norfolk Broads pubs battling 'disruptive' stag and hen dos

15-Aug-2017 By Fred A'Court

Pubs on the Norfolk Broads are battling disruptive behaviour by stag and hen parties.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Partnership Pub sponsored by Ei Group

11-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

The last in our second set of previews of each of the 100+ finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is the Best Partnership Pub category, sponsored by Ei Group

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Newcomer sponsored by Punch Taverns

10-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

Next up in our previews of the finalists at this year’s John Smiths Great British Pub Awards is the category of Best Newcomer, sponsored by Punch Taverns.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Managed pub

09-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

With less than a month to go until the John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards 2017, it’s the turn of the nominees for Best Managed Pub to be previewed.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Inn

09-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

Next in our previews of each of the 100+ finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is the Best Entertainment Pub category.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Pub Garden sponsored by Southern Comfort

07-Aug-2017 By James Beeson

Next up in our previews of the finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards are the nominees in the Best Pub Garden category, sponsored by Southern Comfort.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Freehouse

07-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

Our round-up of the finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is back. Today we are taking a look at the nominees in the Best Freehouse category.

How publicans can spot fraudsters pushing illegal sports packages

04-Aug-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The message to publicans being offered dodgy deals on sports packages is simple – “if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is”.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Food Pub sponsored by Booker/Makro

02-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

The last in our first set of previews for this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is the Best Food Pub category, sponsored by Booker/Makro.

Copyright laws: Rules pubs should be aware of

01-Aug-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Publicans should be aware of recent changes to copyright law, affecting what can and cannot be publicly screened without charge, and whether they need a Motion Picture Licensing Company license.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Family Pub sponsored by Coca-Cola European Partners

01-Aug-2017 By Ed Bedington

This year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is officially just over a month away. Next up in our previews are the nominees for the category of Best Family Pub, sponsored by Coca-Cola European Partners.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Entertainment Pub

31-Jul-2017 By Ed Bedington

Next in our previews of each of the 100+ finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is the Best Entertainment Pub category.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Community Pub sponsored by Admiral

28-Jul-2017 By Ed Bedington

The next category of this year's John Smith's Great British pub awards to be previewed is Best Community Pub, sponsored by Admiral.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Cider Bar/Pub

27-Jul-2017 By Ed Bedington

Next up in our previews of each of the 100+ finalists in this year’s John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards is the Best Cider Bar/Pub category.

Meet the GBPA nominees: Best Beer Bar/Pub

26-Jul-2017 By Ed Bedington

It’s back and it’s bigger and better than ever. Yes, it’s that time of year again, when judges close in on the category winners in The John Smith’s Great British Pub Awards – the highlight in the calendars of licensees up and down the land.

NWTC to launch new brand of pub in Birmingham

13-Jul-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The New World Trading Company (NWTC) has announced it will be launching an all-new brand of pub, and its second Birmingham site, next month.

My Pub: GBPA sports pub winner 2016, Famous Three Kings

10-Jul-2017 By Tommy Leighton

You can leave the sports pub management stereotypes at the door when you walk into award-winning Stonegate pub Famous Three Kings. General manager Paul Eastwood talks about the pub that is always a winner with customers.

Rare 250-year-old receipt unearths 'great coaching inn days'

30-Jun-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The discovery of a rare 18th-century receipt from the oldest pub in Stafford includes the purchase of two breakfasts, supper, stables and pints of ale – totalling around 60p in today’s money.

Pub awarded zoo licence after two and a half year wait

28-Jun-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A pub in Kent has finally been given the go ahead to open a fully-fledged zoo in its grounds after a two-and-a-half-year licensing battle.

PRS licence reminder following pub ban

27-Jun-2017 By Ed Bedington

Operators are being warned to ensure they are fully licensed to play music in venues after one licensee was hit with a bill for £3,200 and banned from playing music.

Sky price rise limited to 5% to account for spiralling business rates

16-Jun-2017 By Michelle Perrett

Sky has revealed that it is to increase prices from 1 August 2017, but promised that no pub would see an increase of more than 5%.

Publican breaks Guinness World Record for pool marathon

06-Jun-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A publican from South Devon has broken the Guinness World Record for the longest ever pool marathon, clocking up more than 100 hours of continuous play in four days.

Pub profits from fruit machines ‘in long-term decline’

01-Jun-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Takings from fruit machines has fallen by an estimated £600m over the past decade, with average weekly income decreasing 25% since 2007, an auditing company has revealed.

What the Millennials say about pubs

18-May-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Drinks offers, atmosphere, ‘shareability’ and the entertainment available in the pub play a big part in where Millennials choose to spend time in the on-trade.

Pub joins 40 community cinemas in northern England

02-May-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The Wrygrath Inn has joined the ranks of 40 community cinemas in the north of England, supported by Cine North, a subsidiary of the British Film Institute based at the National Media Museum in Bradford.

Nine things you didn’t know about historic London pubs

21-Apr-2017 By Georgina Townshend

London’s pubs have played a part in the love affairs of Charles II, been the base for the 'great train robbers' to hatch their plans and were even used to hide the Crown Jewels during the First World War.

Reasons behind Manchester’s oldest pubs' names revealed in study

12-Apr-2017 By Georgina Townshend

A study into the names and folk stories of Manchester’s oldest pubs, such as the Peveril Of The Peak, the Britons Protection and Lass O’Gowrie, has led to a University of Salford graduate winning an essay-writing award.

The Grand National: Legal advice on sweepstakes in pubs

07-Apr-2017 By Georgina Townshend

As pubs prepare to welcome Grand National punters, on-trade legal specialists Poppleston Allen have listed everything you need to know about sweepstakes and gambling in a pub.

How pubgoers influence Sky Sports Premier League TV pundits

04-Apr-2017 By Georgina Townshend

Sky Sports presenters have revealed their end of season Premier League predictions, unmissable matches, and why the pub is one of “the best” places to watch football.

MPs invited to join Community Pubs Month celebrations

03-Apr-2017 By Liam Coleman

All MPs have been invited to a community pub in north London as CAMRA’s Community Pubs Month kicks off.

‘Lickable’ menus, hippo petting zoos and job-stealing dogs: the best April Fools gags

03-Apr-2017 By Daniel Woolfson

From some questionable menu innovation by Flaming Grill to horseplay from Robinson’s Brewery, it’s clear the pub trade was feeling silly this weekend. Here’s our round up of the best April Fools gags from across the sector.

BBPA and ALMR call on pubs to get involved in live music census

15-Mar-2017 By Georgina Townshend

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has urged pubs to get involved in a first-of-its-kind live-music census to measure its cultural and economic value.

Molson Coors launches ‘save the pub’ campaign

13-Mar-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Drinks giant Molson Coors has launched a direct attack on the UK’s “one-size-fits-all” global coffee shop culture by revealing its save the great British pub campaign.

The MA pub quiz

02-Mar-2017 By MA Editorial

Quiz evenings are cost-effective, relatively simple to organise and can encourage a healthy number of customers to come in on quiet nights, but some preparation is essential to make it a success.