Pub

Third site for JKS and Jacobs

16-Apr-2024 By Ed Bedington

JKS Restaurants has announced the opening of a third pub with operator Dominic Jacobs in Chiswick, West London.

Lock In podcast shortlisted for top award

10-Apr-2024 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser’s Lock In podcast has been singled out as a potential award winner in the Publisher Podcast Awards.

Video Exclusive

Greene King aim to build Nest to last

26-Mar-2024 By Ed Bedington

As Greene King launch its first Nest franchise site, the MA caught up with franchise operations director Penny Baldwin to find out more.

Going down the pan!

22-Jan-2024 By Ed Bedington

Top toilets are vital for any pub operation, but are we always getting it right. The Lock In team go beyond the u-bend to find out how you can up your loo offer!

Roxy celebrates milestone as it gears up for 19th opening

20-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

Roxy Leisure is celebrating a decade of trade as it prepares to open its 19th site in York early next year.

The Lock In Podcast

Snowball anyone? Anyone?

18-Dec-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team take a look at Christmas, from how to handle the irregular customers (Doreen from Accounts, we're looking at you) through to nostalgic tipples!

'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.

Review of the Week

'NLW rise will mean we need to turn over quarter of a million more'

24-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Mojo's Martin Greenhow to get his take on the week's news and the Autumn Statement.

Autumn Statement

What's the opposite of exceeding expectations?

22-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

Expectations ahead of the Autumn Statement were already pretty low in the pub sector and I think it’s fair to say they have been duly met.

Why are pubs hooked on fish and chips?

20-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

Fish and chips are a staple of the pub menu, but why is that? The Lock In team cast their net to find out where the tradition comes from and why it's such a popular menu item.

Community hero gets £10,000 boost

16-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

Community events at an award winning pub have been given a £10,000 boost from Coca-Cola, following its success at the Great British Pub Awards.

Pubs community role needs recognising

13-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Government needs to recognise and support the important role pubs play in the community, according to the chief executive of a leading family brewer.

Operator branded 'angry little man' by customer expecting free drinks

10-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

A pub operator has been forced to put a sign on his frozen cocktail machine after a customer helped themselves then complained the drinks were not free on Trip Advisor.

£90,000 raised to help tackle loneliness

08-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

A charity to help solve the challenges of loneliness has been given a £90,000 boost thanks to a glittering gala ball hosted by Heineken UK.

Hospitality investment unlikely without business rate action

06-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Government is “walloping” the pub sector on business rates and stifling the willingness for companies to invest into sites and new developments, the chief executive of Fuller’s has warned.

'The best pubs are chaotic!'

01-Nov-2023 By Ed Bedington

Pub legend Oisín Rogers is all set to open his new pub project with Charlie Carroll, the Devonshire at Piccadilly, London

The Village People win at BIH Spotlight Awards

17-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

Peckham based pub operator The Village People was named Bar of the Year at the Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards last night.

The Lock In Podcast

Rampant costs: The Lock In Live at The Restaurant Show

16-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team take to the airwaves live at The Restaurant Show with two top operators to tackle the cost challenges the sector is facing.

Review of the Week

'Sober October is probably a damn good thing'

13-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington met up with top gastropub operator Brendan Padfield to get his take on the week's news.

Best pubs in Punch estate celebrated

09-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The best Punch pub operators have been unveiled following a rigorous process to pick out the best from the company’s 1,300 businesses.

Pubs urged to support rate relief campaign

05-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

Pubs are being called upon for one final push to campaign for continued business rates relief ahead of the Autumn Statement.

The Lock In Podcast

Has customer behaviour got worse since Covid?

03-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In podcast is back, and we're taking a look at customer behaviour - are they getting worse? Are we getting worse?

Call for pubs to step up on rates campaigning

29-Sep-2023 By Ed Bedington

With many pubs struggling to break even, operators are being urged to increase pressure through their local MPs around business rates relief as the Government Autumn Statement approaches.

Bubbles and cheese concept launched for pubs

26-Sep-2023 By Ed Bedington

Pubs are being offered the opportunity to introduce a bit of French glamour to their operations thanks to a Covent Garden-based business.

Stick or twist: Will Stonegate's dynamic pricing gamble pay off?

12-Sep-2023 By Ed Bedington

Stonegate’s decision to run dynamic pricing in some "select pubs" in its managed estate has opened up quite an interesting can of worms.

Review of the Week

'I don't feel represented'

24-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

Top chef and pub and bistro operator Gary Usher calls for more passion from lobbyists, greater support for independent businesses, a reduction in VAT and talks about the challenges around recruitment in the MA's Review of the Week.

My Shout

Where is the outrage for all pubs?

10-Aug-2023 By Heath Ball

The justified anger and passion from the general public, members of parliament, and the press regarding the suspected arson of the beloved Crooked House near Dudley has truly captured the nation's attention and fuelled our collective outrage.

