Jay [Jonathan] Heathcote

The British Beer & Pub Association, has today sent an open letter to Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer and Edward Davey stressing the important role pubs and breweries play in communities across the UK. The letter has been signed by Young's Pubs and over 80 leading pub and brewing companies. The British beer and pub sector is one of the most historical, culturally significant, economically successful and dynamic components of British identity generating over 930k vital jobs in every part of the UK. It is imperative that the next government provides a sustainable and proportionate fiscal and regulatory framework that allows the sector to do what it does best; invest in our businesses and teams, embrace changing consumer tastes, and provide the community hubs that are the crucial and often invisible glue to social cohesion. Please ensure you share this open letter with your local Member of Parliament and let’s get the pub and brewing sector back to doing what it does best! https://lnkd.in/e32jCnpB #pubs #people #brewing #BBPA #uk #GB #community #beer #hospitality #reform #businessrates

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𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐄𝐎 – 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐛 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬: Tim Dewey, chief executive of Timothy Taylor's Brewery, has warned that the Yorkshire brewer and retailer will not be able to absorb all the new costs from the chancellor’s budget – and they won’t be the only ones. He said from the point of view of a medium-sized enterprise turning over more than £30m per annum, “the actions of the new government since taking office, and certainly since last week’s budget, can hardly be considered pro-business or pro-growth”. Dewey said: “How can she (chancellor Rachel Reeves) possibly imagine that a 6.7% increase to the living wage, combined with increases to employers’ national insurance contributions and a reduction in the business rates discount for hospitality, is going to help business? I’m particularly mindful of the already-struggling pub industry, on which we rely to serve the cask ale that makes up 85% of our sales. Last year, I highlighted that the labour bill at our pub, the Woolly Sheep Inn in Skipton, would increase by £43,000 per annum due to the 2023 wage change. We now need to find an additional £49,000 per annum (we pay above minimum wage but need to retain our differentials). We will have no choice but to pass a large proportion of this onto consumers, because to pay for it through turnover, we would have to generate over £2,500 additional sales per week.” In terms of the chancellor’s cut in draught beer duty, he said: “You might think we are a net beneficiary. But this duty reduction is passed straight through to, and expected by, our customers, while as a business, we estimate we will be hit with about £325,000 of increased costs (£172,000 in employers’ national insurance contributions and £153,000 in wages). While Reeves might say things could have been worse in the area of business rates, where the discount was reduced from 75% to 40%, what most people don’t realise is that a pub’s rateable value is based on turnover, and given the way in which costs for pubs have accelerated in recent years, a given turnover no longer produces anywhere near the profit necessary to pay the historic level of rates. Our rates bill at the Woolly Sheep alone will increase by £21,000 per annum.”

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Are you a business based in Worcestershire? Do you have specific training needs for your team? Would you like to claim upto 50% of the training costs back? Garrett Learning are an approved Skills Boost supplier and we can support your learning and development needs in partnership with the Worcestershire Growth Hub. Learning areas: (visit: https://lnkd.in/e9yty29A) - Mental Health First Aid - Mental Health Guidance for Leaders - Stress and Resilience - Introduction to Management V Leadership - Knowing you and your team (profiling) - Having great conversations - Be a better leader - Leading effective teams - People development - Managing your time - Leading remotely - Promote well-being and resilience within your team as a leader - Being an inclusive leader - Leadership conversations - Our unconscious Bias - Compassionate Leadership Get in touch! [email protected] #Worcestershire #BusinessGrowth #GrowthHub #Learning #Training #Development #Growth

