Monday 8/6/15

Propelinfonews.com: Locals oppose JD Wetherspoon Quaker town pub plan: JD Wetherspoon has met with strong opposition to a plan to convert an original Welwyn Garden City house into a pub. Heritage campaigners, councillors and residents have united to oppose a planning application submitted by JD Wetherspoon for 22 Parkway, a three-storey 1920s house that once housed the Maynard Gallery. Claude Hitching of Asquith House, a nearby block of retirement flats, told the local newspaper: “Ebenezer Howard and his colleagues who designed and developed our lovely town were all devout Quakers who believed in total abstinence from alcohol, and one can imagine them spinning in their graves if they could hear of this current preposterous proposal. It is ridiculous. We will be kept awake late at night.” The building was most recently used for mental health services, but is currently boarded up.

Tuesday 9/6/15

Propelinfonews.com: North Lincolnshire Businesswoman of the Year adds to portfolio with Grimsby site: Entrepreneur Liz Parry, 2014 North Lincolnshire Businesswoman of the Year, is adding to her portfolio of sites with a plan to open a bar in Grimsby town centre, on the site of a venue that formerly traded as The Larder. The large two-storey building, which fronts Bethlehem Street, and enjoys access from Abbeygate, has been completely gutted, ahead of a major refurbishment – with a name to be decided. Parry also operates Abbys Bistro, Upstairs @ Abbys and The Riverside in Cleethorpes, by August. The new site is expected to create between eight to ten jobs, on top of the 34-strong team currently employed.

Morningadvertiser.co.uk: Pubs benefit from Pub in the Hub funding

By Emily Sutherland, 08-Jun-2015
Two rural pubs are hoping to become the centre of their local communities following grants from non-profit organisation Pub is the Hub.

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Running-your-pub/Events-Occasions/Pub-in-the-Hub-funds

Propelinfonews.com: Batemans joins Co-op range of locally produced beers: Wainfleet-based Batemans has won a contract to supply almost 15,000 pints to The Co-operative. The deal is part of the Co-op’s drive to boost real ale sales by offering locally brewed products in its regional stores. Nathan Wride, of Batemans, said: “It is tremendous news, it opens up new markets for us and we have seen an overnight uplift in volumes. We are delighted that The Co-operative shares our passion for local real ales and is now stocking our award winning Victory Ale – we pride ourselves on taste and quality and we know this is an approach shared by The Co-operative.” Joe Turner, real ale buyer at The Co-op, added: “The popularity of Batemans beers is impressive and, as a convenience retailer at the heart of the community, this is an important step in our commitment to offering more quality, locally sourced produce in our stores. It’s exciting to collaborate with breweries such as Batemans, and we hope our customers really enjoy the new selection of ales that we now have on offer – we are very pleased to add Batemans’ beers to the increasing range of locally produced ales that are now available in our food stores in communities across the UK.”

Wednesday 10/6/15

Propelinfonews.com: Wetherspoon set to expand Cambridgeshire footprint with St Ives opening: JD Wetherspoon has applied for planning permission to open a branch in St Ives in Cambridgeshire (population: 16,710). The company has already lined up an opening in the nearby Cambridgeshire town of Huntingdon. The company has submitted its plans for a new pub and restaurant in St Ives’ Market Hill, in the shop formerly occupied by Warehouse Clearance. Its application for change of use, from retail to a public house, includes the creation of a beer garden. A statement explaining the proposals, published by Huntingdonshire District Council this week, says: “The proposed scheme has been designed to complement the economy of the town and maintain the commercial viability of this building with a general refurbishment and extensions, which will add interest and variety to the conservation area.” Inside, the bar and food area will be on the ground floor, which will be extended, with toilets upstairs, as well as a kitchen.

Bighospitality.co.uk: Apple Pay to launch in UK restaurants in July

By Sophie Witts, 09-Jun-2015
Restaurants including Nando’s, Wagamama, Costa, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, KFC, and Subway will be supporting Apple Pay when it launches in the UK next month.

http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Apple-Pay-to-launch-in-UK-restaurants-in-July

Propelinfonews.com: BT Sport unveils pricing structure for next season: BT Sport will charge the average independent pub £394 a month for it new BT Sport Total Pack, which represents a 60% saving versus the Sky Sports standard price. Existing independent customers will also benefit from a loyalty discount of up to 15% to bring the price down further. BT will also cut the price for customers who only want to show exclusively live Barclays Premier League football, the SPFL and Aviva Premiership Rugby on BT Sport 1. Customers will see a price reduction of 7% to reflect the change in content. Bruce Cuthbert, director commercial customers at BT Sport, said: “Next season will mark a big change for commercial customers who want to maximise their takings by showing the really big UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League clashes midweek, especially as none of those games will be on ITV or Sky Sports. We have been successful in broadening the numbers of commercial premises that show premium sports, we have grown the pubs market by 26%, and we want to show that top flight football need not come at a top price.” From 1 July customers signing up to BT Sport Total will be eligible for an exclusive free service from Screach: Screach Lite. This offers a dynamic entertainment and communication platform that turns pubs’ existing TVs into a sales and marketing tool to help drive footfall and sales using BT Sport content and customisable venue promotion tools. In addition to the free subscription, the first 1,000 BT Sport Total customers signing up to the package will also receive free equipment and installation delivering a combined saving to pubs of £755 in the first year alone.

