Humble Grape to debut first technology-driven and ‘curated’ wine bar site this week: Humble Grape, the wine and events company founded in 2009 by James Dawson, is to open its first curated and technology driven wine bar and shop this Thursday, in Battersea Rose. Humble Grape beat its target of £250,500 in its Seedrs equity crowdfunding campaign last July – it raised a total of £356,670 in return for circa 20% of its equity. A spokesman said: “Our aim is to democratise and demystify wine for all, through the development of a high-street brand. We’ve spent years discovering what we believe to be some of the most exceptional handcrafted wines from small, and relatively unknown vineyards around the world. Our wines and their makers each have their own unique and intriguing stories, which we have been telling through our website and wine tasting events. But we’ve always wanted to be able to talk to you about our wines on a one-to-one basis and give you an opportunity to explore the wines that we are so passionate about. That’s why we are opening a wine bar and shop at 2 Battersea Rise, just on the corner of Clapham Common in London. Here you will be able to buy our wines to take home or drink in by the glass or bottle. After the pilot site we plan to have four sites within five years. Because Humble Grape wines are purchased directly, the margins remain very profitable while at the same time retaining attractive prices for customers. Humble Grape has more than 6,000 people on mailing lists who have bought wine or tickets to events and have actively subscribed. Easy to use mobile apps will enhance the client interaction with the brand and capitalise on the shift to mobile consumer spending. The experience delivered by the application will be highly curated and relevant to each individual and thus trusted more. The client experience will be continuous. From the retail premises to their living rooms, clients will be able to stay connected to Humble Grape using innovative apps. Functionality will also allow a seamless purchase and storage of wines in virtual cellars for those with little or less than ideal storage conditions.”

Propel hosts Professor Chris Muller for Multi-site Management Masterclass: Propel Info is hosting the US’ leading thinker, teacher and author on multi-site foodservice management, Professor Chris Muller, at its next Multi-site Management Masterclass on Friday 2 October. Leading UK businesses such as Mitchells & Butlers and TGI Friday’s have sent staff to be taught by Professor Muller at Boston University’s School of Hospitality – now Professor Muller is returning to the UK to lead this bespoke day. His interactive seminar will include contributions from Welcome Break chief executive Rod McKie and Sticks ‘n’ Sushi UK managing director Andreas Karlsson. The event will provide valuable insights for founders and area managers of small and medium-sized multi-site companies and area managers of large companies. Tickets are £345 plus VAT and £295 plus VAT for ALMR members. To download or view the leaflet as a PDF file please CLICK HERE. To book tickets please contact: adam.dickinson@propelinfo.com. Tony Hughes, non-executive director at The Restaurant Group, said: “Chris is THE world authority on the restaurant industry, the go-to man if you want expertise and knowledge and this is a rare opportunity to see a true master giving a Masterclass presentation.”

Technomic – healthier options would boost UK pizza sales: Research by insights firm Technomic has found that nearly half of surveyed consumers (46%) would like more restaurants to offer healthier pizza ingredients. The Technomic “Status & Outlook of the UK Pizza Category” report found areas of growth potential, including: Younger consumers drive away-from-home pizza purchases: 65% of consumers aged 18-34 order pizza at restaurants when eating in at least once per month; pizza’s appeal extends to non-pizza restaurants: 33% of consumers order pizza at independent limited-service operations at least once per month, and 24% do so at full-service restaurants that do not specialise in pizza or Italian cuisine.

Pieology is the fastest growing US chain: Fast-casual pizza brand Pieology is the fastest-growing chain in America, according to data compiled by Technomic. Pieology has 60 units in 11 states. The company expects to nearly double that number by the end of the year. 24 new locations are anticipated to open by the end of the summer. Pieology’s founder Carl Chang said: “Pizza for us was somewhat broken. Pizza used to be a celebration when you were with family and friends. Now it somewhat has become a bit more [of a] convenience food or a coupon food if you will.” Pieology allows customers to customise their pizzas – from wheat crust to gluten-free crust to vegetarian pizzas to dairy-free cheese. There are 40 toppings, and a custom pizza is $8 or less.