The Power Struggle

Act now to tackle the energy crisis

07-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

With volatile energy costs and operators locked into sky-high deals, the Morning Advertiser has teamed up with UKHospitality to launch a campaign, The Power Struggle, to ensure the industry is heard loud and clear as part of a consultation process.

Review of the Week

'We've got to support each other'

28-Jul-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with the Vaulkhard Group's Ollie Vaulkhard to talk about challenges, positivity and the price of a pint.

Review of the Week

‘It’s a bit of a war out there’

14-Jul-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with Heartwood Collection chairman Mark Derry to discuss the week's news, from duty rates to recruitment and the need to be more upbeat.

The Lock In Podcast

Wasp wrangling and other tips for summer success

13-Jun-2023 By Ed Bedington

Wasps can ruin many a pub garden experience, but how best to handle them? The Lock In team tackled the perennial pests and other top tips on making the most of summer trade.

'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.

Perspective needed on work parties

11-May-2023 By Ed Bedington

If things can’t get much worse for the pub sector, the fun-police are now out trying to ban drinking at work parties.

Lock In Podcast

Getting your cask offer right

24-Apr-2023 By Ed Bedington

Cask beer is a key component of the pub operation, but are we getting it right? The Lock In team takes a look at where pubs are going wrong with cask and how you can up your game on a category that is key to a good operation.

Chef Gary Usher's first pub off to a flying start

31-Mar-2023 By Ed Bedington

A chance encounter and a life-long love for pubs has seen one of the north-west’s leading chefs open his own site to great success and he’s already eyeing up a second!

The Lock In podcast

How to run a pub quiz

20-Mar-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team tackle the topic of pub quizzes, much to the delight of Heath - the do's and don'ts of running a great quiz!

Making the most of your roast!

14-Feb-2023 By Ed Bedington

A great roast dinner is the cornerstone of many pub operations, and a cultural touchstone for many - but why is that? And what we are getting right or wrong when it comes to the classic dish. The Lock In team take a deep dive into the world of roasts,...

Review of the Week

'I'm going to call it out for what it is - it's profiteering'

16-Dec-2022 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington met up with celebrity pub operator Merlin Griffiths, of Greenhouse Pubs, to hear his thoughts on the week's news and his view on the utilities situation.

Charity initiative helps keeps pubs lights on

09-Dec-2022 By Ed Bedington

A Sussex-based pub has come up with a unique way to try and offset the increased costs of Christmas lights this year.

Hybrid offer from Punch targets work life shift

28-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Award-winning pubco Punch Pubs has launched a new cafe, bar and co-working space alongside one of its existing pubs in London.

Great British Pub Awards

Inventiveness key to success, says GBPA winner

03-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Standing still is not an option for the pub trade, adaption and inventiveness will be key according to the winner of the Great British Pub of the Year Awards.

The Lock In Podcast

Will pubs get the support they need?

10-Oct-2022 By Ed Bedington

The podcast team returns for season three of the award-winning (James's mum gave us a rosette) Lock In podcast and we get to grips with the challenges facing the sector.

Diversity is key for the Great British pub

07-Oct-2022 By Ed Bedington

The recent Great British Pub Awards was a triumphant celebration of the diversity and richness of the UK’s pub offer, with businesses of all stripes recognised for excellence across the board.

Where are the best pubs in the country?

06-Oct-2022 By Rebecca Weller

With the Great British Pub Awards (GBPA) 2022 now over, The Morning Advertiser (MA) has put together a useful map of all this year's winners.

Action is needed now Liz

06-Sep-2022 By Ed Bedington

So the wait is finally over and the one MP most of her colleagues didn’t think was up to the job is now moving into number 10, but hey ho, what do they know that the wider Conservative membership doesn’t…

'We are part of the community, and that's what we're at risk of losing'

19-Aug-2022 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington catches up with Isle of Wight operator Gav Young to discuss some of the key issues of the week from tax rebalancing, to price hikes and soaring energy costs.

The MA's Review of the Week

‘You can’t have a bad operation and charge a premium’

24-Jun-2022 By Ed Bedington

Operators continue to stare down the barrels of inflation as Ed Bedington catches up with the Little and Large Pub Co’s Manu Bhatt to get his take on the week’s news.

Heron Inn scoops top award

22-Jun-2022 By Ed Bedington

A Cornish operator was celebrating after taking home the prestigious title of Licensee of the Year (LOYA) yesterday.

Let's stop being cheap with cask

17-Jun-2022 By Ed Bedington

Our consistently cheap approach to the sale of cask beer is one of the main reasons we struggle to ignite the category.

No consumer slowdown for pubs yet

23-May-2022 By Ed Bedington

The latest ONS figures which show a boost in off-trade sales does not signal a slowing down in the on-trade, industry watchers report.