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Some (exceptionally tasty) food for thought for all you London workplace experience directors, office managers, catering managers and facilities managers out there. It’s time you ditched the kitchen and moved on from traditional office catering services.   Why?   There are numerous proven and compelling reasons, actually, but here I’m going to focus on just one. And it’s a biggie.   𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁.   Traditional contract catering services typically require you to agree to longer-term fixed contracts. So if the service you’re paying for isn’t satisfying your people or meeting your expectations, you could find yourself in hot water.   And with less people coming into the office these days, contract catering kitchens are often underutilised. You’re paying for a facility that’s not functioning to capacity.   Then there’s the question of square metres. In today’s financial landscape, space is money. When you’re making ongoing payments for the space needed to house a kitchen – which also has high operational costs and may be closed more than it’s open – you’re unlikely to be getting your money’s worth.   Think of how you could repurpose the space if you ditched the catering kitchen. Breakout space? More roomy dining area? Another office or meeting room? There are any number of ways you could enhance workplace wellness, adding more value to your business, your people and your culture.   The only reason not to ditch your kitchen is the lack of a better alternative. And a better alternative is exactly what Fooditude delivers.   Our delivered-in catering ensures scrumptiously high-quality meals with exceptional cost-effectiveness.   You gain the flexibility and economies of a service that caters to varying head counts, adapting seamlessly to the dynamic nature of modern workplaces.   Fancy more for everyone to enjoy at less cost? Leave me a comment and I’ll happily do the maths with you. I’ll even give you a free lunch and guided tour of our state-of-the-art kitchens 😋 Or fancy reading more about why you should ditch your on-site kitchen 👇 https://lnkd.in/erXejw6T 

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𝘼𝙙𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙪𝙥 11% 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙧: 😍 🍻 Suffolk brewer and retailer Adnams has said it is still exploring a range of options to fund its future growth plans as it reported sales up 11% in the three months to 31 March 2024. The business said: “While multiple factors continue to challenge the brewing, distilling and hospitality sectors, total sales increased 11% year-on-year in the period, supported by growing volumes in beer and spirits, with a notably strong contribution from our on-trade and off-trade business. Falling inflation is improving demand in both the on-trade and off-trade, as well as softening some of the company's cost increases. The company is continuing to explore a range of options to fund its future growth plans with the support of its advisors and has received an encouraging response to the process. The board's preferred option remains the raising of additional capital from another party and/or the sale of freehold assets to return capital to the company. However, no decision has yet been taken. The company will continue to keep shareholders appraised of developments at the appropriate time.” Adnams said it intends to file full-year accounts for the period ending 31 December 2023 in late May ahead of its planned annual general meeting on Thursday, 27 June.

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𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁: 😍 🍺 Family-run brewery and pub company Palmers, which operates 53 pubs in the south west, has completes its minority shareholder buyout with a £6m bank loan and £5.5m cash. The company agreed the buyout of the 40% minority shareholder in August 2023, and the purchase of 188,768 ordinary shares and 120,000 preference shares has now been completed. The remaining 91,234 ordinary shares will be purchased in tranches, the final one by August 2028, financed by the sale of selected non-core assets and cash generated from trading activities. The bank loan is repayable in quarterly instalments of £92,500 commencing 31 December 2024, with a final balance due on 11 August 2027. It comes as the business reported turnover increased from £9,736,675 to £10,323,701 during the year to 31 March 2024. Pre-tax profit grew from £1,515,748 in 2022 to £2,801,284 as the company made a £65,000 profit on disposal of properties (2022: loss of £192,171) and £940,182 in a fair value adjustment of investment properties. Dividends of £5,850 were paid (2022: £9,750). Director Anthony Palmer said: “Despite the challenges in the UK pub industry, we have demonstrated resilience in our operations, enabling us to pre-empt and mitigate the full potential effect of these risks. Underlying sales of goods increased by 7%, a promising sign given the pressures on our consumers due to rising costs, taxes, and interest rates. We continue to invest in refreshing and refurbishing our pubs to make them attractive family and food destinations, and this was reflected by the rental income growth of 3% in 2024. Cost efficiencies throughout the brewery area of the business have enabled us to control our cost of sales and result in the further growth of our operating profit from £1,634,648 to £1,970,314. While our net assets decreased in 2024 due to the restructuring, we have maintained a strong base, including our unique historic brewhouse and well-invested pubs scattered across the West Country. The company remains well-placed to continue to adapt to changing political, economic and environmental circumstances.”

