Wadworth earlier today confirmed the exchange of contracts for the sale of 21 pubs to Liberation Group but did not disclose the financial details of the transaction. Jonathan Lawson, CEO, Liberation Group commented: “We are delighted to be welcoming the teams of these fantastic pubs to join Liberation Group and Butcombe Brewing Co. “We have worked closely with Wadworth to … [Read more...]
Duchess of Cornwall’s virtual Meals on Wheels Week 2020 pub visit
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall marks Meals on Wheels Week 2020 with a virtual visit to The Bevy community pub and Meals on Wheels service in Moulsecoomb, Brighton. The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and The Bevy community pub in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, welcomed a very special guest this week. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall made a virtual visit to … [Read more...]
U-Turn on alcohol sales welcomed, but not enough
To the enormous relief of English pubs and restaurants the government has reversed its decision to ban alcohol sales during the new lockdown. The news is good, but much more support will be needed to see many businesses through the month ahead. The about turn was the result of enormous lobbying from hospitality and beer trade bodies, and was only made at 16.00 … [Read more...]
Industry regulator fines Heineken £2m for forcing pubs to sell its brands
The pubs code adjudicator has fined Heineken £2 million for forcing publicans through its pubs business, Star, to sell ‘unreasonable’ amounts of its own beer brands. The investigation found Heineken imposed unfair conditions on landlords who sought to go ‘free of tie’ via a process that allows them to break a centuries old beer tie arrangement where they receive reduced pub … [Read more...]
Marston’s shed 2,100 jobs as furlough end approaches
Today sees what is expected to be a flood of job losses start to show as the government’s furlough scheme approaches its end. More than 2,100 people at pub chain Marston’s face losing their jobs, as the business reacts with job cuts to tackle a deepening Covid-19 economic crisis. In a statement to the City earlier today, Marston’s said it believed consumer confidence had … [Read more...]
Greene King rent support extended ahead of anticipated pub closures
Greene King Pub Partners has announced all its tied pub tenants will receive at least a 40% rent discount up until Christmas, with pubs that are closed under government measures receiving a 90% rent discount. It brings its estimated financial support for its 975 tied tenants to more than £25m since the Covid-19 pandemic closed the UK’s pubs. All tied tenants were notified … [Read more...]
Government rationale for 10pm curfew questioned further by Young’s CEO and BBPA
10pm curfew questioned: The British Beer & Pub Association has welcomed the new package of support announced yesterday by Chancellor Rishi Sunak for pubs that will be forced to close in future lockdowns. As part of the package, the Chancellor announced an expanded Job Support Scheme for businesses forced to close, whereby the Government will cover two-thirds of pay for … [Read more...]
Greene King announce 79 pub closures, then Nicola Sturgeon closes a further 125 for them the same day
Greene King pub closures - Greene King has announced that it will reduce its workforce further, seeing 800 more people lose their jobs as the impact from Covid-19 restrictions on hospitality businesses strikes harder. The pub group said that pubs will have to close, 79 pubs already shut will remain closed until further notice, with at least 30% to be shut permanently. The … [Read more...]
Nicola Sturgeon announces ‘all’ pubs and restaurants to close in central Scotland
Under new measures just announced by Nicola Sturgeon aimed at tackling a surge in Covid-19 cases in Scotland, all pubs and restaurants in central Scotland are to be closed, including Glasgow and Edinburgh. The new rules will come into force at 6pm on Friday, and will be in place until at least 25 October. Commenting on the announcement, UKHospitality Executive Director for … [Read more...]
International Slavery Museum and Greene King announce reparative partnership
A new partnership has been announced between the International Slavery Museum and brewer and pub company Greene King to help raise awareness and educate about the historic transatlantic slave trade. As part of the new partnership, Greene King employees will get the opportunity to take part in online workshops on Understanding Transatlantic Slavery and the museum will … [Read more...]
BBPA and Oxford Economics predict 290,000 job loss and £7.4 billion cost to pubs imminent
Cost to pubs imminent: The British Beer & Pub Association has today published a new report with Oxford Economics, the forecasting and analysis consultancy, modelling the likely impact of Coronavirus on Britain’s brewing and pub sector. The report, titled “UK Beer and Pub Sector: Coronavirus Scenarios Report”, models three scenarios on how Coronavirus could impact the … [Read more...]
Here’s to the Pub: Free drinks throughout October from Ei Publican Partnerships and partner beer brands
Here's to the Pub: Ei Publican Partnerships has partnered with Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, Britvic, Diageo, Heineken, Molson Coors, and Sharp’s Brewery, to offer customers up to 100,000 free drinks, across more than 1,250 participating pubs in October. Running from Thursday 1 October to Thursday 29 October, customers are eligible for one free drink a week which … [Read more...]
Stonegate announces further support to lease and tenanted business
Stonegate Pub Company has announced further business support within its lease and tenanted business, Ei Publican Partnerships, creating an overall support package, which has been implemented in response to the Covid-19 lockdown, in excess of £36.5 million. The additional support includes rent reductions of 30% in October and a reduction of 20% in November for tied … [Read more...]
JD Weatherspoon tone rather unfortunately at the hospitality centre of Covid-19, again
Ever since the lockdown back in March JD Weatherspoon has been at the centre of news surrounding the hospitality industry as Chairman Tim Martin loves to be controversial and swim against the tide. At the onset of Covid-19 and the lockdown being imposed Martin told 43,000 staff at Wetherspoons they were not being paid wages until the company was first reimbursed for their … [Read more...]
