Trade bodies join forces to make final pre-Christmas plea for urgent comprehensive pub support package: Sector trade bodies have joined forces to make a final pre-Christmas plea to the government for an urgent comprehensive pub support package in light of the escalating crisis. The British Beer & Pub Association and the British Institute of Innkeeping along with the Campaign for Real Ale, the Independent Family Brewers of Britain, UKHospitality and Pub is The Hub have urged Downing Street to ensure Britain’s pubs “can make it through the most challenging of winters”. The trade associations have written to chancellor Rishi Sunak setting out the package of financial measures needed now – namely significantly enhanced grants of at least £3,000, £6,000, £9,000 and £12,000 per month (depending on rateable value) for a minimum three-month period commencing from Friday, 1 January. This would be more akin to the level of support seen in the first lockdown, they said. The trade associations said the average pub would expect to take £47,000 in December. Much of this would see them through January and February when trade is typically quieter. With 85% closed or unviable now, and the likelihood of an extended period of full closure and tighter restrictive measures, the certainty provided by a proper financial support and economic bridge to the spring was critical for the survival of thousands of pubs, they said. Even factoring in existing levels of support, the average community pub in England is still haemorrhaging £5,000 per month in ongoing costs with a further £4,000 cost every time they shut down and reopen, the trade bodies said. They added the existing grants to English pubs are not anywhere near enough to cover these and many pubs have yet to receive these grants, “creating unsustainable pressure on cash-flow and risking further job losses”. They said many pubs in tier three are in parts of the country that have been shut for several months and have already built-up tens of thousands of pounds in additional debt and are at breaking point. They added the Welsh and Scottish governments have shown leadership in announcing significantly enhanced packages to support their pubs and “it was now urgent Westminster acts”.

Spain moves to slash rents by up to half for struggling bars and restaurants: Spain has passed a decree forcing landlords to slash rents for coronavirus-hit bars and restaurants by up to half and has announced plans to distribute EU covid-19 recovery funds via public-private partnerships. Landlords with more than ten properties in urban centres who have not agreed on a temporary discount with tenants in the hospitality sector must cut rates by 50% until a national state of emergency is lifted, government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero said. Firms in the hospitality sector will receive tax credits against rent and will be able to defer other contributions, while property owners will receive tax incentives to lower rents. “The aim is to provide aid and resources to significantly relieve the burden on businesses and facilitate liquidity,” Montero said after the weekly cabinet meeting, adding the move should have a positive impact of €2.6bn (£2.4bn). Before the pandemic, Spain had the highest density of bars in the world but the coronavirus restrictions have delivered a body blow to the industry, forcing some 85,000 venues to close. With the economy forecast to shrink 11.2% in 2020, Spain is hoping a vaccination programme due to begin on Sunday (27 December) and an injection of €140bn from the EU, should help kickstart a recovery next year. The government announced a system of public-private partnerships, open to all companies, to channel the EU funds into the economy. Deputy prime minister Carmen Calvo said: “It’s going to allow us to make a start on transformations that we needed, that have been pending for years.” Spain has managed to tame its second wave of coronavirus through a nationwide curfew and a patchwork of regional restrictions. But daily infections and deaths have crept up in the past week after several public holidays. 

Beer duty to top £337m this month despite 85% of pubs shut: Beer duty will top £337m this December, despite 85% of pubs being unable to open. The sum for December alone is more than the entire annual duty bill in 19 other European countries, according to analysis by campaign group, Long Live The Local. It said the research highlights the level of UK beer duty in comparison to most other countries in Europe. British beer drinkers pay more than 54p in duty on every pint while in Spain and Germany the beer duty rates amount to just 5p per pint, which means the UK pays 11 times more. Only Finland and Ireland pay higher rates. Last year in total UK drinkers paid £401m in beer duty during December alone, but projections from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) estimated the impact of covid-19 will reduce sales by 16% for the same month this year. The Long Live The Local campaign is calling on the UK government to cut beer duty in the spring Budget to help pubs and brewers recover from a devastating year that has taken many to the brink of permanent closure. BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “We need the UK government to help our great domestic brewing and pub sector just as governments in Europe support their precious brewing and hospitality sectors. The Budget in the spring provides an excellent opportunity for our government to show their support for the 2,000 breweries and 47,000 pubs in the UK. A significant cut in beer duty will go some way in helping them recover from a disastrous 2020.”

