Monday 26/1/14
PropelInfoNews.com: Café Carringtons goes into liquidation:
Three-strong Cambridgeshire cafe chain Café Carringtons has gone into liquidation. The company has closed its sites in Cambridge’s Market Street and The Grafton shopping centre and one in Ely’s Cloisters shopping precinct. A statement on the company’s website said: “It is with great sadness that we have had to announce the closure of all three of the Café Carringtons restaurants. Thank you for your custom and loyalty.” It had traded for more than 30 years.
PropelInfoNews.com: City Pub Co to shut Delaney’s in Norwich for five months and reopen as food-led offer:
City Pub Co West, the EIS-backed company headed by Clive Watson, is to close Delaney’s, the pub it acquired in April last year, for five months for a refurbishment that will include a larger kitchen and a micro-brewery on site. When it was acquired, the Delaney’s site was originally planned to trade as a wet-led venue after its refurbishment was complete, while City Pub Co’s other Norwich outlet, The Georgian Town House will focus more on food trade. However, the planning application for the refurbishment, which has been approved by Norwich City Council, included comments that the pub was “heavily focused on drinking” and the new proposal was for a “more food-led offer”. The Grade II listed building dates to the 19th century with 20th century alterations. It was known for nearly a century as The Festival House, and in the past couple of decades the pub has changed hands many times. It first became an Irish pub in 2001.
PropelInfoNews.com: Multi-site site companies sign up for Professor Chris Edger’s Multi-Site Management Masterclass:
A host of multi-site companies have signed up for Professor Chris Edger, Multi-Site Management Masterclass, being held in partnership with Propel, on Tuesday 24 February at One Moorgate Place, in the City of London. They include: Wahaca, Boston Tea Party, Burger & Lobster, Paul UK, Beds and Bars, Columbo Group, McMullen, McManus Pub Company, Meatailer, Intertain, Eddie Rockets, Amber Taverns, City Pub Company, Jamie Oliver, Rhode Island Coffee, My Lahore, Little Gems Country Dining, Porkys, Antic London, Star Pubs and Bars and Bill’s. Professor Edger, who has just published his latest book, Leading at a Distance in Multi-Unit Enterprises, will focus on how area managers can create organic growth through the three-step process of engagement, execution and evolution. Professor Edger currently teaches at City University, Birmingham, where a number of the sector’s leading companies send their general managers to be taught. Darren King, last month’s winner of 2014 ALMR Operations Manager award, graduated from its post-graduate Level 7 Multi-Unit Leadership and Strategy course in 2014 – as did the 2013 ALMR Operations Manager winner Barrie Robinson in 2013. Paul Charity, managing director of Propel, said: “This is a great chance for multi-site companies to refresh their thinking – and the thinking and expertise of key staff – as 2015 gets under way.” Tickets are £295 plus VAT for ALMR members and £345 for non-ALMR members. CLICK HERE for more details or email adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com to book.
Tuesday 27/1/15
PropelInfonews.com: Four in five consumers never or rarely try new alcoholic drinks:
Four out of five UK consumers never or rarely try new alcoholic beverages when drinking outside their homes. Research by Canadean found that 77% of out-of-home drinkers were reluctant to try new products and 32% admitted to sticking to brands they already know and trust. The reasons given for being hesitant to sample new brands included a lack of awareness of new products on the market (14%) and that there were no new drinks on the market that people liked (21%). Sam Allen, an analyst at Canadean, said: “With the vast diversity of products available at pubs, bars and clubs, consumers are faced with a myriad of alcoholic beverage options, and in the face of so many new drinks they often stick to tried and tested favourites.”
PropelInfoNews.com: Health inspectors give Gordon Ramsay restaurant two star rating after cockroaches discovered:
Health inspectors have given Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant in Mayfair, London a two-star hygiene rating after inspectors found cockroaches in preparation and dish-washing areas. According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the venue was given a two-star rating for hygiene, down from the four out of five stars it was handed in October 2013. A report from Westminster Council reads: “Appropriate treatment methods must be used to eliminate these pests.” At least seven bugs were spotted at the restaurant. A spokesman for Ramsay said it was an “isolated incident” and staff at Maze have taken immediate steps to clean up the restaurant and improve hygiene.