TGI Friday’s reports success of Fast Track site in Manchester Piccadilly: TGI Friday’s has reported that its new-format Fast Track site at Manchester Piccadilly, opened a year ago, has been a success – and it is now looking for new sites. Chief executive Karen Forrester told Propel: “Our Manchester Piccadilly Fast Track restaurant was opened as an exciting pilot for Friday’s in UK transport hubs, and we’re continuing to look for opportunities in other sites like it. Fast Track has clearly shown that there is the opportunity and appetite for a new format and occasion at our restaurants, which still have the fun, Friday’s experience at heart. For instance, demonstrated by the popularity of our Jack Daniel’s American Breakfast – only available at Manchester’s Fast Track Friday’s – which is one of the top three items ordered by our guests.”

Hathor Inns submits plans for fourth Filthy McNasty’s: Hathor Inns has submitted a £750,000 plan to convert an empty Bigg Market nightclub into its fourth Filthy McNasty’s. The site is the former Blu Bambu nightclub that closed in 2013 when the company went into administration. Hathor Inns operates the Filthy McNasty’s bar and club brand in London, Belfast and Nottingham. A premises licence application was handed to Newcastle City Council this month and consultations are now underway for a venue which would spill out onto the pedestrianised square. In the form, the County Tyrone company states that “bars will operate over basement, ground and first floor level, with a pavement cafe area to the front”. Entertainment will include films, dance performances, and live and recorded music, while “hot food and beverages may be offered from time to time”. Alcohol sales will be between 10am and 3am seven days each week, but doors would likely not close until 4am. A Hathor Inns spokesman said: “Our site The Filthy Quarter, Belfast, has grown from strength to strength. Initially employing only six staff the growth of The Filthy Quarter now means we are proud to employ a dynamic staff of 70.”

Cabana secures its eighth site, set to open in September: Cabana, the Brazilian barbecue group led by Jamie Barber and David Ponte, has signed its eight site in Ferndale Road, Brixton. The 4,000 sq ft venue is set to open in September and will be the seventh in the capital. The group has strengthened its infrastructure with the appointment of Francisco Dias as training and development manager, after a decade with Nando’s. Barber said: “I’m delighted that Francisco has joined us. Following on from the appointment of Phil Blackband earlier this year as operations director, we are making this further commitment to our team and investing heavily in learning and development.”

Former Whitbread and M&B staffers form new pub company with double acquisition: Two former colleagues who worked together at Mitchells & Butlers and Whitbread have joined forces to start a new pub company. Innovation Pubs, run by Anthony Mitchell and Edward Willson, has purchased its first two pubs and is looking at further sites with the aim of operating up to eight pubs by the end of 2016. Their first two pubs have been purchased from the Oxford office of agent Davey Co. They are The Bootlegger and The Sausage Tree, both in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Both are Enterprise Inns leases and sold off asking terms totalling £220,000 as a dual purchase. The Bootlegger has an excellent reputation for its range of 20 international craft and ten local cask ales, as well as its choice of 300 bottled beers and whiskies from around the world. The Sausage Tree is a food-led pub specialising in a selection of sausages and exotic meats, including zebra, buffalo and alpaca. Mitchell said: “Edward and I are delighted to have purchased our first two sites together. We are looking to open more sites and believe that Innovation Pubs has an exciting future ahead.”

Square Pie opens its sixth and biggest site so far, located at The O2 Arena: Square Pie, the restaurant group with grocery and hospitality operations, has opened its biggest restaurant to date at The O2 Arena, Greenwich. Having been present at every Glastonbury since 2002, Square Pie is continuing to embrace its musical heritage by expanding to the O2 location. The restaurant is the first British specific food offer at the O2 and boasts over 100 covers, making it the company’s largest site to date. This development, which has created 20 jobs, on the back of a successful recent fundraising paves the way forward for further expansion plans due to take place this year, with a site in Birmingham confirmed for September. The brand also aims to open an additional five restaurants in 2016. Founder Martin Dewey, who used to manage bands before starting Square Pie, said: “Our big plans for 2015 have only just begun. We’re really excited with the O2 restaurant opening – I think it will become our busiest restaurant, with the exception of our five days at Glastonbury every year! Over the next few years we are looking to significantly grow the business both by opening more of our great restaurants and building on the successful launch of our pies and mini pie canapés into supermarkets and foodservice.”