Sacha Lord claims government has tried to place 'gagging' clause on his legal battle over sector: Sacha Lord, night-time adviser for Greater Manchester, has said the government has tried to “silence” part of his legal challenge against the restrictions placed on hospitality this year. Lord has been battling for Downing Street to publish evidence that supports the tough restrictions imposed on pubs and restaurants. He has argued the sector has been treated unfairly, with restrictions causing a “disproportionate amount of harm to some of the most disadvantaged in our society”. Last week, Lord served papers to the High Court as his legal battle continued. But he said the government has now refused to release its Equality Impact Assessment Report (EIA) unless he signs a non-disclosure agreement. He said this was “another bullying tactic” used to delay and prevent the discussion surrounding hospitality closures. The gagging clause would prevent him from sharing information from the EIA, which will likely include the impact government decisions would have on particular groups of society. Lord said he has refused to sign the agreement, stating transparency and clarity was needed. He believes the forced closures, particularly of wet-led pubs, will lead to increased loneliness in the poorest areas, where pubs are often cornerstones of the community. The substantial meal rule, which bans the sale of alcohol unless with a meal in tier two areas, is also expected to have a greater impact on those with lower incomes who “can't afford a meal out each time”. Lord said: “While I have no way of knowing the contents of the EIA, and it would be wrong of me to assume the evaluations within it, I believe the instruction to sign a gagging order is yet another bullying tactic used by the government to delay the publication of vital information and prevent the discussion around the closure of hospitality and its effects from moving forward. Next week, as we move into 2021, my thoughts will be with the operators across Greater Manchester who have spent thousands and thousands of pounds making their venues covid-secure, but who have been forced to close for more than 24 weeks this year without any scientific basis. While this is a testing time for all of us, I will continue to call on the government to provide the data which has merited this senseless and brutal scenario.”

Irish restaurants and food-led pubs to shut on Christmas Eve: Restaurants and food-led pubs in Ireland will close at 3pm on Christmas Eve for almost three weeks amid stricter restrictions being imposed over fears the new variant of coronavirus is already circulating in the country. Other changes to restrictions include hotels being allowed to stay open for essential and non-tourism purposes and to those who are due to check in up to Christmas Day. Wet-led pubs are already closed in the country. Non-essential shops are allowed to stay open – providing they do not host any January sales – along with gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools. Travel to and from Ireland will also be prohibited after Boxing Day. Schools will remain open, elite sports can continue without spectators and amateur, non-contact physical activity can carry on in groups of up to 15 outdoors – as before. Religious services will go ahead as planned until Christmas Day, after which they will go back online – apart from individual worship. The rules around Christmas remain the same, allowing three households to mix indoors until Boxing Day, with visits from one other household permitted until Thursday, 31 December. But people will be banned from mixing with other households indoors and in private gardens from Friday, 1 January. The new restrictions will last until Tuesday, 12 January, prime minister Micheal Martin said. While Ireland has managed to keep its coronavirus death toll relatively low compared with the rest of Europe, the virus is now growing by about 10% every day, he said. “We do not yet have evidence the new, more virulent strain of the virus is in our country, but the rate of growth over the past week tells me the safest, most responsible thing to do is to proceed on the assumption it is already here,” Martin said. The new restrictions – level five of Ireland's “living with covid” plan – were decided on Tuesday morning (22 December) in a “quick and aggressive” response to the leap in infection rates.

