Monday 2/11/15
Morning Advertiser: Calendar boys: East end pensioners get their kit off to save pubs
By Emily Sutherland, 02-Nov-2015
A group of East London pensioners have come up with a novel way of ending pub closures by launching a tongue in cheek nude calendar to raise awareness about disappearing pubs. Read More
Horticulture Week: Council shuts golf course to save money: A 105-year-old golf course in Leicester has closed as the city council looks to save £90m by 2018. The closure of Western Park municipal golf club will save the authority £123,000 a year. Councillors say they could only save either Western Park or Humberstone Heights as part of the review into the cost of sporting provision in the city. Leicester City Council said: “We considered factors such as the club membership, facilities and future financial viability in reaching the decision to close Western Park and invest in Humberstone Heights to safeguard its future. “It was clear that for either of the city council-run golf courses to have a future, it would have to be at the expense of the other.”
Tuesday 3/11/15
Big Hospitality: Diners left frustrated by ‘confusing’ menu jargon
By Sophie Witts, 03-Nov-2015
Restaurants have been urged to avoid overly-complicated menus with the average diner struggling to know their Brunoise from their Beignet, a new study has found. Read More
Morning Advertiser: Draft pubs code branded ‘deeply flawed’ by Save the Pub Group
By Emily Sutherland, 02-Nov-2015
Draft pubs code legislation has been branded ‘deeply flawed’ by the Save the Pub group, with Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland set to launch a freedom of information request into controversial clause 8.12. Read More
Wednesday 4/11/15
Swift implementation of pubs code is now needed
By Kate Nicholls, 03-Nov-2015
Morning Advertiser: There are two things politicians are particularly concerned about when legislating: the law of unintended consequences and an acceptance that you cannot please all of the people all of the time. Read More
Big Hospitality: Pubs and hotels win big at Rugby World Cup
By Sophie Witts, 03-Nov-2015
VisitEngland has hailed the Rugby World Cup as the ‘most successful to date’ with the tournament scoring a £1bn boost for the UK economy. Read More
Yahoo News: Fancy A Beer With That? Burger King Applies To Sell Alcohol In Restaurants: You could soon be ordering a pint with your Whopper as Burger King is set to be the first fast food restaurant to serve alcohol in Britain. Beer is already on the menu in other fast food joints around the world but Britain has so far resisted – but Burger King are set to change that after they applied for drinks licenses in four of its branches. If successful, they plan to launch alcoholic drinks in every one of its 654 restaurants across the UK. The initial four venues lined up to serve booze with burgers are Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs., Blackpool, Lancs., Hull, East Yorks., and Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. A Burger King spokeswoman stressed that the beer would be served in plastic cups and would only be allowed to be drunk on the premises. She said: “We’re just catching up with the rest of the world really.” The British Beer and Pub Association welcomed the news, saying there was “no reason” why fast food restaurants should not apply for an alcohol license. However, he stuck up for the traditional way of enjoying a pint, adding: “But when it comes to enjoying a beer with food, it is very hard to beat the quality and diversity of beer in Britain’s pubs.” Both Burger King and McDonald’s sell alcohol in various locations across the globe, including in Europe. But McDonald’s have no plans to follow in their rivals footsteps just yet. They state on their website: “It isn’t something that we have experienced customer demand for or something that fits with the family-friendly focus of our restaurants in the UK.”
Thursday 5/11/15
Propelinfonews.com: BII expresses concerns around Parallel Rent Assessment: The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has stated elements of the first draft of the Pubs Code – such as the Parallel Rent Assessment – have come as a surprise and will need further attention. Tim Hulme, BII chief executive, said: “The BII welcomes the release of the first draft of the pubs code, but we admit to being taken aback by the unexpected condition around the Parallel Rent Assessment. We will be working hard during the next phase of consultation to see what’s behind the change and what it will entail. What is most important during this changeable, uncertain period is that we ensure our members are best placed and well informed to take advantage of a Market Rent Only option and to understand the costs and benefits of it. This option will give our tied members the freedom to buy drink wholesale on the open market and the safeguards that protect a tenant against landlord price increases are fundamentally important. What is essential is that all tenant groups collaborate effectively during this next round of consultation to ensure we establish the best possible outcome for our members.”