K10 to open third and largest site next month: Sushi brand K10, led by Maurice Abbousi, is open its third London site at Minster Court on 5 July. The newest arrival to the K10 group is situated within the Minster Court office development near Fenchurch Street station, in the former Poon’s and China Delight site. With 90 covers, as well as an outdoor seating area that can accommodate 40 this is the biggest K10 yet and boasts the longest restaurant conveyor belt in the country. At over 50 metres long the kaiten belt will carry over 300 plates around the conveyor in seven minutes. Minster Court is also the first K10 to feature a dedicated bar area being one of only a handful of bars in the country serving Asahi Super Dry Super Cold draft beer as well as a large selection of Japanese craft beers, an extended wine and sake list and a specially selected range of premium Japanese whiskies. The bar will have its own menu serving up some of K10’s most popular dishes – the bar will extend outdoors with the highlight being the UK’s first Asahi Super Cold mobile bar.

Burger King looks at introducing more vegetarian options in UK after India success: Burger King is looking at introducing the especially formulated vegetarian options it introduced to suit the Indian palate in other vegetarian-friendly markets like the UK. Burger King India introduced six vegetarian snacks, sandwiches and entry-level burgers in the menu when it started in November, 2014. “Looking at the response here, the global management is evaluating introducing some of these options going forward to other vegetarian-friendly markets like the UK, Raj Varman, chief executive of Burger King India said. Private equity firm Everstone Capital, which is the master franchisee for Burger King here, has been given full control over the menu, and built a product line to suit the Indian market that was different from the standard menu,” Varman said. “In India, we locally developed vegetarian offerings to suit the market,” he added.

Real Junk Food Project secures future: The Real Junk Food Project has acquired its first commercial premises in Armley, Leeds. The move guarantees the future of what was the first “junk food cafe” in the UK to open its doors to the public. The Real Junk Food Project was created by chef Adam Smith, who, while living in Australia in 2013, saw first-hand the amounts of fresh produce being fed as waste to farm animals. To tackle the issue, Smith established the first real junk food cafe in Chapel Lane, Armley, in 2013. Similar cafes in Yorkshire have now been set up in Leeds, Saltaire, York, Doncaster and Sheffield. The idea behind the project is to take food that would otherwise be regarded as being “waste” and that would have gone to landfill and make it available to consumers at cafes on a “pay as you feel” basis. Smith said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved so far. Being able to secure this property in which a community has developed over the past 18 months is a real achievement. It remains a scandal that about one third of all food grown goes to waste and that collectively we have been doing little about it until now.”

Middletons Steakhouse & Grill eyes fifth site in Leicester: Middletons Steakhouse & Grill is looking to open its fifth venue in Leicester city centre. The company has lodged plans to turn the former NatWest bank, which is currently empty, in St Martin’s into a restaurant. The application, recommended for approval by Leicester City Council, states the exterior of the grade-II listed building would not be altered with changes only being made to the inside. Middletons first opened in 2010 just outside King’s Lynn, in Norfolk, and also has restaurants in Norwich, Colchester, and Milton Keynes.

Five Guys submits plans for fifth Scottish restaurant in Dundee: Five Guys has submitted plans to open its fifth venue in Scotland, this time in Dundee. The gourmet burger company, which opened its first restaurant in the UK in London in 2013, has applied to move into the Overgate Centre. If Dundee City Council approves the proposal, the restaurant would be located next to Virgin Media and the old WH Smith unit — and would extend outside the centre with plans for outdoor seating. Overgate owners CBRE said in the application that allowing Five Guys to open would help to attract more people to the city centre. The company, which allows customers to pre-order online and eat in-store, has four restaurants in Scotland – three in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh.

Newport nightclub owner receives suspended prison sentence and £20,000 fine for illegally playing music: The owner of The Birdcage, a popular bar in Newport, south Wales, has been ordered by the High Court to pay music licensing company PPL £20,000 (£6,000 in damages and £14,000 in court costs), and faces a prison sentence of 28 days if the venue continues to play recorded music without a PPL licence. Mr Justice Arnold imposed the order and suspended prison sentence after hearing that the defendant, John Fletcher, owner of the south Wales nightspot, persistently failed to comply with the legal requirement for a PPL music licence after being repeatedly contacted and given ample opportunity to rectify the situation. The order and warning from Mr Justice Arnold follows Fletcher’s breach of an earlier injunction granted to PPL in late 2013. That original injunction was granted when it became clear that The Birdcage nightclub was using recorded music as one of the main attractions for its clientele without a PPL licence.

