Old Doctor Butler’s Head review: Square Mile’s best boozer? Life&Style All of these new luxury hotels opening up are making us believe that “discretion” is the key to luxury, and if that is the case, surely The Old Doctor Butler’s Head is the most opulent venue in London. Tucked down a pedestrian alley in the heart of the Square Mile, you only know it when [...]
Greene King boss: Pub industry ‘reaching breaking point’ Hospitality The finance boss of Greene King has warned that soaring taxes and employment costs have pushed the UK’s hospitality industry to “breaking point”. Jonathan Fearn, finance chief of the privately-owned pub chain, said decisions taken by the Labour government have “created a cocktail of costs, which have made it ever harder for a pub to [...]
Marstons shares soar as pub firm bets on sports bars Hospitality Shares in Marstons soared on Tuesday after the hospitality firm said it would ramp up efforts to convert more than 100 of its pubs into sports bars. The London-listed pub company said its new “Grandstand” format, which offers big screens and match-based food and drink offers, has been its “standout” performer this year. The World [...]
One pub shuts every day as Burnham tax cuts ‘not enough’ October 12, 2026 A pub is set to have closed its doors every day this year, as hospitality leaders say Andy Burnham’s tax cuts for hospitality have not gone far enough. About 360 pubs are expected to have called last orders in the whole of 2026, with 295 watering holes having shut for good so far this year, [...]
Wetherspoon boss blasts Soho’s ‘barmy’ vertical drinking crackdown October 4, 2026 JD Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin has blasted Westminster Council’s “barmy” curbs on vertical drinking, which he said are “inhibiting business”. Martin, the chairman of Britain’s best-known pub chain, has waded into a row over the Council’s restrictions on so-called “vertical drinking” in Soho and an effective ban on new pubs and bars in the [...]
Wetherspoon boss attacks Labour for ‘high street dereliction’ as profit falls October 2, 2026 Pub chain Wetherspoon has hit out at the government for causing “high street dereliction” by hiking taxes, as the company’s profit slipped by a quarter. The London-listed pub group saw revenue jump by five per cent to £2.2bn in the year to July – in line with analyst forecasts – though pre-tax profit fell further [...]
Bring ‘punishing’ high street taxes in line with banks, Healey urged October 1, 2026 John Healey has been urged to bring down the “punishing” tax burden facing the retail and hospitality industries, which is higher than any other sector. Hospitality businesses pay 82p in taxes for every pound and retail pays 72p, compared to the 40p paid by banks, according to new analysis by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) [...]
Can Brewdog get ‘equity punks’ onside in bid to move on from James Watt? September 30, 2026 Craft beer giant Brewdog has launched a reset under its American owners Tilray. Felix Armstrong explores whether the company can truly move on from James Watt Dessert-flavoured beer, provocative ad campaigns, waxy-mustached artisans – much about Brewdog’s long-anticipated reset feels familiar, as if the recently-collapsed craft brewer is really getting back to its roots. But [...]
New Brewdog owner mounts comeback from ‘horrible’ collapse September 29, 2026 The new owner of Brewdog has launched a comeback for the company after it collapsed earlier this year, blaming “horrible” sales during its change of ownership on “negative” media reports. The craft beer firm saw sales slump by as much as 20 per cent year on year following its takeover by US cannabis and drinks [...]
Last orders: Boss of under-fire pub regulator defends her record September 29, 2026 The Pubs Code Adjudicator, Fiona Dickie, is preparing to step away early next year. She tells Felix Armstrong why the beleaguered watchdog deserves a future Can an industry watchdog be effective if it has launched only two investigations in its 10 years of existence? Yes – at least according to Fiona Dickie, the Pubs Code [...]