Herefordshire pubs and restaurants demand address proof after hundreds turned away: Pubs and restaurants in Herefordshire have told customers they will need to provide proof of address to visit after out-of-county drinkers were turned away. Wye Valley Brewery’s The Barrels in St Owen’s Street is among the venues asking for the identification after up to 300 would-be pub-goers were denied entry to Herefordshire’s pubs. The Spread Eagle in King Street and home-grown burger restaurant the Beefy Boys in Hereford’s Old Market have also weighed in to remind out-of-county visitors of the rules. Their messages come after West Mercia Police asked people not to come to Herefordshire for non-essential reasons. The force said people had been travelling to the county to drink in pubs that, due to tier one restrictions, can serve alcohol without food. Herefordshire is one of only a handful of places in England still in tier one where venues can also still host multiple groups. The other places are the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

SA Brain launches investigation after police swoop on party at pub: SA Brain has launched an internal investigation after police broke up a party at one of its pubs in Wales. Brains claimed the incident at The Twelve Knights in Margam, Port Talbot, was attended by staff members and not the general public. South Wales Police broke up the party on Thursday, 17 December, and issued eight people with fines. A Brains spokesman told Wales Online: “The incident involved some Twelve Knights team members and not external customers. A full internal investigation into the matter is now under way.” The breach has been referred to Neath Port Talbot Council’s licensing officers for review. 

Nettleton Collection launches scheme to reallocate cancelled bookings and help reward hotel staff: Hotel group the Nettleton Collection has launched a campaign to reallocate guests who have had their hotel booking cancelled to other sites that are open. The hotel group, which operates Boringdon Hall in Devon (in tier two) and Fistral Beach in Newquay (in tier one), is offering staff at hotels that have suffered cancelled bookings, by being in tiers three and four, a free night’s stay in exchange for guests switching their booking to their hotels that are open in tiers one and two. The Nettleton Collection is also encouraging other hotels to take part in the initiative but guests must be from a tier one or two region. Emily Andov, of the Nettleton Collection, said: “The hospitality industry is facing tremendous difficulties at the current time, with hoteliers and others awaiting the latest government pronouncements with dread. A change in tier status can lead to mass cancellations, disappointed guests and crestfallen staff who are concerned by what the future holds. We’re aiming to, one, offer an alternative option to help ease guests’ disappointment and, two, add an extra layer of positivity by trying to give staff who have been suffering under the stresses and strains of the past few months the opportunity to enjoy a much-needed break. We would love this to become a widespread initiative. We’re hoping other hotels will follow suit and offer similar proposals to help make this a national endeavour, thereby creating a much-needed morale booster for the industry. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt in recent times, it’s that pulling together in the face of adversity is essential.”

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is looking for a customer acquisition manager based in London, paying up to £60,000. This is an opportunity to join the management team in a high-growth retail, e-commerce business where the individual will play an integral role in the company’s future. This role will be responsible for scaling growth with the clear objective of maintaining low customer acquisition costs and driving loan-to-value through an optimised acquisition funnel from prospect to customer. The candidate will be expected to drive revenue through performance marketing channels such as paid search, social and display, and improve conversion rate optimisation through the transactional parts of the company’s website. Anyone interested can email Gemma@corecruitment.com

 

PCA makes eight recommendations to Star Pubs & Bars after pubs code breaches and £2m fine: The pubs code adjudicator (PCA) has published a list of eight recommendations Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars must fulfil after it was fined £2m for “unreasonable stocking terms in proposed market rent only (MRO) options tenancies”. An investigation by the PCA found Star Pubs & Bars had committed 12 breaches with the result it had “frustrated the principles of the pubs code”. As well as identifying how the company had offered stocking terms that had acted as a deterrent to tenants pursuing a free-of-tie tenancy, the PCA highlighted systemic corporate failures by Star Pubs & Bars in its approach to compliance. Along with the eight recommendations, it also said Star Pubs & Bars must publish a letter on its website explaining the findings of the investigation, what Star Pubs & Bars will do in response to the recommendations and how these measures will affect tenants. The recommendations were: 1. When making an MRO proposal, Star Pubs & Bars must follow PCA guidance, have evidence why its offer is reasonable, take into account and record factors it has relied on; 2. When serving an MRO proposal and negotiating with tenants, Star Pubs & Bars must be transparent and provide tenants with evidence supporting its grounds for reasonableness; 3. When Star Pubs & Bars receives an arbitration award relating to compliant MRO terms or new PCA advice, guidance or investigation outcomes, Star Pubs & Bars must be proactive in considering whether MRO proposals, in negotiation or arbitration, contain non-compliant stocking terms. Star Pubs & Bars must be straight with tenants about that non-compliance, offer a new proposal, be as open as it can on reasons for change and ensure policies are updated; 4. Star Pubs & Bars’ code compliance officer (CCO) role must be independent to challenge decisions that may be non-compliant with the pubs code. The CCO should ensure requirements of the CCO role are upheld; 5. Star Pubs & Bars must implement a system that supports the CCO’s duties under the pubs code. Any new system must provide for independent monitoring, further improvements to be made and a framework that evidences the effectiveness of its approach; 6. Star Pubs & Bars must ensure its record-keeping and administrative systems can support and evidence pubs code compliance; 7. Star Pubs & Bars must train its staff on findings from the investigation; and 8. Star Pubs & Bars must carry out an audit of its MRO tenancies to identify non-compliant stocking terms. Star Pubs & Bars must offer to change those terms without cost to the tenant. Star Pubs & Bars has appealed against the “disproportionate” £2m penalty.

