Punch Taverns not peturbed by loss of Publicana

The news of Blackpool based Publicana going into administration has been met with calm disregard by the Pubcos company Punch Taverns who it managed a number of venues for. They will be talking to the administrators about transferring the dozen or so sites to another management company.

Indeed Punch Taverns are embarking on a investment drive, investing £20m on 450 of its pubs across the UK, to help Partners drive trade and grow their businesses.

The Investing For Growth (I4G) scheme will see an average of £37,000 spent at each pub to deliver small-scale improvements and ‘sparkles’ that will set pubs up for success and help increase trade in the run-up to the important World Cup and summer trading period.

Questions are still being asked as to what went wrong for Publicana which seemed to be in a strong profitable position, at one time managing close to 130 outlets nationally, with its model of taking over under-performing venues and temporary management sites.

Party Beer united on reform of Pubcos

With the announcement by the Conservative party that a Tory government would offer a free of tie option to tenants by June 2011, all three parties are now committed to driving through reform for the Great British pub.

A spokesman for David Cameron said: “The Conservative Party supports the idea that should the industry fail to deliver self-regulation by June 2011, the Government of the day should end up consulting on putting the Code of Practice on a statutory basis.
"The Government have agreed to this and we are happy with this position.”

Labour's commitment has been re-iterated. It said: "A non-tie option should be available for pub tenants; we will act if the industry fails to make progress on this.”
The manifesto also backs up the recent announcement made by pubs minister John Healey to set aside funding to help communities buy pubs and outlaw the use of restrictive covenants.

The Liberal Democrats were the first party to speak out on the issue, saying they would radically reform the “one-sided” beer tie that has gone “out of control” and is hastening pub closures. It would be part of a package of measures to help pubs that include scrapping rises in beer duty and letting councils grant 50% rate relief for sole pubs in villages.

So one thing is certain now whatever parliament we see after the election is over, reform of the Pubcos system will come!

Report questions Brulines' flow meter accuracy

In a recent report compiled by verification firm SGS, the performance of the system and the way in which “volumes associated with line cleaning are determined” was found to give “cause for concern”.

After carrying out tests at the Eagle House pub in Battersea from 27 April to 5 July the report concluded that the standard Brulines wheel type turbine device, manufactured by Titan Enterprises was not able to distinguish between different types of liquid, therefore leading to inaccuracy because of volumes associated with line cleaning. In fact the meter will register flow of gas/air if there is a significant velocity.

What may be the issue for more than 22,000 UK pubs which have the equipment installed, is the use of the data gathered following the implications of this report. It should be noted however that Brulines have successfully defended themselves in all cases that have been brought to court.

Laughs and Kangaroo Burgers are back on the Menu

The administrator of the troubled leisure group Regent Inns has secured a deal to keep all but nine of the sites in the group.

So thankfully the laughs are still to be heard in Jongleurs, although there may be many a worried Skippy as Kangaroo burgers are back on the menu at Walkabouts!

The management team formed a new company, Intertain in the rescue bid that safeguards more than 1800 jobs, with the vision of being the leading operator of entertainment focussed bars in the UK as well as operation a differentiated family orientated restaurant business.

The administrators are set to close three Walkabouts sites in Bradford, Lancaster and Shaftsbury Avenue as well as five Jongleurs clubs in Bow, Bristol, Nottingham, Oxford and Southampton, so smiles and laughs have been lost, but not as many as may have been feared.

Doctors call for complete ban on alcohol advertising

The British Medical Association (BMA) reported today on the sharp rise in alcohol related social and health issues calling for a complete ban on advertising.

How is this likely to affect drinking habits, and does advertising have such a great effect on consumption of alcohol, or just on choice of drink?

What looks likely to happen in the near future is the introduction of a minimum price, and abolishing cut-prices and multi-buy offers. Already Scotland is contemplating a minimum price of 40 pence per unit for alcohol sales.

This may well call time on Happy Hour in the near future, and further strengthens the need for licensed premises to move away from the traditional image of wet-led pubs to become food-led outlets.

SPK stocktakers offer advice to licensees in addition to accurate professional stock takes.

is Pear Cider the only fruit?

As another British summer passes into washed-out memory, the undoubted champion of any refreshment that was actually needed, has to be pear cider.

Of course at this point the united voices of the purists indignantly profess that the correct term is "perry" as only apple based beverages can use the term cider. Not so, never mind that pear cider is not made from the traditional Perry Pear from which the former takes its name, it is only thanks to the clarifying new term 'pear cider' that this drink has turned a market share of £3.5m to £46m in two years. A term coined around the non-commercially produced Brothers pear ciders made popular at Glastonbury from 1995, when in trying to describe the drink as "like cider but made with pears".

Once viewed as a drink just for Yokels, it quickly became popular with Bulmers Pear leading the way. Magners, well known for revitalising cider drinking in 2006 were late into the market for pear cider but eventually launched their own brand with a TV and other media advertising campaign. Its worth noting though that Magners and Bulmers are both owned by the C&C Group. Gaymers Pear was the first mainstream cider available on draft.

Brothers cider continued to be popular at music festivals with other fruit flavours being added, Pear with Lemon, with Strawberry and even Toffee Apple. Other brewers also started getting creative with flavours and St Helier added Bluberry Pear, Raspberry and Lime with Pear and most recently Peach with Pear. Also more recently another country where Pear cider has been popular for longer than it has been in the UK, that being Sweden, brought us Kopparberg Pear, and Rekorderlig Pear and Pear with Strawberry.

Is this booming market in danger of becoming confusing though, even though another wet summer may not have dampened sales, could lack of distinction bring disinterest?
One venue offering a range of 40 different cider drinks including Raspberry and Strawberry has other problems of its own. The Apple in Bristol faces a showdown with the City Council over its cold storage unit, without which it could not store or chill such an amazing range of locally produced wold-class ciders. If you feel strongly about this you can sign a petition in support, click here.

Whatever the future of Pear Cider one thing is sure, that for this particular washout of a summer, Pear cider has been the drink of choice for new and existing cider drinkers alike, demand for locally produced pears has been at record highs, and one particular secret corner of the orchard has proved to hold a recession proof winning taste.

Uncertain future for Premium Bars & Restaurants

Following the breakdown of the sale of the company to the Reuben Brothers the future of the AIM-listed company well known for brands like Living Room and Prohibition bar & grill is in doubt and it being placed into administration looks likely.

The group has seen a sharp decline in trading performance of its 47 outlets leading to its share price slumping and being suspended, valuing the business at only £700,000. This despite its reputation for attracting Premier League footballers regularly to its Manchester and Birmingham Living Room outlets. This part of the business is the most attractive to potential buyers which may include Ladhar Leisure and the current management.

As an appointed stocktaker to the group SPK Stocktakers are hoping, along with the many staff employed in the group, that a buyer may still be found.