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Hive Pubs Receives Sustainability Champion Status From BII Hive Pubs, the pub franchise concept from Greene King Pub Partners, has received Sustainability Champion status from the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII). Greene King Pub Partner’s first franchise concept, Hive Pubs was launched in 2021 and has grown to 51 pubs in under three years. In order to achieve Sustainability Champion status, pubs and brands need to be able to evidence active commitments to projects within energy reduction, waste reduction and sustainable procurement. As a franchise pub model, all Hive Pubs franchisees benefit from Greene King’s support and expertise to run more sustainable pub businesses. As such, each new Hive Pub when opened has LED Lighting, Timers and Fridge Manager installed as standard to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions. Likewise, all Hive Pubs benefit from being part of Greene King’s wider electricity contract, which balances electricity usage with equivalent amounts generated renewably. This means that when a franchisee gets the keys to their pub, they have a strong foundation for operating their pub in a sustainable way. Franchisees can then build on this foundation with additional support from Greene King Pub Partners by working with their Business Development Manager and the wider Greene King team. To help franchisees identify areas where they can take further action to make their Hive pub business more sustainable, Greene King Pub Partners also provides all Hive Pub franchisees with access to the Zero Carbon Forum’s carbon calculator, which enables them to measure and evaluate their emissions. A Hive Pubs franchise agreement offers licensees a ready-to-trade pub within a proven branded concept for just £5,000 ingoing cost. Franchisees can expect a minimum guaranteed income of £20,000 and they also get a percentage of food and drink sales. On top of this, they get a share of the profits in their pub and can earn a bonus as well. Dan Robinson, Managing Director of Greene King Pub Partners, said: “We’re very pleased to see Hive Pubs receive Sustainability Champion status from the BII. This achievement would not be possible without our exceptional franchisees who play such an important role in the communities they serve. “Our franchise offer is proving very popular with those who want to step up from management to run their own pub business. By helping our franchisees run pubs more sustainably at the heart of their communities, we’re enabling them to run a better pub business.” Steve Alton, Chief Executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping, said: “When we launched our Sustainability Champion Awards in 2023, we wanted to showcase the brilliant ways in which pubs are adapting their businesses to ensure they are sustainable for the future. “Customers and teams in pubs across the UK are placing more and more importance on businesses that care about local communities and the environmental impacts they have, so I am delighted…

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Good timing on this article - I have spoken with my MP Katie White OBE MP about the pressures hospitality faces the week, and I made particular reference to the business rate relief that is set to end in April. As it stands, we would likely have to cut a job at the brewery if the rate relief is abolished - we simply can’t afford to absorb any more increases in costs. Personally, I think we would add more to the local economy by employing an extra person that we would by paying their wages on business rates. I also suspect some businesses will actually close from an increase in business rates, normally with a statement like this from a leader of a large pub group I would suspect hyperbole but it isn’t this case this time. I normally take Budgets in my stride but this one is definitely causing a lot of nerves. https://lnkd.in/esNNvs-u

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For anyone looking to learn more about We Are Beer industry and our recently released whitepaper, please check our events below. Learn more about: Horizons report We Are Beer Insight We Are Beer Expo & Conference Membership See you there!