PropelInfonews.com: Enterprise hails turnaround at ‘awful’ pub:
Enterprise Inns has hailed the success of one of its tenants at turning around a pub it admits many locals had given up on. The Greyhound Inn, in Arnold, near Nottingham, was in such a poor state that locals thought it would never reopen. But Jason Mee took on the Nottingham Road pub in June 2013, and with the help of an £85,000 investment from Enterprise, and £55,000 in total of his own money, has turned it into a thriving business once more. Mee said: “It was in an awful state, but I like a challenge. We cleaned and decorated the pub, and immediately takings began to go up quite quickly. In January this year, we closed the pub for only two weeks, and refurbished the interior.” Enterprise Inns’ regional manager Mark Gardner said: “Jason performed a similar turnaround at another of our pubs, and he’s worked his magic again at The Greyhound. He’s taken a pub that many local people had given up on, and he’s done a brilliant job.
PropelInfoNews.com: Misleading Manchester hotel bookings company wound up by High Court:
Tycoon Media Limited, a Manchester-based company which claimed to offer a hotel listings service, has been wound up by the High Court for misleading customers and failing to provide services to clients. The closure comes after an investigation by the Insolvency Service. The investigation found that the company, trading under the names “Seek & Sleep” and “Seek & Dine”, charged customers a monthly fee of between £29.99 plus VAT and £49.99 plus VAT to list their hotel or bed and breakfast business on its online booking agency. The company falsely claimed to offer a money-back refund guarantee of the monthly fee if the client did not get at least one booking per month. No such refunds appear to have been made. The Insolvency Service investigation also found many other examples of misconduct by the company, including failing to provide the pre-paid service, taking unauthorised payments from clients, failing to make good on refunds due to clients, failing to maintain adequate accounting records and trading while insolvent.
theguardian.com Pub chef and manager jailed over Christmas dinner that left a diner dead Mehmet Kaya and Ann-Marie McSweeney jailed over 2012 turkey dinner which gave 33 people food poisoning and left Della Callagher dead
Morning Advertiser: Pubs prove popular for Christmas Day meals
By Mark Wingett, M&C ReportMark Wingett, M&C Report, 26-Jan-2015
One in six adults in the UK ate out on Christmas Day this year, equating to eight million meals with a third of consumers choosing to eat in a pub.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/Pubs-prove-popular-for-Christmas-Day-meals
Morning Advertiser: Marston’s festive sales up with record Christmas Day
By James Wallin, M&C ReportJames Wallin, M&C Report, 27-Jan-2015
Marston’s has announced it saw sales grow 4.8% over the festive fortnight with a 12.5% hike on Christmas Day, as it prepares to hold its Annual General Meeting today.
Wednesday 28/1/15
Morning Advertiser: Pubs’ prompt to apply for government growth vouchers
By Mike BerryMike Berry, 27-Jan-2015
Pubs are being reminded to apply for the chance to claim up to £2,000 worth of subsidised specialist business advice before March’s deadline.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/Pubs-prompt-to-apply-for-government-growth-vouchers
Morning Advertiser: Bulldog wants a bigger bite of the market
By M&C ReportM&C Report, 28-Jan-2015
The new backer of coaching inns chain Bulldog Hotel Group has told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s sister title M&C Report that the company would look at group acquisitions as it seeks to double in size by 2020 “but hopefully sooner”.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Company-City-News/Bulldog-wants-a-bigger-bite-of-the-market
Telegraph.co.uk: Diageo ‘threatens backbone of economy’ by squeezing suppliers
Guinness and Johnnie Walker owner is latest high-profile company accused of putting pressure on suppliers.Diageo, the owner of Guinness and Johnnie Walker whisky, has warned suppliers that it plans to take three months to pay its bills, making it the latest high-profile company to put pressure on its supply chain.
PropelInfoNews.com: New smokehouse brand opens in Northampton:
A former bakery that stood empty for a number of years has been transformed into a new barbecue restaurant in Northampton town centre. The Smoke Pit in The Ridings opened its doors to the public for the first time at the weekend. The people behind the Smoke Pit are owners and brothers Matt and James Ingram, alongside brother-in-law Jay Miller, who were inspired for their new business venture after a family holiday to the United States.