 

Heavitree to cancel rent in January for tenants: Exeter-based tenanted pub operator Heavitree Brewery is to cancel rent in January in a bid to support publicans. The company is also only charging 50% rent in December for those pubs able to trade with those shut having their payments waived. The company stated: “In order to support our estate, all pub rental charges between April and July were cancelled. Charges in August were reintroduced at 25% of the usual rates, at 40% in September and at 50% in October. Following the second national lockdown, November rental charges were also cancelled. Owing to the challenging trading conditions associated with tier two, the company has taken the decision to charge at 50% for December, but only for those pubs that can trade, and to cancel all pub rental charges for January with what is anticipated to be a very difficult trading environment for the hospitality industry. The board continues to protect its cash flow by monitoring spending and suspending all capital projects. It continues to work closely with Barclays Bank, which has supported the company throughout. The company continues to work with its tenants to assist where possible and to interpret the announcements from government.” Heavitree operates more than 65 tenanted pubs across Exeter and south Devon.

 

Malhotra Group reports Ebitda and turnover fall in leisure division following ‘significant’ capital investment programme: Newcastle-based pub, restaurant and hotel operator Malhotra Group has reported Ebitda in its leisure division reduced to £100,000 for the year ending 31 March 2020, compared with £1.2m the previous year following a period of “significant” capital investment and redevelopment, together with divestment of non-core venues. Turnover in the leisure division reduced to £8.4m from £8.9m the year before. With regards to the coronavirus pandemic, the group said the investment it has made in its venues to provide a covid-safe environment means “we expect our trading to be robust when sites are permitted to open”. Total group turnover increased 9.3% to £38.1m compared with £34.8m the previous year. Ebitda rose 7.5% to £9.9m compared with £9.2m the year before, while pre-tax profit was up to £5.4m from £4.8m the previous year. The company also operates in the care home and property sectors. In their report accompanying the accounts, the directors stated: “We continue to invest in a significant capital expansion programme across the care and leisure sectors to improve the quality of services across our businesses.” Shareholders’ funds in the year also increased, by 21.6% to £78.8m.

Taco Bell set to double up in Wales and Merseyside: Mexican restaurant brand Taco Bell is set to double up in Wales and Merseyside. The company is opening a restaurant in Swansea. It will be the company’s second Welsh restaurant following its launch in Cardiff earlier this year. The Swansea branch will be in Oxford Street, in an empty unit next to H&M. An official opening date has not yet been announced, but it is expected to be “soon”. The news was revealed by The Big Heart of Swansea, the city centre initiative run by Swansea Business Improvement District, in a Facebook post. It said: “A vacant unit in Oxford Street, Swansea, will soon be home to Taco Bell, the second branch in Wales. We can almost smell the tacos, burritos and nachos.” Meanwhile, Taco Bell will also be opening a second restaurant in Merseyside. Knowsley Council has revealed the Tex-Mex chain has signed up to open a restaurant in Kirkby where a major redevelopment in the town centre is in process. The restaurant, which will also offer a drive-thru, will join major names including Morrisons, KFC and Home Bargains. The 1,977 square foot restaurant is due to open next summer and will join Taco Bell’s other site in Merseyside, in Liverpool’s Bold Street. Taco Bell operates 52 UK restaurants having opened its latest in Leicester last month. There are more than 7,500 restaurants across the globe with Glen Bell having opened the first Taco Bell in Downey, California, in 1962.

