Monday 17/10/16

Propelinfonews.com – Fitzrovia partners Epic for second pub within Charles Wells’ estate: Fitzrovia Pub Company, in partnership with Epic Managers, has taken on its second Charles Wells site. The Knife & Cleaver in Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire, part of Charles Wells’ leased and tenanted estate, has been refurbished to “offer a relaxed, home-from-home environment” with space for 110 diners and accommodation in nine hotel rooms. There is also a 16-seat private dining space. The pub will be the second opened by Fitzrovia Pub Company and managed by Epic, led by pub operator Andrew Coath, who also runs the Anchor in Aspley Guise, near Milton Keynes. The menu, which “showcases the best of British produce and blends the contemporary and classic” will change regularly. There is a selection of Charles Wells’ real ales as well as wine and cocktails that change frequently to match the season. Richard Bishop, director of tenanted and leased pubs at Charles Wells, said: “We’re pleased that Fitzrovia has seen another fabulous opportunity within our estate. Under the management of Andrew Coath and his Epic team, we know the new-look Knife & Cleaver will be just as successful and is a further example of our commitment to invest in our leased and tenanted pubs, and support those who run them.” Coath added: “We are really excited to have opened the doors to the new Knife & Cleaver and to have created this eclectic British pub, which offers something for everyone. We are delighted to be working with Charles Wells on this great pub, which we are confident will appeal to locals as well as become a destination venue for people in Bedfordshire and beyond to enjoy.”

Tuesday 18/10/16

Propelinfonews.com – Young’s to open first managed pub in Cambridge: Developer Brookgate has reported that a premium Young’s pub is set to open its doors to the community at CB1, its new development in Cambridge. The pub, which will be Young’s first in Cambridge, will operate as a Young’s managed pub. Due to open in spring 2017, the as-yet-unnamed pub will be positioned near the station, among retail and leisure amenities, and will feature a terrace. Young’s chief executive Patrick Dardis said: “We are delighted to be opening our first pub in Cambridge, in the midst of this vibrant and exciting city quarter. Our pubs are carefully designed to be a venue for every occasion – be it a family meal or a catch up with old friends over a few beers – and we are sure this will be the perfect location for our premium offer.” Sven Töpel, chief executive of Brookgate, added: “CB1 is a hugely exciting new quarter for Cambridge and is undergoing a huge transformation. The addition of this premium pub completes the retail and leisure offer for the development, which now provides quality and choice to its residents, workers and visitors. Now offering a range of dining options, cafes, shops and convenience stores, CB1 has all the elements of a thriving community with a strong sense of place.” Young’s joins a host of leading retail operators that will be situated around the new Station Square, including Sainsbury’s, Pret A Manger and Caffé Nero

Wednesday 19/10/16

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – Pub Governing Body: BDM training has improved

By Nikkie Sutton, 18-Oct-2016

Business development manager (BDM) training has improved, according to the annual audit by the Pub Governing Body (PGB). Read More

Propelinfonews.com – New fish and chip brand Cod’s Kitchen to launch in Lincolnshire: New fish and chip restaurant Cod’s Kitchen is set to open in Metheringham, Lincolnshire, next month. The 60-cover venue will open in mid-November in the village, south of Lincoln, and will also offer a takeaway service. In addition to locally sourced fish and chips, the restaurant will offer Hereford beef steaks, homemade pies and vegetarian dishes. General manager and head chef Jarrod Sellers has taken a five-year lease on the property, facilitated by commercial estate agents Banks Long & Co. The restaurant is his first business venture having worked for 15 years as a head chef in the hospitality and catering industries and at a private school. Sellers told The Lincolnite: “The takeaway side will boast products of restaurant-standard, while the restaurant will offer a variety of fresh fish dishes and feature a more extensive menu at weekends. We will serve lunch, evening meals and afternoon teas and offer a loyalty card scheme. Metheringham has a good catchment area, which has given us the confidence to create a 60-cover restaurant.”

Thursday 20/10/16

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – English pubs could soon be forced to display hygiene ratings

By Nicholas Robinson+, 19-Oct-2016

Displaying the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) Food Hygiene Ratings could be mandatory for pubs in England soon, The Morning Advertiser (MA) understands. Read More

Friday 21/10/16

Morningadvertiswer.co.uk – Coaching Inn Group sees gross profit jump by 56%

By James Evison, 19-Oct-2016

The Coaching Inn Group has also seen turnover grow by a third in the first six months of 2016, the pubco has announced. Read More

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – MRO: Savills warns of pubcos selling sites to avoid legislation

By Liam Coleman, 20-Oct-2016

Three months on from its introduction as part of the pubs code, head of licensed leisure at property agent Savills, Kevin Marsh, has warned about the prospect of pub companies selling on properties to avoid granting sites the MRO option. Read More

Bighospitality.co.uk – Hourly hospitality pay outstripping minimum wage

By Mark Wingett, 21-Oct-2016

Hourly pay for UK hospitality workers is already significantly outstripping new legal minimum wage thresholds, research by Fourth Analytics has revealed. Read More

Golfclubmanagement.net – 43% of leisure industry staff have been injured at work: A study of people who work in Britain’s leisure and hospitality industry has found that nearly half have suffered an injury at work and more than two thirds claim their working environment to be a health and safety hazard. The research states these figures – and compensation payouts – could be significantly lowered if the management of organisations such as golf clubs adopted better health and safety procedures. The research by Hayward Baker found that 67 per cent of employees from the leisure and hospitality industry claim their working environment to be a health and safety hazard, 43 per cent said they had suffered from an injury at work and 14 per cent have been to hospital due to a work-related illness or injury. The research identifies that the average worker has had three accidents at work, with one of those accidents happening in the last 12 months. Complaints to have emerged from the study regarding their workplace injury include: slippery floors (29 per cent), sprains from manual handling and lifting (21 per cent), falling objects (14 per cent) or slippery stairs (13 per cent). More than one in 10 (13 per cent) even believe their workplace has no health and safety protection, which was the reason for their injury. A further 11 per cent said there was a lack of training from their line manager, while nine percent said they had unsatisfactory equipment to carry out their job. More than a third (38 per cent) of staff polled from the industry regularly complained to their bosses about the state of their place of work, with a further 16 per cent saying their manager did nothing to rectify the situation. According to the research, 14 per cent of staff have sought legal advice after suffering from injury, claiming an average of £26,778. Common ‘minor’ workplace injuries in the leisure and hospitality environment are cuts (34 per cent), small burns (34 per cent), bruises (22 per cent), strained backs (20 per cent) and sprains (11 per cent). However, a more than third of accidents (36 per cent) among the sample were considered ‘moderate’ by solicitors and serious enough to make a claim, with either a broken bone or fracture as the direct result of their injury. The more ‘severe’ accidents that followed an injury at work in leisure and hospitality environment include dislocations (11 per cent) and a further nine per cent said they had lost a limb or body part as a result of their injury. More than half (57 per cent) said that the accident was their employer’s fault compared to less than a third (30 per cent) who said the accident was their fault.