Bar Magazine: Nottingham’s Das Kino team to open ‘hidden secret’ bar: The team behind Nottingham bar Das Kino are to open a new venue for cocktails, wine and casual dining, tucked away down a passage in the Hockley area of the city. The Hockley Arts Club in Carlton Street is due to open this month across four floors of a Victorian grade II-listed building that was formerly the offices of George Wigley & Son’s silk merchants and importers (pictured). The “hidden secret” bar is being created by Audacity Leisure which opened Das Kino in the city centre a year ago – a bar inspired by 1930s German cinema specialising in premium cocktails, handmade pizza, ping-pong and live music. Adam Sumner, general manager of The Hockley Arts Club, said: “I have seen The Hockley Arts Club evolve from its conception. With such interesting local history and stunning Victorian architecture, it is impossible not to be creatively inspired along the way. We are also ensuring we preserve the beautiful nature of this building.” The ground floor will feature mid-century furniture, Scandinavian wood panelling and an imposing back bar stocked with glass vessels of unusual aged spirits. On the first floor, it will have the intimate feel of an exclusive members club. The bar will dominate a stunning main room full of original features, which leads into a series of grade II-listed spaces where the historic nature of this building has been preserved. The kitsch Electric Garden lies in the loft space, enticing guests with its vibrant lighting, described as a “fabulous outdoor meets indoor” space. Adam added: “Our chefs will be creating dishes that are designed to taste as good as they look. The menu will include a vast array of small plates designed for sharing and casual eating with the finest, fresh, locally sourced ingredients. “Nottingham is an incredibly culturally diverse and vibrant city, with a ton of choice, so you have to work really hard to bring something new to the scene in terms of food and taste that will excite people. “The team are thrilled to be opening a building with such unique identity and with The Hockley Arts Club we aim to provide a lasting legacy that Nottingham will be proud of.”
Friday 6/11/15
Propelinfonews.com: Pub People takes on third Star Pubs & Bars site: East Midlands-based pub operator Pub People has taken on The Three Horseshoes in East Leake, near Loughborough – its third site with Star Pubs & Bars. Together they are undertaking a major £260,000 refurbishment of the pub to broaden its appeal. The pub is currently closed and will reopen at the end of November, creating 12 jobs. The interior is being opened up to improve the flow between the bar, lounge and restaurant areas, allowing customers to eat and drink anywhere in the pub. The exterior will benefit from smarter entrances, a complete redecoration and new signage, and an upgraded patio to allow for al-fresco drinking and dining. The offer will be focused on quality fresh home cooked food with good quality cask ales and wine and premium Heineken drinks. Pub People operations director Andrew Crawford said: “We’re looking forward to opening the Three Horseshoes and, with the help of Star Pub & Bars’ investment, creating a great family friendly pub that the village can be proud of.” The Pub People operates 55 pubs including two others with Star Pubs & Bars – The Waggon & Horses in Redhill, Nottinghamshire, and The King Alfred in Alfreton, Derbyshire.
Morning Advertiser: Enterprise publicans paint pub with poppies in memory of fallen soldiers
By Emily Sutherland, 05-Nov-2015
Licensees Edd and Ruth Lowe have turned their pub into a touching memorial for soldiers killed in the first and second World Wars. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: Pieminister granted permission to open biggest site to date in Nottingham: Pieminister, the award-winning gourmet pie company, has been given permission to open a new site in Nottingham. The brand, which started life in a Bristol flat more than a decade ago and now has 14 restaurants, cafes and pubs across England, is poised to launch its largest venue to date after receiving the go-ahead from Nottingham City Council, reports Insider Media. It plans to invest £300,000 in redeveloping a vacant grade II-listed building in Long Row that was previously occupied by Boots into a gourmet pie and mash shop, creating 30 jobs. The outlet will provide space for 146 diners and at 3,185 square foot would become the largest Pieminister restaurant in terms of size and investment. A statement prepared by RR Planning on behalf of the company said the venue would be a “unique offer” for Nottingham city centre and will add to its “vitality and viability as a destination for shoppers and tourists”. Pieminister operates restaurants in Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester, with cafes in Bristol, London, Trentham and Oxford. It also has pie pubs in London and at Bradford Brewery.