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"𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗧𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀, 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗳 & 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗳é 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼, 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: '𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲… …but the true advantage lies in our regular planning meetings with ViewPoint Partners, where we transform those insights into actionable strategies that drive real improvements at Café Deco.” The V-Cohort* analysis is a distinctive EPOS sales-driven market report, offering businesses a clear understanding of their market position and areas for improvement. Expanding your market perspective is essential for making the best planning decisions. When used effectively, the V-Cohort* tool has consistently helped our clients thrive and grow." #𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 #𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 #𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 #𝗖𝗮𝗳é𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼 #𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 *𝘝-𝘊𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥

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Wed 13th Nov 2024 - Propel Wednesday News Briefing. Quarter of independent pubs set to fail following ‘devastating’ Budget: The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has warned a quarter of independent pubs are set to fail following a “devastating” Budget. A new survey of BII members shows the new costs of employment and increases in business rates will render 80% unprofitable, leading to at least one in four pubs closing. It said 75% will cut staff hours, 40% will reduce opening hours and a third will make staff redundant. BII chief executive Steve Alton said: “The chancellor’s Budget is devastating for our members, their teams, their pubs and their communities. Ahead of the Budget, it was clear that many pubs were unprofitable through exceptional costs of doing business, with ongoing high energy costs, embedded high inflation in food and drink costs as well as spiraling employment costs alongside repaying covid-debts. The government’s response has been to ask these small, fragile pub businesses to pay additional taxes, which for many is 10% of their current turnover in new costs. The personal distress this has caused to long-standing publicans is palpable through the surge in calls to our professional helplines. The government’s actions will reduce employment, investment and cause unnecessary business failure.” Alton said those pubs that are able to carry on will have to raise prices, with 84% saying they will do so. He added: “Our members are small businesses, with the majority employing less than 50 people and half with an annual turnover of less than £500,000. They do not have the resilience to ‘suck it up’ and need rapid action from government before it is too late.” The BII is calling on the chancellor to reverse the planned increases of national insurance contributions and change in threshold for part-time workers, alongside reinstating the business rates relief at 75%. Like Comment Send Share

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I watched The Bounty yesterday, featuring the incredible performances of Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins, and it left me reflecting on the profound lessons about leadership. The story reveals how leadership driven by ego can create distrust and division. Lieutenant Bligh’s authoritarian approach, rooted in his own pride, alienated his team and set the stage for conflict. On the other hand, Fletcher Christian’s betrayal of values for personal grievances led to chaos, highlighting how abandoning ethics can destroy unity and trust. When leaders let ego guide their decisions or compromise their principles, the entire team suffers. True leadership requires humility, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to values—because without these, even the strongest teams can fall apart. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants to reflect on the complexities of leadership and human dynamics. It’s a powerful reminder of how critical trust, empathy, and values are in leading a team. #leadership

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Morrisons suffers £22m loss amid debt pressures and sluggish sales growth https://lnkd.in/dP6v83w7 Retail’s biggest challenge is its inability to truly connect with customers. It operates in a world dominated by discount-driven consumers with minimal loyalty, as interactions are entirely transactional. Competing solely on price is a losing game unless you can create something that resonates emotionally. I hope the hospitality industry doesn’t follow this path of transactional experiences. Emotions are conveyed through food, drink, and service, making authentic connections essential for long-term success. Summary of article -Morrisons reported a fresh £22m loss for the latest quarter, despite narrowing from a £39m loss in the same period last year. - The loss was primarily due to a £110m debt finance bill, reflecting the impact of inflated debt costs and sluggish sales growth. - The losses account for Morrisons' supermarkets, convenience stores, and wholesale manufacturing, excluding revenue from the £2.6bn sale of its petrol forecourts in April. - Total debt fell to £4bn at the end of July, down from a peak of £6.2bn, partly due to a £331m ground lease sale on 76 supermarkets. - Rami Baitiéh, Morrisons’ CEO since November, is implementing a turnaround plan focused on sales growth and debt reduction, including price-matching against Aldi and Lidl. - Morrisons holds 8.5% of the grocery market, behind Aldi’s 9.9%, after being overtaken by the discounter in 2022. - Baitiéh is engaging more directly with customers and reviewing the rollout of self-checkouts, admitting it went “a bit too far.” - Sales growth for the latest 13-week period was 2.9% like-for-like, down from 4.1% in the previous period. - To improve availability and sales, Morrisons has deployed AI cameras to monitor empty shelves, enhancing in-day replenishment times and customer satisfaction.