New F&B destination and community hub launches in Hove following £4m investment: Investor and operator Luke Davis has opened Rockwater Hove – a three-storey food and beverage destination and community hub – following a £4m investment. Davis, who is chief executive of investment company IW Capital and owner of Rockwater Hove in East Sussex, has put about £3m towards redeveloping the seafront building that will be open all day. The project has been two years in the making and offers an open terrace on the roof that overlooks the sea. The site has been trading as Shacks by the Shore with takeaway beer and food, and access to a heated “igloos” area outdoors. More than £1m has been raised by Hove residents. Davis told The Argus: “I believe the coast of Brighton and Hove to be one of Britain’s most stunning beauty spots, and now we’ve developed a location that enables families to take this in surrounded by the ultimate hospitality experience. It’s not been the easiest of years to launch something of this scale in a sector hit hardest by covid, but every minute has been worth it to be able to open this to the community, at a time where coming together safely couldn’t mean more. Our aim when deciding to evolve the concept of Rockwater was fundamentally a home from home for Hove’s residents and our guests from further afield.” The indoor/outdoor space has cosy fireside spaces and an art deco bar.

 

Tokyo Industries submits plans for 17-bedroom hotel next door to its second Impossible site: Tokyo Industries, led by entrepreneur Aaron Mellor, will take down partitions to allow access to its second Impossible venue in its blueprints from Hotel Impossible next door. The Impossible WonderBar and Tea Rooms, which opened after a £3m investment in York earlier this month, is next door to a former Marchbrae clothing store that Tokyo Industries wants to convert into a 17-bedroom hotel with restaurant and bar. The operator submitted plans for the hotel to York City Council. A statement from Tokyo Industries read: “It is our intention to maintain all aspects of heritage interest and create a unique destination of extremely high quality with design that reflects the heritage of the site and reflects the architectural detail inherent in the building. This includes maintaining the footprint of the site, creating new partitions where necessary and the forming of the hotel spaces. It is our intention to work closely with York City Council planning and heritage officers to see this building come back to life.” Its Impossible site replaced the former Carluccio’s in St Helens Square and covers three floors with a ground-floor tearoom and brasserie with a cocktail bar on the first floor. Work is expected to begin on a whisky lounge above the Impossible WonderBar in January and a secret speakeasy bar is proposed to the rear of the site. There will also be two rooftop terraces overlooking York Minster. Tokyo Industries opened Impossible Manchester in 2017.

 

Rudy’s Vegan Butcher shop set to open next month: Rudy’s is set to open a vegan butcher’s shop in north London next month – subject to coronavirus restrictions. Rudy’s Vegan Butcher is the second brand in the business’s line-up, which includes Rudy’s Vegan Diner in Camden. Founded by Matthew Foster and Ruth Mumma, the butcher’s shop will offer dirty burger patties, cheeze sauce and chilli-non-carne, rack of jack ribs, lobstah salad, meatballs, chick’n lover paté, shredded BBQ pulled porc and roast turk’y – all non-meat products. And there’s a charcuterie section offering vegan smoked ham, salami de provence, pepperoni and homemade pastrami. The outlet is located on the corner of Islington Park Street and Upper Street, at the site that was previously Burger Lux.

 

Wimpy to open Bracknell restaurant: Burger brand Wimpy is to open a site in Bracknell, Berkshire. The company will launch the restaurant at the Princess Square shopping centre in the new year. A Wimpy spokesman confirmed work would start on setting up the restaurant early in 2021. He told Berkshire Live: “We know there is a lot of love for Wimpy in Bracknell and we are looking forward to bringing our fabulous burgers and our special brand of customer service to the town.” Delivery and takeaway services will be available as well as dine-in, subject to coronavirus restrictions. Wimpy, which is owned by South Africa-based Famous Brands, has 71 restaurants in the UK.

