Ma Leaders

How Loungers became the business it is today

10-Apr-2024 By Nikkie Thatcher

After more than two decades of trading, The Morning Advertiser takes a look at the history of multiple operator Loungers.

Review of the Week

‘Confidence is starting to rise’

15-Mar-2024 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with the BII's Steve Alton to get his take on the week's news, ahead of his epic trip to Kenya for Pedalling 4 Pubs.

MA LEADERS

City Pub Company founder: ‘Things will change, things will get better’

12-Mar-2024 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Clive Watson, the founder of City Pub Company, looked back on his career at last week’s MA Leaders conference, having sold the business to Young’s earlier this month.

MA LEADERS CLUB

MA Leaders in Liverpool happening today

07-Mar-2024 By Rebecca Weller

The MA Leaders event in Liverpool is taking place today (Thursday 7 March).

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

‘There's a danger you dilute the message to Government’

16-Feb-2024 By Gary Lloyd

The Morning Advertiser’s associate features editor Gary Lloyd caught up with The Cat & Wickets Pub Company managing director Harry Gurney to get his take on the week's news.

Kidd joins Windmill to roll out Mc & Sons

07-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Former Nightcap group commercial director Tom Kidd has joined forces with Windmill Taverns to roll out the company’s Mc & Sons concept.

'I was lucky!'

30-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

As the McElhinney family celebrate more than three decades in the UK pub trade, the MA speaks to founder Jack, and son Ryan, to find out the secrets to their success.

Loungers: ‘we’re very positive about 2024’

29-Nov-2023 By Shwetali Sapte, MCA

Loungers plans to leverage the versatility of its offer, with a pipeline in place across multiple types of locations, chief executive Nick Collins told The Morning Advertiser's sister publication, MCA.

MA LEADERS CLUB

Marston’s delighted as staff rate company as a ‘great place to work’

14-Sep-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Staff members at pub operator Marston’s have given the company a staff engagement score above the business’s target of eight out of 10 as its seeks to become a “great place to work”.

MA LEADERS CLUB

CGA: Love for pub remains for customers

13-Sep-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Customers’ love for pubs has not dampened despite the challenges to the sector remaining “pretty prevalent”, according to experts at insights specialist CGA by NiQ.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

'Good timing' for St Austell takeover of Bath Pub Co

12-Sep-2023 By Rebecca Weller

After a “tumultuous few years’” in the sector, managing director and co-founder of the Bath Pub Company, Joe Cussens, told The Morning Advertiser (MA) it was time for a “new chapter” for both him and the business.

The Botanist bars owner appoints Amber Wood as COO

10-Aug-2023 By Gary Lloyd

Bar operator New World Trading Company (NWTC) has appointed Amber Wood as its new chief operating officer.

Vaulkhard Group reveals £4.5m expansion plan

14-Jun-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Newcastle-based leisure operator, Vaulkhard Group, has announced a £4.5m expansion and growth plan.

MA LEADERS CLUB

How to get the most out of apprenticeships

24-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Staff from the UK’s top pub companies discussed the benefits of apprenticeships at the MA Leaders Conference in Newcastle last week.

MA Leaders Club

How to drive footfall to your pub's website

22-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Experts from the advertising agency Footprint Digital advised operators on how to get the most out of SEO, at the MA Leaders conference in Newcastle last week.

MA Leaders Newcastle happening today

18-May-2023 By Rebecca Weller

The MA Leaders Club meeting in Newcastle is underway with operators and experts revealing what it’s like to trade in the city alongside where the opportunities and challenges are.

'Total war' - surviving 20 years in the trade

11-May-2023 By Ed Bedington

Surviving 20 years in the pub trade without going backwards is no mean feat, but the founders of the Three Cheers Pub Co can look back with a real sense of achievement.

Oakman Group appoints new CFO

27-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Multiple operator Oakman Group has announced the appointment of Tarquin Williams as its chief financial officer (CFO).

What have operators learned trading through economic downturns?

07-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Businesses need to “hope for a benign situation” while “planning” for problems amid current economic headwinds, according to industry leaders.

MA Leaders Club

M&A opportunities ‘underestimated’

03-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Firms are “underestimating the opportunities” presented by M&A activity within the sector as operators look to take on “smaller locations”, according to property experts.

Pubs need to be 'bold' to expand in 'difficult market'

22-Sep-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Operators need to be the “storytellers” of their own businesses to survive this “turbulent six months”, according to Interpath Advisory head of debt advisory John Miesner.

MA Leaders club

Consumers want honesty from operators about rising costs

20-Sep-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 20% of consumers felt strongly that venue owners should be open and honest about rising costs to soften the blow and extend consumers’ understanding of the challenges the sector is facing, a survey has found.

