Monday 3/10/16

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – Licensees debate pros and cons of minimum wage increase

By Nikkie Sutton, 30-Sep-2016

With new minimum wage levels coming into force this month (October 2016), licensee have expressed mixed reactions to the hike to staffing costs. Read More

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – Business rates hike: ‘I think I may go out of business’

By Oli Gross, 03-Oct-2016

Licensees have expressed fears that expected hikes in business rates next year are set to force them out of business. Read More

Tuesday 4/10/16

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – Suppliers of illegal football jailed and fined £1m

By Oli Gross, 04-Oct-2016

Two fraudsters who supplied illegal broadcasts of Premier League football to pubs have been jailed and ordered to pay close to £1m. Read More

Propelinfonews.com – JD Wetherspoon to open first stand-alone hotel today: JD Wetherspoon will open its first stand-alone hotel today (Tuesday, 4 October), in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire (population: 23,372). The company is launching the £1.1m, 22-bedroom hotel in George Street. The hotel is in separate stand-alone purpose-built premises, set behind its Sandford House pub that opened earlier this year, with rooms on the ground and first floors. It features one family, 12 twin, and eight double rooms, as well as one room suitable for people with disabilities, including wet-room facilities. Manager Sarah Hemingway told The Hunts Post: “The new 22-bedroom hotel is a wonderful addition to the outlet and we are confident it will also be a great addition to the Huntingdon community. We look forward to welcoming guests to Sandford House.”

Wednesday 5/10/16

Bighospitality.co.uk – Hospitality loyalty: Personalisation of offers important for millennials

By Emma Eversham+, 04-Oct-2016

Hospitality businesses looking to attract the millennial generation will have a better chance of gaining their loyalty if they personalise offers a survey has revealed. Read More

Propelinfonews.com – Sirius Investments starts expansion of rodizio concept House of Tiago with Lincoln launch: Norwich-based Sirius Investments has opened a second site for its Brazilian rodizio concept House of Tiago, this time in Lincoln. The new all-you-can-eat restaurant at the former Brew Haus site in Silver Street features an £8,000 grill from Brazil, with the menu offering up to 16 different meats and a hot and cold buffet. Carvers pass from table to table and cut up meat in front of customers in Brazilian rodizio style. There are also fish and vegetarian options, while the drinks list features a wide range of cocktails and mocktails – all with a Brazilian twist – such as the South American Sourz and Tiago’s signature drink, the caipirinha. Sirius Investments operations director Charles Hewitt told the Lincolnshire Echo: “We acquired the site in April and wanted to open in May but the gas grill meant we had to wait for an eight-week public consultation period. Now everything is in place, we can concentrate on bringing a restaurant that provides an authentic Brazilian style. We look forward to giving the people of Lincoln a real taste of Brazil.” The company’s debut House of Tiago is in Tombland, Norwich.

Propelinfonews.com – Reigning community hero takes on second Enterprise pub: Reigning Enterprise Community Heroes Awards champion Victoria McDonald has taken on her second Enterprise pub – The White Lodge in Attleborough, Norfolk. The 15th century former coaching inn has undergone a full refurbishment following a £260,000 investment from Enterprise Inns and £50,000 from McDonald and her husband Grahame. Improvements include a new kitchen, bars, flooring, and a patio area at the rear. McDonald, who also runs Enterprise pub the Cellar House in Eaton, near Norwich, won the annual Enterprise Community Heroes Awards in 2015. She received £6,000 to spend on community projects after being chosen for her work to make The Cellar House a “hub of the community”. She has since opened a post office in the pub. She said of The White Lodge: “The team have been very supportive of us and what we want to achieve and their significant investment to revive the pub has been fantastic. I want the pub to be famous for cask ales, home-cooked food, and its family-friendly beer garden.” Enterprise regional manager Adam Cogan added: “I’m sure Victoria and Grahame will make a success of this landmark local pub and make it as popular as it used to be.”

Propelinfonews.com – JD Wetherspoon to close Grimsby pub: JD Wetherspoon will close its pub in Grimsby’s Riverhead Centre – The Ice Barque – which will cease trading on Thursday, 3 November. The company said the move was the result of “commercial decisions”. No jobs will be lost as staff will be relocated to other Wetherspoon pubs in the area, including the Yarborough Hotel in Bethlehem Street, Grimsby. Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon told the Grimsby Telegraph: “We appreciate that The Ice Barque’s loyal customers will be disappointed. However, Wetherspoon has to make commercial decisions for the benefit of the company and, as a result, decided to close the pub.” The news signals the closure of the last remaining pub at the Riverhead Centre, which previously hosted Stonegate Pub Company’s Yates’s, nightclub operator Deltic Group’s Chicago Rock Café, and Walkabout, operated by Intertain.

Friday 7/10/16

Morningadvertiser.co.uk – Plans to ‘name and shame’ employers of migrants is ‘unfair and unhelpful’

By Oli Gross, 07-Oct-2016

Government plans to “effectively name and shame” employers of non-UK nationals has labelled as “unfair and uninformed”. Read More

Bighospitality.co.uk – Winners of Great British Pub Awards 2016 revealed

By Oli Gross, 05-Oct-2016

The Bull at Ditchling, East Sussex, has claimed the title of Great British Pub of the Year in the Great British Pub Awards 2016. Read More

Golfclubmanagement.net: Number of golfers with a smartphone doubles in 4 years: A survey of how people use the internet has found that 90 per cent of golfers now have a smartphone, meaning the number has doubled in just four years. It also found that three in four golfers own a tablet computer – up from just over one in two, two years earlier. The Golfshake poll of 4,600 golfers found that nearly two thirds of golfers aged 30 to 50 use their phone for golfing purposes. “The recent increase in adoption of smartphones and tablets means that it is now key for golf clubs and golf businesses to have an online presence when looking to reach new customers,” said a spokesman. Further evidence of the importance of the need for a comprehensive digital presence is indicated by data showing that 80 per cent of golfers stated that they read reviews online when looking where to play and 77 per cent access golf course news and information on golf portals. More than a third of those surveyed stated that they regularly accessed golf news on large media websites such as the BBC and 49 per cent said that they regularly access golf news via television coverage. Online tee time bookings are up by 23 per cent in the past two years with 71 per cent of all golfers surveyed saying that they had used an online club booking system or a third party tee time provider. Golfers looking to improve are also turning to the latest technology with 76 per cent of golfers surveyed watching tuition on YouTube or other online services and websites. A total of 17 per cent had used golf tech hardware to aid game improvement such as wearable devices. “Embracing technology, particularly online digital channels, can provide a great opportunity for golf clubs and golf businesses to reach a growing audience. In addition the rise of social media means that businesses can connect and engage directly with a highly relevant audience to drive not only awareness, but also sales,” he added. A survey four years prior to this poll found that less than half of UK golfers owned a smartphone.