News

Quality and consistency the watchwords at Heineken UK roadshow BREWER Heineken UK took customers to the races with John Smith’s last week in a bid...

WINE retailer Majestic celebrated the launch of its 169th outlet by donating £20,000 to a cancer charity. The firm made the donation to Maggie’s Cancer...

Is technological intervention in wine-making a good thing? The jury’s still out, as Guy Chatfield explains IF I said to you that modern winemaking involved...

Ashoka chain set to offer culinary classes at Motherwell College THE husband and wife team behind the Ashoka restaurant chain have launched a new cook...

Every year, The Ben provides much-needed financial support to former members of the trade who have fallen into difficult times. New president Gordon Bell outlines the charity’s goals and how you, operators and bar staff, can help it continue to help those in need.

Trade group the Scottish Beer & Pub Association today launches a major campaign to help pubs prepare for a major change in licensing law. On October 1 it becomes a mandatory condition for the holders of all premises and occasional licences to have an age verification policy in place. Part of the drive to combat underage sales, the policy must instruct staff to ask for a customer’s identification (in the form of a passport, European photocard driving licence or other prescribed document) if they appear under 25 when attempting to buy alcohol.

WM Morton director John Gilligan has been confirmed as the new sales boss of Tennent Caledonian Breweries. The industry veteran will head the sales team for Tennent’s, Scotland’s biggest alcohol brand, after being headhunted by C&C chief operating officer Stephen Glancey. The move reunites Gilligan, who joins on September 12, with several former Scottish & Newcastle execs now in senior roles at C&C, including Glancey and John Dunsmore, CEO of the Dublin-based firm.

BAR and nightclub operators have been urged to join forces and oppose a proposed hike in music licence fees. Donald MacLeod, whose company, CPL, operates The Garage, Tunnel and Cathouse nightclubs in Glasgow, has called on the trade to mount a robust defence against the proposals, which could see operators charged significantly more for ‘specially featured entertainment’, in other words DJs in bars, clubs and hotels.

SMIRNOFF has teamed up with Madonna for the latest stage of its Nightlife Exchange Project. The promotion has already seen Smirnoff hosting events in...

Forthcoming Alcohol Act puts age-restricted sales in spotlight NEW legislation coming in on October 1 puts into stark relief the first commandment in the licensee’s...