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Stephen Owens, CEO and his team at Christie & Co have recently released their business outlook 2024 report for Pubs and Restaurants.  Key highlights include: - 7.2% like for like sales growth in pubs - 3.4% like for like sales growth in restaurants  - Increased consumer sentiment across the sector -The late-night sector has continued to struggle, with the growth of the late-night bar, changing social trends and disproportionate impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the student and younger demographic contributing to this. Entertainment-led venues are faring better - Consumer habits have shifted with regards to food, drinking and dining out times – a continuation of last year. This is a really good reference document for the UK sector, so for more in-depth analysis please click on the link below – Enjoy https://lnkd.in/eMXjwHxh #restaurants #pubs #insights

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Meet our Senior Commercial Controller Julian Smith in the latest issue of Cash and Carry Management! In the spotlight Julian shares his interests, achievements and how he got into the industry. Read the article below.

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It’s Friday, weeks over, it’s Bank Holiday weekend, another busy week. It’s whisky 🥃 time and a little insight to why I love my favourite tipple so much. This is a The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling, from my favourite The Welsh Whisky Company Limited, aka Penderyn. Being a packaging geek, I buy 50ml bottles so I can share and keep samples back to do mini tasting sessions. SMWS specialise in cask strength whisky, which means it’s not diluted like most retail whiskies. They classify their whisky into flavour profiles, like in this case, deep rich and dried fruits. This is a non peated old style traditional whisky, in this case it’s 59.6%, which may make your eyes water, but with the use of a pipette and a careful drop of water, you can discover a whole new world of amazing. For my details: https://lnkd.in/eMq65ASa Right, time for Clarksons Farm and a wee dram 🥃

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Greene King Set to Trial Return and Refill of Glass Bottles Sold In Its Pubs Pub company and brewer Greene King is trialling a scheme where glass bottles sold in some of its pubs are being collected, cleaned and returned to drinks producers for refilling. The trial sees glass bottles used in some of Greene King's pubs returned to drinks producers for refilling as a way to cut the number of single-use glass bottles. The refillable bottle initiative, which reuses beer, cider, spirits, wine and soft drinks bottles, is being trialled in 22 Greene King pubs. Enabling this experiment is ‘Again’, a returnable bottle infrastructure start-up business. Used glass bottles are collected from the pubs as part of Greene King’s existing delivery and collection transport system, and are then sorted and cleaned at Again’s CleanCell facility to make them ready for drinks producers to reuse and refill again. Under the trial, it is estimated that between 14,000 and 22,000 bottles per week will be collected from the 22 pubs, of which 27% will be reused immediately and 55% will be reused by the end of year, contributing to a reduction in glass waste and carbon emissions from Greene King’s suppliers. As well as the environmental benefit, it was suggested the scheme will benefit pub teams, customers and neighbours as the system uses a ‘tote bag’ collection method which means there will be no noisy emptying of glass bottle bins. Greene King’s supply chain director, Vance Fairman-Smith, said: “Our partnership with Again shows how we can tap into emerging business’s innovative ways to help us and our suppliers reduce waste. “Every glass bottle we can reuse through collection, then specialist cleaning and refilling, reduces waste and carbon emissions. We will continue to measure the success of this, with potential further roll out.” Again’s CEO, Matt Kennedy, added: “Every bottle consumed in the hospitality industry should be returnable. Our previous trials have efficiently collected 98% of bottles from pubs. “With the right technology and partnerships, refilling bottles can be both economical and help to accelerate the industry’s progress towards net zero.” The refillable glass bottles scheme is part of Greene King’s broader sustainability strategy, which includes varioys initiatives aimed at reducing the company’s environmental footprint, with the goal for the company to be net zero by 2040. Read More:

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