Propelinfonews.com: Deltic Group to launch Unit 17 brand in Ipswich: Deltic Group, the UK’s largest nightclub operator formerly called Luminar, is to launch Unit 17 at its Ipswich nightclub Liquid & Envy after a £650,000 refurbishment. After 17 years in the town, Liquid & Envy will be renamed Unit 17 when it reopens on 24 July. The venue is looking to build on its existing team of 20 and recruit a further 50 full and part-time employees working across a number of areas including the bar, hospitality and sales. The new club will feature three distinctive zones; Vinyl (a retro room playing party and club classics), an R&B room and a main dance arena. Unit 17’s general manager Glen Freeman said: “Liquid & Envy has been part of Ipswich’s nightlife for 17 years, but it’s time to move on. With Unit 17 we are taking clubbing to the next level, offering the very best light and sound show in the region, with fantastic service and world class DJs and entertainment.” A new cocktail menu will also be introduced, with the opportunity for guests to enjoy cocktail making masterclasses. There will also be table service throughout the venue for pre-bookable booths and private areas to host parties.

Thursday 11/6/15

Propelinfonews.com: Yummy Pub Company appoints Ed Harper as operations director: Five-strong Yummy Pub Company has appointed Ed Harper as its operations director. Harper, who worked at Yummy previously as a general manger, returns to Yummy after almost two years away. He ran Loungers Market Harborough site and oversaw recruitment for two other sites and spent five months with Old Northampton Group as its group manager. Harper also spent two years earlier in his career as chef de partie at the Old Bridge Hotel in Huntingdon. In his blog, Yummy co-founder Tim Foster said: “We’re good. We’re very, very good. But we ain’t perfick. Ed, will make us ‘Perfick’… there’s no pressure, absolutely none.”

Insidermedia.com: Brocket Hall creditors set for multimillion-pound hit: Unsecured creditors of Brocket Hall International, the operator of a prestigious 18th century country house and estate in Hertfordshire which entered administration in April, are likely to miss out on about £16.7m, Insider can reveal. http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/central-and-east/141184-brocket-hall-creditors-set-multimillion-pound-hit/

Morningadvertiser.co.uk: Industry slams decision to ban e-cigarettes in Welsh pubs

By Oli Gross, 10-Jun-2015
A plan to ban e-cigarette smoking in Welsh pubs has drawn a mixed reaction, with some suggesting licensees should be free to make their own decision.

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Legal/Legislation/Plans-to-ban-e-cigarettes-in-Welsh-pubs-slammed

Friday 12/6/15

Propelinfonews.com:Nottingham Brewery expands south of the Trent: Nottingham Brewery has acquired a majority shareholding in Harvey & Coombes Pub Company, the company that owns the Bricklayers Arms in Ruddington. Philip Darby, managing director of the Nottingham Brewery, said: “This is the first food and drink outlet that the 14-year old Nottingham Brewery has invested in south of the River Trent, and makes for the first of several significant changes within our expanding pub portfolio.” Nottingham Brewery already owns the Nottingham Brewery Taphouse (also known as Plough Inn, St Peters’ Street, Radford) situated next door to the bespoke cask and craft ale brewery operation. The Bricklayers will continue to serve locally sourced food dishes and will offer up to five cask ales with a range of Nottingham Brewery core beers as well as regular guests from micro-breweries around the country. Regal, the breweries’ only craft beer, and one of the first local lager-style beers to be produced in Nottinghamshire, will also be added to the bar.

Propelinfonews.com: Norfolk-based Redwell Brewery secures fourth site: Craft brewery Redwell is preparing to open its fourth pub and first outside Norwich city centre, restoring a Victorian corner pub to its former glory. The Lord Rosebery, in Rosebery Road, dates back to the late 19th century and was named after former prime minister the fifth Earl of Rosebery – it will re-open as The Rosebery in fortnight’s time. Patrick Fisher, co-owner of Trowse-based Redwell brewery, said: “We’re looking to bring some craft beer and Redwell into the suburbs. We want to see families in here enjoying the experience and we want to serve the community. We will be doing lots of food, matching it with the beers and spirits. We want to make it a pub that people in the area will be proud of, whether it’s for a lovely Sunday lunch, a pint or two during the week or to watch a Rugby World Cup match in here to enjoy the atmosphere we hope to create.” Redwell already runs the Ten Bells, in St Benedicts Street, the Mash Tun, in Charing Cross, and the Tap House, in Redwell Street.