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Pub introduces 'beer stamps' (18/07/2008 : 14:49:39)

A West Berkshire pub is attempting to combat a decrease in trade by offering free beer.

Drinkers at the Crown and Garter, Hungerford, can get involved in a new scheme which has been launched by licensee Gillian Hern.

Customers are given a stamp each time they order a pint of beer and once they reach 11 their 12th is free of charge.

The special stamps can be collected on Friday and Saturday nights from 20:00 onwards.

Ms Hern reveals that she introduced the scheme to counteract the dent in trade caused by the smoking ban and the rise in the price of alcohol.

The landlady added that she does not want to see the premises converted into a licensed restaurant for her to make her living and instead wants to retain the pub atmosphere.

This year the pub was awarded four stars from the AA for its facilities and was also the winner of a Dining award.


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JD Wetherspoon 'particularly pleased' with sales (17/07/2008 : 16:15:42)

A major pub chain has put its strong recent sales down to its affordable promotions.

JD Wetherspoon has seen a 0.4 per cent increase in its sales in the last 11 weeks following a campaign which sent promotional material to 15 million UK households.

Keith Down, finance director of the company, puts the chains increase in sales down to its constant low-cost offers and recent promotional drive.

"It helped people to see that we do offer good value in these straitened times," he said.

"We are particularly pleased because these numbers were up against a very strong final quarter in 2007 just before the smoking ban came into effect."

However, although Mr Down recognised the impact of fuel and food prices on trade he also highlighted the negative effect of the government's planned rise in alcohol duty.

The first JD Wetherspoon pub opened in 1979 and there are now approximately 696 UK pubs in the chain.


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World's biggest brewer created (15/07/2008 : 16:26:28)

The biggest brewer is the world has been recently created with the merging of two companies.

InBev, brewers of brands such as Stella Artois and Beck's, has agreed to buy out Anheuser-Busch in a £26.12 billion deal.

Anheuser-Busch is the creator of lagers including Rolling Rock, Bud Light and Budweiser and took up to 48 per cent of all beer sales before the merger.

Shareholders have yet to approve the deal but Carlos Brito, InBev chief executive, believes the new company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, will flourish.

"This combination will create a stronger, more competitive global company with an unrivalled worldwide brand portfolio and distribution network, with great potential for growth all over the world," he said.

The merger means that the brewer will have a strong international presence in countries such as Germany, Brazil, Russia and China.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is expected to net £17.9 billion per year which supersedes that of SABMiller the previous largest brewer.


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Details of pub troublemakers put online (14/07/2008 : 14:12:57)

A list of known pub troublemakers has been put online for landlords to access in a move to help licensees keep out unwanted elements.

The Pub Watch scheme in Wokingham operates a system which means if a person is banned from one pub in the town, they are banned from all.

The new online resource means that staff can see the names, faces and details of people banned from all pubs in the area.

Due to legal reasons access to the site is limited to publicans and nightclub owners who are given a log-in.

Clive Wallis, landlord at the Broad Street Tavern in the town, told getwokingham: "Having Pub Watch online makes it so much easier.

"The main thing is how quickly you can let other people know if there is an incident.

"Before it was online you'd have to wait for a month to find out about things happening. Now, you can get on there and put in on to the bulletin board on the website almost as soon as it happens."

Pubs have also been given radios and are able to communicate with each other and the police if there is an incident.





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MPs support great British pubs (14/07/2008 : 14:12:45)

MPs got behind Britain's licenced trade today as they launched the Proud of Pubs week at the House of Commons.

More than 100 MPs will be visiting pubs during the week to highlight the delights of local pubs and hear some of the challenges facing them.

John Grogan MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, visited the George & Dragon in Whitley, near Goole in North Yorkshire, and met with licensees Howard Rimmer and Janet Wilkinson.

Research by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) shows that an average of 57 pubs are calling last orders for good every week.

One such pub, The George, in George Street, Hailsham, has gone into administration and ceased trading, the Rye and Battle Observer reports.

Landlord Geoff Baker said: "The economy as it is, people have not been coming in as they have done in the past and spending money. There have been the same customers visiting but the frequency of visits has dropped.

"The pub has just become untenable."



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