Micro-brewery owner opens pub after renovation: Andy Gascoigne, who owns micro-brewery Haworth Steam Brewery and Haworth Gins, has opened a North Yorkshire pub after a three-month renovation. Gascoigne, a former rugby league player for Hull and Leeds in the 1980s, has relaunched The Farmers Arms, which he acquired three months ago. He said: “Covid has played havoc with our refurbishment plans but we have worked really hard to ensure our lovely inn is open for the local community over Christmas. We will stay open until the new year – and then close again so we can complete our thorough overhaul. A short Christmas opening was not what my wife Mandy and I had in mind when we bought the inn in the autumn. We already have a brewery and drinks business so we are no strangers to the licensed trade. We’ve got some exciting plans for the pub and look forward to opening permanently early next year.” The freehold of The Farmers Arms, in Muker, North Yorkshire, was sold off an asking price of £575,000 through estate agent Christie & Co in October.

Bristol-based restaurateur launches Sri Lankan concept: Bristol-based restaurateur Raja Munuswamy has opened a new Sri-Lankan concept in the city. Munuswamy, who is behind Indian restaurant Nutmeg in Clifton, has launched Nadu in Stokes Croft. It has taken over the space most recently occupied by Masa + Mezcal, which announced in August it had closed permanently. Nadu means “land” or “place” in Tamil and the concept is inspired by Munuswamy’s Tamil heritage. Tamil food is based on the concept that food shapes the personality, mood, and mind, and Nadu’s menu has been created with this in mind by head chef Saravanan Nambirajan, who has worked in a number of Michelin-starred kitchens across the world. The menu showcases a range of fish and meat dishes, alongside vegetarian and vegan small plates, all of which can be enjoyed alongside a cocktail menu. Munuswamy told Bristol Live: “We’re excited to bring a taste of Tamil culture to Bristol, and introduce people to the food we’re so passionate about.”

Mediterranean restaurant Bellefields to open in the spring, in south London: Mediterranean restaurant Bellefields is set to open in The Department Store in Brixton in the spring. Located in Bellefields Road, the ground floor restaurant, bar and courtyard space will serve cuisine inspired by the Mediterranean, from the Aegean and Balearic to the Levantine basin. Architecture company Squire & Partners has teamed up with head chef James Mathieson to create the restaurant. The menu will include dishes such as linguine vongole, lamb tagine and Turkish manti.

 

McDonald’s to launch Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets in time for new year: McDonald’s is launching a limited-edition menu item that will start on 30 December and run for six weeks into February. Its Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets comes with a sweet curry dip. Customers can order a box of the nuggets from £3.59 for six, £4.09 for nine, or 20 pieces for £5.99. McDonald’s is currently running its Christmas menu, which includes a double Big Mac, which will be available until 29 December.

Coventry-based brewery to open city centre bar: Coventry-based Dhillon’s Brewery is to open a bar in the city centre. Owner Dal Dhillon is launching the venue at the historic Christchurch Spire that was formerly home to the Inspire bar. Dhillon’s Spire Bar will be a continental cafe-bar serving a range of draught lager, soft drinks and coffee and have “lots” of outdoor seating. It will also serve food. Dhillon told Coventry Live: “We needed a site that was inner city because our brewery by the Ricoh Arena, which is staying there, is quite difficult for customers and patrons to travel to. We already have an established brand that has been going for five and a half years and the business has really been going from strength to strength. I’m really encouraged with what the city is doing so I’m chuffed to be a part of it.” Inspire, which offered customers a range of bottles and cans of beer and cider from around the world, closed in November last year.

Aparthotel hotel operator Native takes over management of Edinburgh property: Aparthotel hotel operator Native has taken over management of Kintore House in Edinburgh. It said Kintore House, with 82 apartments comprising studios, one-bedroom units and ground-floor leisure and co-working spaces, would “build upon Native’s unique ethos of providing the flexibility and amenities of a design-led boutique hotel, coupled with the space, comfort and privacy of a home from home”. The aparthotel was operating under the Mode brand, part of BridgeStreet. Native operates an aparthotel in Glasgow’s Anchor Line building and launched a boutique aparthotel in Manchester’s Ducie Street Warehouse in 2019. Native chief executive and founder Guy Nixon told The Herald: “After opening in Glasgow in 2018, it was a natural step to head to the wonderful city of Edinburgh, building on our commitment to bring the Native concept to wider regions of the UK. We are excited to be operating in Scotland’s two greatest cities.”