Hospitality should be 'new national service'

20-Sep-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Hospitality should be a “new national service” as the sector offers varied experiences across all skill levels, according to Barons Pub Company managing director Clive Price.

Sustainability 'solution to crippling overheads'

16-Sep-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Now is not the time for operators to let sustainability fall away and could help ease the impact of the energy crisis, according to Net Zero Now executive director Simon Heppner.

Rekom to open UK’s first Proud Mary pub

24-Aug-2022 By Shwetali Sapte, MCA

Rekom will open as the UK’s first Proud Mary pub at the end of October after having acquired the former Yard Bar on Cardiff’s St Mary’s Street.

Steven Kenee to leave Oakman Group

11-Aug-2022 By Gary Lloyd

Steven Kenee is to leave his role as chief investment officer at Oakman Group. Kenee joined Oakman three years ago from Downing where he had grown to admire the company while managing Downing’s investment into the business.

The MA's Review of the Week

'We as an industry need to adapt'

01-Apr-2022 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with the group md of award winning Liberation Group, Jayson Perfect, to get his thoughts on the weeks events. From winning three Publican Awards, to rising headwinds and the importance of outdoor trading.

MA Leaders Club

MA Leaders Club May location revealed

14-Mar-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

The next MA Leaders Club event will be taking place in May this year and we can now reveal whereabouts in the country it will be.

Opinion

How to improve your wine offer

11-Mar-2022 By Heath Ball, MD of Frisco Group

Pubs and wine are not always a match made in heaven, as The MA recently explored in the last episode of the Lock In podcast.

Prospect Pubs expand with fifth site

03-Mar-2022 By Ed Bedington

Prospect Pubs has announced the launch of its fifth site with the opening of the Joiners Arms near Banbury with a sixth on the way.

MA Leaders Club

Consumer confidence has risen but inflation poses threat

25-Feb-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Pubs are still standing and optimistic for the year ahead, but inflation and VAT rises alongside the staffing crisis pose big challenges for 2022, according to operators across the sector.

MA Leaders Club

Consumer confidence rises by 36 percentage points

25-Feb-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Consumer confidence has risen 36 percentage points when compared with January 2021 with 70% now feeling ‘very’ or ‘quite confident visiting hospitality venues, according to CGA.

MA Leaders Club

MA Leaders London line-up revealed

11-Feb-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Our first MA Leaders Club event of 2022 will be taking place at the iconic Fabric nightclub in Farringdon, London this month (Thursday 24 February) as well as exploring Smiths of Smithfield before hitting the streets to uncover some of the most exciting...

Oakman looks to increase estate size by 25%

10-Feb-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator the Oakman Group has secured what is directors believe to be its “strongest ever pipeline of new sites”, which would result in the business growing its estate by a quarter (25%).

Brasserie Bar Co: ‘The business has never been in better shape’

10-Feb-2022 By Georgi Gyton, MCA

Brasserie Bar Co now has the firepower to accelerate its expansion plans and is keen to use new owner Alchemy’s experience as the backer of The Inn Collection to drive it forward, executive chairman Mark Derry told MCA.

Hickory’s like-for-like sales up 25% since December

31-Jan-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The group behind Hickory’s Smokehouse has continued to outperform pre-Covid levels of trade in 2022 with like-for-like sales up 40% from May 2021, and 25% since December 2021.

Publican Awards

Deadline extension for Publican Awards

19-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

There’s still time to get your entries into the Publican Awards with a deadline extension to 3 December.

Rising costs are 'frightening'

12-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's editor Ed Bedington speaks to Brian Whiting of WH Pubs for his views on the week's news, from inflationary pressures and premiumisation through to the debate over dogs in pubs.

Exclusive

Hickory’s makes the move to Yorkshire with new opening

04-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

An award-winning bar and restaurant group has announced it is set to expand further across the UK with the opening of its first site in West Yorkshire.

Valiant Pub Co buys 17 pubs from SA Brain in first acquisition

02-Nov-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Recently formed business Valiant Pub Company has announced its first transaction after reaching an agreement to buy 17 pubs from SA Brain.

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Free order and pay solution for MA Leaders members up for grabs

11-Oct-2021 By OrderPay

OrderPay, the UK’s leading order and payment solution is offering their entire system at no cost to anyone who attended the MA Leaders Club event in Leeds on Thursday 23 September 2021.

The MA's Review of the Week

Honesty needed in minimum wage debate

08-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington catches up with the Vaulkhard Group's Ollie Vaulkhard to get his thoughts on the latest headlines affecting the pub sector.

Mayor's actions applauded by pub campaigner

07-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

An equality campaigner for the pub sector has applauded the actions of a West Midland’s mayor who refused to take part in the Conservative Party conference due to gender inbalance.

MA Leaders Club

Campaign to boost diversity launched

27-Sep-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

A new campaign to level the playing field for professional women across the sector has been unveiled.