Sienna restaurant set to re-open this week: Sienna restaurant in Dorchester is set to open under new management. Russell and Eléna Brown sold the restaurant to Marcus Wilcox at the beginning of May. The pair had previously owned Dorset’s only Michelin-starred restaurant for 12 years. Wilcox is a former Masterchef semi-finalist and the previous head chef at the Rose and Crown in Trent near Sherborne. The 27-year-old, who studied at Bournemouth and Poole College, said that he is preparing the finishing touches before the opening tomorrow (Wednesday, 1 July).

Everards unveils warehouse and distribution plan: Brewer and retailer Everards wants to open a new 30,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution yard in Glenfield, as part of long-term relocation plans. The company hopes to spend £3.5m on a 2.4-acres site at the new Optimus Point industrial park. The brewer said the unit would support a planned new head office it wants to build – including a cask ale brewery and shop – at Everards Meadows, next to the county police headquarters, in Enderby. Everards Meadows would also be the base for Everards’ pub estate and sponsorship team, and would have a tasting room, training centre, a cafe bar and even a cycling centre. Everards already has planning permission for 130,000 sq ft of premises at Enderby, which could eventually see a wider development of the meadows creating about 300 jobs – including a food and drink business park. Stephen Gould, managing director of Everards Brewery, said before any relocation can go ahead it needs to secure permission to redevelop the existing brewery site next to Fosse Park. The company has teamed up with clothes chain Next to seek planning application for a £150m shopping centre, and hopes Fosse Park’s owners will buy the land. Gould said: “It is vital that our planning application for the Castle Acres Shopping Park is successful, as the sale of our current site will provide the capital to fund our relocation. Nevertheless we have to plan ahead assuming a positive outcome to ensure our detailed application for Everards Meadows is determined in good time. Optimus Point is an ideal location for Everards’ new warehouse and distribution solution being so well located at the M1 and A46 intersection. We are delighted to have agreed terms with Wilson Bowden Developments to purchase a brand new 30,000 sq ft unit within ten minutes drive of our new Everards Meadows Brewery site. It will provide a great working environment for our staff and an efficient new logistics facility.”

Britvic signs five-year Wimbledon deal: Britvic has signed a deal to extend Robinsons Squash’s sponsorship of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships for another five years. The company first teamed up with the tennis championship in 1935 when Robinsons Lemon Barley Water was created in the changing rooms. It claims the tie-up is now the second-longest sports partnership in history after Wimbledon’s 103-year link with Slazenger tennis balls.

Admiral Taverns launches new ‘starter’ agreement with open-book accounting: Admiral Taverns is launching a new agreement that is designed specifically to deliver extra support and help for new pub market entrants or those taking their first Admiral pub. The specially created Business Support Agreement (BSA), which will run for a set period of six months, provides licensees with bespoke training programmes, access to business insights from a range of industry experts, and an unrivalled portfolio of products and equipment. It will also see licensees signing up to open-book accounting and stocktaking services, giving Admiral an opportunity to work more closely with them on the financial management and planning elements of their businesses. The BSA is designed to be a gateway agreement – a stepping stone to a longer-term substantive tenancy, typically lasting between three and five years. Suzanne Smith, head of recruitment and people development, said: “How we work with new licensees as they enter a pub and run it for those initial months has been a huge area of focus for us. Experience tells us it’s a critical time – for the pub and for the development of the licensee – and can define whether he or she makes a success of the pub and of course themselves. This new agreement includes a package built specifically for this time, designed to help licensees navigate what is, by nature, a challenging and demanding period, with extra support in crucial areas as well as a very targeted training and development programme. It represents an extra up-front investment for us, which is hopefully a good message for incoming licensees as it demonstrates our support for, and belief in, them and what they are trying to achieve.”

Enterprise Inns pub in Bristol wins top food accolade a year after conversion from wet-led: Enterprise Inns’ Gloucester Old Spot has been voted Best Food Pub at this year’s Bristol Food Awards – less than a year after being converted from a wet-led local. In just ten months, publican Amy Devenish has turned the Kellaway Avenue pub into an award winner, serving “delicious locally-sourced food and a wide selection of drinks from morning until night, every day”. Devenish reopened the pub last September, following a £150,000 refurbishment by Enterprise. Voted for by locals, the Bristol Food Awards are now in their fourth year, and 2015 saw a record 12,000-plus nominations across more than 40 categories, including Best Restaurant, Best Chef and Best Supporter of Local Produce. Formerly known as The Kellaway, The Gloucester Old Spot was shortlisted alongside four others in the Best Pub Food category, and was judged on criteria including style and variety of menu, family friendliness, quality of food, innovation/imagination, seasonality/use of local produce, and value for money. Food on the Old Spot menu includes artisan breads, burgers, sandwiches, salads, sharing dishes, fish and chips, and Gloucester Old Spot sausages.