Thursday 29/1/15
PropelInfoNews.com: Allegra – one in six adults ate out on Christmas Day:
Research by Allegra Foodservice, conducted through its Eating Out Panel, which tracks eating out behaviours, has revealed that one in six UK adults ate out on Christmas Day 2014, equating to circa eight million meals. The report also revealed that over a quarter of UK adults have never eaten out on Christmas Day, but nearly half would consider doing so. Pubs operators were most successful, with over a third of consumers eating out on Christmas day choosing to eat at pubs. Hotels and local restaurants also attracted significant Christmas day trade, at 18% and 16% of the total respectively. The report highlighted that the principle reasons for eating out on Christmas day are due to being invited out by friends or family and to avoid the hassle of entertaining at home. However, very few consumers choose to eat out on Christmas day for better quality food. Gareth Nash, Allegra Foodservices’ head of consumer insight, said: “Venues should really focus their Christmas day messaging on providing a stress free sociable occasion for consumers on Christmas Day.” The research showed that the majority of diners eating out at Christmas were under-35s and from London. While some consumers have a tradition of cooking their Christmas Day meal at home, there is more scope to influence the new younger and time-poor generations into going out to eat. Nash added: “Nearly half of consumers will consider eating out in the future on Christmas Day so there is an opportunity there for operators to increase footfall further and convert these ‘considerers’ into actual visitors.”
PropelInfoNews.com: Carlsberg adds to cask ale range:
Carlsberg UK has extended its portfolio by partnering with eight additional breweries to introduce new beers to its 2015 Tapster’s Cask Ale range, each available to order this month. The new partnerships will broaden the variety of beers available to its UK on-trade customers. New for 2015 are beers including Business As Usual from Derby Brewing Company, Double Dragon from Felinfoel Brewery, Gower Gold from Gower Brewery, Rivet Catcher from Jarrow Brewing Company and Jaipur IPA from Thornbridge Brewery
Morning Advertiser: M&B like-for-like sales up 4.8% over Christmas period
By James Wallin, M&C ReportJames Wallin, M&C Report, 29-Jan-2015
Managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers has reported like-for-like sales up 4.8% for the festive fortnight and 7.1% on Christmas Day, when more than 200,000 meals were sold.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Company-City-News/Mitchells-and-Butlers-Christmas-trading-figures
Friday 30/1/15
PropelInfoNews.com: Landlord – Fuller’s support allowed us to survive:
A tenant licensee of brewer and pub operator Fuller’s has praised the company for the support it has shown in the year since it suffered from flooding The Flowing Spring pub at Playhatch near Henley lost about half of its trade when its car park was under several feet of water for about two months last winter. It was the second year running it had suffered flooding. Nick Willson, who runs the pub with his wife Hazel Lucas, told local media: “Fuller’s did not charge us rent, which was a brilliant thing for a pub company to do. It gave us a helping hand through the depressing times. It has been perfect since the flooding. We had a very good summer, which is always important, as we have a big garden and lots of outdoors events. We try to allocate funds to get through the winter because we never know what it is going to be like.” Fuller’s has also offered to pay for a £50,000 flood defence scheme but this is still not in place. Willson added: “The brewery has been working on it since February and they have put together plans to raise the car park so if the ground is flooded the car park would still be useable. The sticking point has been the Environment Agency, which doesn’t want any further displacement of water even though the land is tiny in comparison with the flood plain it is on. Negotiations are ongoing and we have reached the last hurdle, which is to do some surveys of other people’s property to see how they would be impacted. Provided that happens, planning permission needs to be given before work could start. Hopefully it will be in place by next winter.”
PropelInfoNews.com: Oakman agrees terms to acquire flagship Lazy Cow site in Warwick:
Oakman Inns & Restaurants, the pub and restaurant operator led by Peter Borg-Neal, has agreed terms with the key parties to take over The Lazy Cow in Warwick, a flagship site that achieves net annual turnover of circa £1.7m. Borg-Neal said: “We have held long discussions with Urban & Country Leisure (UCL) and the site’s freeholder, Downing Capital and I am delighted to say that we have agreed terms in principal and are close to signing contracts. Warwick is a great town with a superb reputation as a thriving county capital with a huge programme of Community activities and engagement and we have admired this site for a long time. Part of The Lazy Cow’s success is down to the great hard-working team employed there and we believe the operation and its staff will prove a perfect fit for the Oakman portfolio
Saturday 31/1/15
James Martin has announced via Twitter that he has left The Talbot Hotel. Thanking everyone that had supported the Restaurant and the Team that had made it happen.