Monday, February 22, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
CAMRA National Pub of the Year
CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has today crowned the Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, as its National Pub of the Year for 2009.
Last year, the Kelham Island Tavern picked up the same award, making it the first pub in CAMRA's history to win its most coveted accolade in consecutive years. Only two other pubs have ever won the award twice- the Fat Cat, Norwich (1998, 2004), and the Swan, Little Totham, Essex (2002, 2005).
CAMRA's National Pub of the Year competition analyses all the criteria that make a good pub including the quality of the beer, atmosphere, décor, customer service, and all-round value of the pub visit. The competition is overseen by CAMRA's 110,000-strong membership.
Last year, the Kelham Island Tavern picked up the same award, making it the first pub in CAMRA's history to win its most coveted accolade in consecutive years. Only two other pubs have ever won the award twice- the Fat Cat, Norwich (1998, 2004), and the Swan, Little Totham, Essex (2002, 2005).
CAMRA's National Pub of the Year competition analyses all the criteria that make a good pub including the quality of the beer, atmosphere, décor, customer service, and all-round value of the pub visit. The competition is overseen by CAMRA's 110,000-strong membership.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Greene King Boosted By Increased Food Sale
Greene King, which operates 2,472 pubs and restaurants across England, Wales and Scotland, said in a Q1 pre-AGM statement today that LFL trading in it's 888 retail premises, which trade under the Hungry Horse, Old English Inns, Loch Fyne Restaurants and Eating Inn brands, was up after 18 weeks trading by 4.4% overall on last year.
Food sales are the driver for this increase, being up 8.6%, and margins have slightly improved as well, but it is a different story in the 1,584 are tenanted or leased pubs, where EBITDA is up just 0.7%, which is a creditable performance in a UK beer market which has dropped 8% in the last quarter. Volumes through it's breweries have suffered, down 4.6%, though Belhaven in Scotland bucks the trend with volume up 3%.
GK says the pubs acquired over the last year are trading very well, but the outlook is uncertain with a number of significant headwinds, including public sector cuts, benefits reform and the impending VAT rise, are likely to affect future household spending.
Greene King shares closed last night at 428.8p valuing the company at £927 million.
Food sales are the driver for this increase, being up 8.6%, and margins have slightly improved as well, but it is a different story in the 1,584 are tenanted or leased pubs, where EBITDA is up just 0.7%, which is a creditable performance in a UK beer market which has dropped 8% in the last quarter. Volumes through it's breweries have suffered, down 4.6%, though Belhaven in Scotland bucks the trend with volume up 3%.
GK says the pubs acquired over the last year are trading very well, but the outlook is uncertain with a number of significant headwinds, including public sector cuts, benefits reform and the impending VAT rise, are likely to affect future household spending.
Greene King shares closed last night at 428.8p valuing the company at £927 million.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Uk Pub Closure: Co-Ops Can Save Local Pubs
A year ago one Cumbrian pub was on the verge of closure, but following a TV intervention and a prestigious award, the local community is gearing up to buy it.
The Greyhound at Grizebeck was taken over by locals in January 2009, when it starred in UKTV Blighty show Save Our Boozer. Now locals are setting up a co-operative in order to buy the freehold, and have begun negotiations with the owners.
One year ago, a film company arranged a community meeting, to which 60 out of the 200 villagers turned up, and the end result was that the community agreed to run the pub on a leasehold basis.Initially staffed by volunteers, the business now employs two chefs, a manager and five bar staff.
Vic Dunkley, a former licensee and now member of the steering committee, said the pub was taking just £300 a week when they took it over, but weekly turnover has now increased to £2,300. It peaked at £6,000 per week at the height of summer.To top off its success, the pub has just been awarded Britain’s Best Traditional Business by the Countryside Alliance, in a nationwide competition judged by an expert panel including celebrity chef Clarissa Dickson Wright.
The Greyhound at Grizebeck was taken over by locals in January 2009, when it starred in UKTV Blighty show Save Our Boozer. Now locals are setting up a co-operative in order to buy the freehold, and have begun negotiations with the owners.
One year ago, a film company arranged a community meeting, to which 60 out of the 200 villagers turned up, and the end result was that the community agreed to run the pub on a leasehold basis.Initially staffed by volunteers, the business now employs two chefs, a manager and five bar staff.
Vic Dunkley, a former licensee and now member of the steering committee, said the pub was taking just £300 a week when they took it over, but weekly turnover has now increased to £2,300. It peaked at £6,000 per week at the height of summer.To top off its success, the pub has just been awarded Britain’s Best Traditional Business by the Countryside Alliance, in a nationwide competition judged by an expert panel including celebrity chef Clarissa Dickson Wright.
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