News

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

A special IPA, brewed with "wet hops" straight from the harvest, has been brewed to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Borough Market at London Bridge and is on sale in bars and restaurants. Fuggles hops are grown under the roof of the market hall and go straight into the brew as soon as they are harvested. The beer is sold in a sustainable can and is also on draught in the Rake and the Globe at the market.

Added: Sunday, December 1st 2019

Traquair House in the Scottish Borders has a 300 year-old brewery famous for its House Ale. It has now added a vintage ale dedicated to the memory of Lord and Lady Nithsdale, supporters of the Jacobite cause in the 18th century. Lord Nithsdale was charged with treason and held in the Tower of London but his wife organised a daring escape.

Added: Sunday, November 17th 2019

Worries that Asahi, the new owners of Fuller's West London Brewery, can be put aside for the moment with the arrival of the 2019 edition of Vintage Ale. It has a strong Kiwi influence, with hops and crystal malt sourced from New Zealand's South Island.

Added: Friday, November 8th 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

Robinson's Brewery in Stockport has broken with tradition and for the first time has launched its famous Old Tom barley wine in keg format to complement the versions available in bottle and cask. Joint managing directors William and Oliver Robinson (pictured) believe the chilled craft keg version will win new drinkers to the beer

Added: Sunday, November 3rd 2019

Family brewer Batemans of Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, has re-designed four of its leading ale brands in bottle with distinctive new labels. The beers are Mocha Stout, XXXB, Victory Ale and Combined Harvest. Managing director Stuart Bateman says young drinkers come across craft ales in pubs and now they have the opportunity to sample them in the off-trade as well

Added: Friday, October 18th 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

Castle Rock Brewery in Nottingham issued an angry open letter to the BBC when its East Midlands programme linked an item on alcohol abuse with the brewery's Harvest Pale being poured in a pub.Castle Rock, which has been fully supported by CAMRA, says the item gives a false image of pubs and beer, with pubs providing a vital community role. It added that cheap alcohol in supermarkets should be tackled, not pubs

Added: Wednesday, October 9th 2019