SKY’S THE LIMIT
Readers will be aware that Molson Coors operate a scheme whereby publicans can get a reduction of 30% on the cost of having the Sky Sports television channel if each week they can sell six kegs of any of Carling, Coors Light or Doom Bar. Diageo (Guinness) have now joined the scheme, adding Guinness, Hop House 13, Open Gate Pilsner and Open Gate Citra IPA to the range. Publicans can now increase their discount on Sky to 50% if they sell ten kegs per week from the extended offering. Of these beers, only Doom Bar is a cask ale and if publicans concentrate on selling these beers, will there be any room for other cask beers? By the way, the Premier League season starts on 9 August.
FULLER’S PUB CO NEWS
The latest pub to reopen after refurbishment is the Old Bank in Northcote Road SW11. It has a new ‘botanical’ theme and an eclectic menu, with choices available for vegan and vegetarian diners.
Happily, beer still seems to be important to Fuller’s and they are still running their Master Cellarman of the Year competition. The winners for 2019 are Angus McKean and Claire Morgan from the Red Lion in Barnes. The judging is based on inspection visits throughout the year during which pubs must achieve an average score of 96% to be entered into the finals of the competition.
Similarly, the Russell Page Award, which recognises pubs, both managed and tenanted, which maintain an outstanding level of quality of beer, exemplary customer service and comprehensive knowledge of the brands, went to the Jugged Hare in Vauxhall Bridge Road, Pimlico.
During July and August, Fuller’s are running – for the eighth year – their Shakespeare in the Garden project. This year it features Romeo & Juliet and the Merry Wives of Windsor, presented by theatre company Open Bar. For details, see fullers.co.uk/pubs/shakespeare-in-the-garden.
NEW PUB COMPANY
I have mentioned the property investment company Aprirose several times recently. They have now set up a pub company, Blackrose, which will manage 44 of the sites that they own. Their chief operating officer, Gary Jones, told the Morning Advertiser, “It demonstrates our long-term commitment to the sector and will allow us to recruit industry-leading talent and drive value for our clients. We are actively looking for the right assets in the right locations to grow the portfolio further.” There will be some investment in the pubs.
YOUNG’S RESULTS
At their recent AGM, Young’s announced some very encouraging results for the year ended 1 April, partly attributed to the football World Cup and warm weather. Despite what chief executive Patrick Dardis described as a ‘tough start to the year’, like-for-like sales in the managed house division increased by 5.1%, with profit before tax increasing by 5.1% to £39.5 million. The Ram Pub Company the tenanted pub section, also saw like-for-like sales increase, up by 5%. Income from hotels is now significant, with an increase in total revenue of 19.6%.
WETHERSPOON’S NEWS
In the ten weeks to 7 July, JDW’s sales rose by 6.9% and they expect to meet their financial forecast, although they will need to account for a loss in the region of £3 million brought about by selling some pubs at less than their valuation on the company’s balance sheet. In the financial year to date, JDW opened five pubs but disposed of nine. They have also bought back £5.4 million worth of shares.
MARSTON’S NEWS
Following a review of sales volumes, Marston’s are removing cask beer from 21 of their 22 managed pubs in Scotland. The company says that sales were not sufficient to maintain quality. Customers will get keg versions of Pedigree and Hobgoblin IPA instead. It will however continue to supply cask beer to free houses. In an open letter to Marston’s, Sarah Crawford, CAMRA’s director for Scotland, said, “In Scotland, there are over 5,000 CAMRA members with a strong record of campaigning for quality real ale, community pubs and the rights of pubgoers and real ale drinkers. Our members have been extremely concerned at reports that cask ale will no longer be available in any of Marston’s 22 pubs in Scotland as of this month.”
According to a report in the Times, Marston’s have announced that they are disposing of the Pitcher & Piano chain as part of their debt reduction strategy. They acquired the chain from its founders in 1996 for £20 million and are now looking to sell the 20 outlets for around £40 million.
DOG’S NEW TRICK
BrewDog have rebadged the former Draft House, Grand Union in Paddington as a BrewDog outlet, the first to feature their new concept, ‘Desk Dog’ which has working spaces available, equipped with power, a printer and stationery. These spaces can be reserved. The usual range of BrewDog beers is available.
WELL’S CHANGE NAME
Bedford pub company Charles Wells, still family owned, are to change their name to Wells & Co when their new brewery and visitor centre opens next year. Chief executive Justin Phillimore told the Morning Advertiser that, at the new site, the company will be brewing ‘a range of beer styles that we would not have dreamed of 10 years ago.’ Business has been good since the sale of their brewing business in 2017. For the financial year to September 2018, their operating profit increased by 29% to £5 million. The company now operate 23 pubs (including some in France) and are looking to expand.
NO PROSPECTS
The founders of Redcomb Pubs (sold to Young’s for £34 million in January) have launched a new company called Prospect Pubs & Bars. They will not however be coming to London. One of them, Dan Shotton told the Morning Advertiser, “At the moment, property values in London are right at the top of the curve. Not just freeholds but free-of-tie leases and tied leases are really expensive at the moment and we don’t see getting good value out of those. Currently there is better value to be had outside the M25.”
FAREWELL TO BUFFY’S
Buffy’s Brewery, which has been brewing in Tivetshall St Mary in Norfolk for 25 years, has closed. Roger Abrahams, who founded the brewery with Julie Savory, told the Eastern Daily Press that there were now more than 40 breweries in Norfolk which made it difficult to remain competitive. He added, “The microbrewing sector everywhere has exploded but it is close to saturation point. The strongest will survive but it has got very aggressive between the brewers. Also the pubs that are left tend to want something different every time, and the big chains have everything else tied up.” This is a complaint regularly heard from regional and family brewers but this is the first time it has come from a brewery the size of Buffy’s.
SAD ENDING
Brain’s, Cardiff brewers since 1882, had an unfortunate experience with one of the last batches of Bitter brewed at its Cardiff city centre brewery. It wouldn’t settle properly and had a ‘tangy’ flavour so it had to be recalled and disposed of, all 36,000 pints of it. It was replaced with beer brewed at Brain’s new Dragon Brewery in Tremorfa which opened in March and, once fully operational, will be capable of turning out 20 million pints per annum.
HOWZAT?
For those of you who understand the politics (small p) of cricket, you will not be surprised to learn that, despite the competition being held in a country with around 1,750 breweries, the official beer of the recent cricket world cup, Bira 91, hailed from India. I saw one report that said that pints of the 3.3% ABV golden beer were being sold at £5.40.
Compiled by Tony Hedger