Buckinghamshire freehold comes to market for first time in 90 years: The freehold of The Gate Inn, situated in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, is on the market for the first time in 90 years through agent Christie + Co. Situated in ten acres of grounds, the pub is an established and traditional 19th century character inn, attracting a good mix of locals and passing trade from High Wycombe, Maidenhead and Aylesbury. The property’s public areas comprise three main trading areas, a self contained function room, a garden with a children’s play area as well as a 120 square metre outbuilding that was formerly used as a gym but can be converted for alternative use. Tim Widdows, of Christie + Co, said: “Freehold assets of this quality and scale are rarely on the market so we anticipate very strong interest from experienced operators and lifestyle buyers.”

Country house hotel in Bath sold for more than £4.5m: A Georgian country house hotel in Bath has been sold for more than its £4.5m guide price. Hotel Collection Hotel No 20, represented by Savills, sold the property called Combe Grove Manor Hotel to Rebecca Whittington and Simon Baldwin who have previously worked together on the award-winning Scarlet Hotel and Spa in Cornwall. The new venture is being backed by a group of local high net worth investors. The 42-bedroom hotel is set within 63 acres of gardens and woodland and also provides tennis courts, a 21-bay golf driving range and outdoor pool. Martin Rogers, hotels director at Savills, said: “We are pleased to have secured the successful disposal of this historic hotel on behalf of our client. It is an established business which also offers its new owners the potential to further develop both the hotel and leisure elements.” Whittington added: “Combe Grove is a unique and magical place which we hope with care, creativity and investment will become a venue that both locals and visitors will enjoy. We have exciting plans for the whole site and are very much looking forward to the challenge.” In October 2014 The Hotel Collection was restructured through a £256m pre-pack administration.

Care home and hotel/bar operator hits £20m turnover: A north east operator that runs care homes alongside a well-known four-star 1930s-style hotel in Newcastle city centre, a children’s nursery, and a cocktail bar has moved through the £20m turnover barrier and posted a near 50% rise in pre-tax profits. Gainford Care Homes, which bought Newcastle’s Vermont Hotel and the adjoining Martha’s Bar & Courtyard three years ago, enjoyed a 9% rise in turnover to £20.6m in the year to 31 December 2014. The business was formed in 1995 and operates 13 care homes across County Durham and Northumberland. In addition to owning the Vermont Hotel, it also owns the historic three-star Great Victoria in Bradford.

Pret A Manger owner set to acquire discount diners’ club business: Discount diners’ club Tastecard, operated by Taste Marketing, is set to be acquired by Pret A Manger Bridgepoint Development Capital. The investment firm has entered exclusive talks with the company’s owner, Dutch promotions firm Didix. Didix’s private equity owner, the Dutch buyout firm Waterland, hired Grant Thornton to sell the company earlier this year, despite buying it only last September. Taste made a post-tax profit of £1.9m last year, according to accounts filed at Companies House. Tastecard offers discounts at some of Britain’s most popular restaurant chains, including Prezzo, Marco Pierre White and PizzaExpress. It started with 150 customers and now offers deals at 7,000 restaurants. The company said its customers spend more than £600m a year in restaurants.

Colliers markets Bath site for £1.6m: Colliers International is marketing the landmark 12-bedroom Aquae Sulis with an asking price of £1.6m for the freehold. Simon Wells, of Colliers, said: “Aquae Sulis is furbished in the classical English style, which tourists love, and has plenty of space for guests to relax. There is a garden flat within the B&B for the owner-operators’ use, though the property is currently run by staff. It is a profitable asset so mortgage lending for this acquisition should be straightforward.”

