Pub News

The All Parliamentary Beer Group, one of the oldest and most influential groups of MPs and Peers, is calling on the government in its Budget in March to make fundamental changes to both Business Rates and Beer Duty in order to allow high street pubs to flourish. At present the burden of rates and the high price of beer is leading to many pubs closing. Britain's oldest pub, the Old Fighting Cocks in St Albans (pictured), has been forced to close for two days a week in order to cut costs

Added: Thursday, February 27th 2020

A village pub on the Cambridge-Herts border has been saved from developers by locals. They raised £250,000 to buy the the 17th-century Three Tuns in Guilden Morden on the ancient Icknield Way and Ermine Street. The pub reopened in 2019 and has won a national Pub Saving award from CAMRA and Most Improved Rural Pub award from the local branch.

Added: Thursday, February 13th 2020

Eleven English pubs have had their listings upgraded to protect their historic architecture, interiors and facades. They include the Philharmonic in Liverpool (pictured), which is now Grade I, the only pub in the country to have the top listing. The government's listing means the pubs cannot be extended or changed in any way that detracts from their heritage

Added: Friday, February 7th 2020

After years of pub closures there's now a revival as consumers turn their backs on expensive restaurants and choose good value pub grub instead. The Office for National Statistics reports that bigger pubs have benefited most from the growth but smaller pubs are also enjoying a slight revival

Added: Friday, January 17th 2020

The JD Wetherspoon pub group -- founded by Tim Martin (pictured) -- plans to invest £200 million in its pubs and hotels over the next four years, creating 10,000 new jobs. The pubs will be in smaller towns along with such major cities as London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds and Galway

Added: Tuesday, December 10th 2019

CAMRA -- the Campaign for Real Ale -- has named a short list of four pubs that have reached the final round of the annual Pub of the Year competition. The Swan with Two Necks, Pendleton, Lancs, the George & Dragon, Hudswell, Yorkshire and the Bell, Aldworth, Berks, have all won the competition before but the newcomer is the community-owned Red Lion at Preston, Herts. The winner will be announced in February 2020

Added: Monday, November 4th 2019

Rover, the awards scheme that encourages pubs to welcome dogs, has launched its 2019 competition to find Britain's most dog-friendly pub. It says allowing dogs into pubs is good for business and will allow more dog owners to go to their locals. Many can't go to pubs as they are not prepared to leave their dogs at home. The awards this year are aimed at millennials, 27 per cent of whom say they would like to take their dogs with them when they go out for a drink

Added: Wednesday, October 9th 2019

The title of Britain's Oldest Pub is hotly contested but research shows that the most visited of the breed is the Clachan in Scotland (pictured), closely followed by the Skirrid Inn in Wales. Other popular watering holes include Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham and Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans

Added: Friday, June 14th 2019

A cash injection of £188,000 will go from the government to boost rural pubs if they expand their services to include grocery shops, post offices and libraries. The announcement was made by Pubs Minister Jake Berry, who stressed the vital role played by rural pubs that offer more than just a drink but bring communities together. The funds will be administered by Pub is the Hub, the organisation set up by Prince Charles

Added: Wednesday, March 27th 2019