KFC shuts Welsh restaurant after receiving zero food hygiene rating: KFC closed one of its restaurants in Torfaen, Wales, for a deep clean after receiving a zero food hygiene rating from an environmental health officer. The venue off the A4042 in Pontymoile was given the rating following the inspection last month where the official deemed major improvement was necessary in the “cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building to enable good food hygiene”, reports the South Wales Argus. KFC said in a statement it “agreed with the inspection findings” but has since carried improvements including the restaurant being thoroughly cleaned, procedures put in place to ensure cleanliness is maintained, appointing a new manager and re-training staff. The restaurant, which has since re-opened, has been placed under the review of KFC’s specialist senior operations team, which reports directly to the managing director of KFC UK. A formal re-rating request has been made by KFC to the environmental health officer and the restaurant is awaiting another inspection. The food hygiene rating system, carried out by local authorities in partnership with the Food Standards Agency, sees businesses rated from 0 to 5 – with 5 being top.

Rank to shut Southsea casino: Rank Group has decided to close its Grosvenor Casino at Southsea in Hampshire on 9 August with the loss of 50 jobs. The company has encouraged affected employees at the Osborne Road venue to apply at other casinos it owns, including in nearby Gunwharf Quays. A spokesman said: “We never take the decision to close a club lightly, but after careful consideration we have taken the decision to close our Osborne Road casino with effect from 9 August. We will be making every effort to find alternative employment for our employees at our other casinos in the area and very much hope that customers will continue to enjoy their gaming with us at our Gunwharf casino.” The company also began a consultation this month on the closure of its Grosvenor G Casino in New Brighton on the Wirral.

Vianet reports trading in line: Vianet has told its AGM that trading has go off to a good start at the beginning of its financial year. Chairman James Dickson told the meeting: “Trading in the first two months of the current year is broadly in line with expectations and noticeably ahead of the comparable period last year with all the Group’s business areas progressing well. Vending Solutions, in particular with its coffee vending telemetry systems, has continued to make good progress. The board is confident of the medium and long-term prospects of the Group and this is reflected in its decision to recommend maintaining the final dividend at 4p per share. The Group’s progress provides an encouraging outlook for 2016 and the board remains committed to delivering shareholder value.”

Costa Coffee and Bella Italia sign up to St Helens development: Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee and Casual Dining Group brand Bella Italia have signed up to the West Point development scheme in St Helens in Merseyside. The two companies have confirmed they will be moving into premises at the new 5.3-acre town centre site, joining supermarket Aldi that opened its doors in May. St Helens Council leader Barrie Grunewald told the St Helens Star: “This site was derelict for a long time but now we can all see how it is being brought back to life with an exciting retail and leisure offer that further strengthens the town centre. The imminent arrival of Costa Coffee and Bella Italia complements the wider leisure offer in that part of town, particularly the nearby Cineworld cinema.” The site is being developed by Orbit Developments in partnership with the council.

Molson Coors launches £500,000 campaign for Carling Zest: Molson Coors is launching a £500,000 media campaign for Carling Zest. The above the line activity, which includes out of home, point-of-sale and in-store digital advertising, aims to drive brand penetration and increased rate of sale by developing a clear brand-occasionality link with the Great British Summer. The campaign follows a full brand redesign of the Carling Zest range in May, which accentuated the product’s flavour profile to improve pack standout on shelf and make the aisle easier for shoppers to navigate.

Former Whitbread employee launches in-house pub training and healthcheck business in Blackpool: A former Whitbread training manager has launched a new business that provides pub companies with in-house training and a business healthcheck. Blackpool man Rob McLintock, who left the company when he was diagnosed with cancer two years ago but has now been given the all clear, has formed Best Cellar. The business provides in-house training that includes a cask ale masterclass, cellarmanship and customer service courses. It also offers a pub health check ensuring compliance on issues such as cellar gas safety and cleanliness of ice machines and undertakes cleaning and maintenance and repairs. McLintock told the Blackpool Gazette: “I left the front line of the industry after recovering from illness and spent several months examining the issues faced by operators and their teams of managed, tenanted and free trade pubs and realised I could help them. I have been a trainer for one of Britain’s biggest companies as well as a proprietor of a country inn, general manager and an area manager so can empathises with all those involved in hospitality. When I was a pub operator I could not find people to do these jobs for me. There is nobody doing this. I will be providing a service to their tenanted estate that includes a business health check and supporting those new to the industry.” McLintock has already enlisted brewery Robinson’s as a client and said a number of companies have shown an interest in using his services.