£90 Million Boost For UK Tourism (and Pub Trade?)

More good news for the hospitality sector; HMG has committed a further £90 million to help promote the UK as a place to visit and do business in. Forecasts are that some 32.6 million people will visit these shores during 2014, spending some £21.5billion!

New markets for our visitors to come from include China, Malaysia, South Korea and Mexico, and new (relaxed) visa regulations are forecast to see a step change in visitor numbers from these countries.

Now being that pubs are in the center of hospitality in the UK and being that "to visit a British Pub" is often on the list of reasons to visit the UK, it seems to me there is a few quid to be made here by our over-worked, under-paid (apparently) licensees.

I have tried to work out on my calculator that if say 20% of the £21.5 billion is spent in pubs and that there are some 50000 pubs left, how much could each see in their tills? Unfortunately my calculator does not allow for such large numbers, all it tells me is that there is plenty to go around!

Which pubs will benefit the most? I'll bet it's those that market their businesses the best! 'Hospitality' is the Bedrock of the UK economy, so says a report from Visit Britain and their GREAT campaign; The Great British Pub is at the heart of it!!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Wetherspoon Take The Throne for 'Loo of The Year'

Ask a pub-goer why they choose one pub over another and you will hear loads of reasons: the food, the range of beer, the other customers, the staff, the prices and special offers, live music, live sport, location, car parking, the log fire, the atmosphere, the landlord, newspapers, Wi-fi, coffee, customer care and many more wonderful reasons.

Ask any pub-goer why they wouldn't visit a particular pub ever again (and also tell everyone they know not to visit) and you can be sure that the number one reason will be… "Their toilets stink!"

Congratulations to J D Wetherspoon who have once again won the national pub category in the Loo of the Year 2013 awards. They also have the highest number of gold and star entries (individual toilets are judged zero to platinum by independent assessors).

Loo of the Year managing director Mike Bone said "Wetherspoons exciting and wonderfully equipped toilets not only exceed expectations, they also meet the needs of adult users, children, babies and people who need an accessible facility. Their toilets have the WOW factor".

What a fabulous accolade for a chain of pubs totalling some 900 in the country, if a pub chain with 900 outlets to care for can do it, surely Fred and Mable running the Dog and Duck can do it?

Knowledgeable Bar Staff Sell More Beer

Fred, a long way from home, popped into the Dog and Duck, longing for a pint of good traditional 'real beer' (call it cask ale, call it hand pulled, call it cask conditioned, call it non fizz, call it dry hopped) call it what you like but the essence is that it is brewed naturally and is created from only four main ingredients:

• Hops – to add flavour and aroma
• Malt – to provide fermentable sugars
• Liquor – the brewer’s name for water
• Yeast – to start the fermentation process

Each individual brewer then puts his or her 'Chef’s Hat' on and brews to their own recipe. That's why the fabulous range and diversity of Cask Ales exists within the pub world. Different flavours, colours, strengths, hops, barley, liquor (water), tastes, head retention (the foam), different lacing (the foam as it sticks to the glass), different smell, different glasses to serve it in, different methods of dispense (top fill, bottom fill), different knowledge needed to understand its constitution et al. And all information available for hundreds of beers via Cyclops!

Cyclops Beer is a way of describing beer so that you can find out quickly and easily what a beer will look, smell and taste like. It tells you whether a beer is hoppy or sweet and helps you to discover what you like and what you don’t, so that choosing a beer becomes easier in the future.

British beer is incredibly varied with a whole host of different styles and tastes. Cyclops will help you to discover more about the many thousands of different beers available and make your choice at the bar easier. So are you a hophead, a sweet tooth or a balance of both? Is your favourite beer dark and smoky or golden and grapefruity? Over 1500 beers have been 'Cyclopsed'.

Back to Fred, he looked along the bar counter and saw three choices of Cask Ale on sale. Now, since he was well away from his home territory he had never come across any of them. He asked the bar person to take him through the range and what do you know, the bar person had no idea! Now Fred figured that if they don't know about the beer they sell, then they probably don’t look after it too well either, so he left and went to the Kings Head along the road - where he found a bar person who knew their stuff (It ain't rocket science).

So come on you Landlords, train your staff to be knowledgeable (knowledge is power). Come on an Inn-Dispensable Beer Quality course, learn how to sell the highest quality beer and use Cyclops to impress your customers and keep them from going elsewhere!

Beat your local competition by selling top quality products with top quality knowledge. And all of you customers; get more demanding, ask staff for advice, see what they know. You wouldn’t buy a new computer without expert advice I’ll bet!

Alcohol Advertising Ban in Blackpool

There is little doubt that Britain's Las Vegas, Blackpool, is under pressure to maintain its long and hard earned reputation for fun and frolics. It might soon become the ghost town of closed saloons! The lights might go on shining but there will be little fun to be had.

The council there are now seeking to ban all alcohol advertising outside of pubs. Additionally, they're also looking to ban many licensed outlets from remaining open after 3.00am, known as an EMRO (an Early Morning Restriction Order).

So signs of "Fine Ales", "Cask Condition Ales sold here", "Enjoy a Pint of Fine Ale" et al could become a thing of yesteryear in the bastillion town of good Northern beer!

At a council scrutiny committee meeting recently the members concluded that advertising alcohol "helps encourage an acceptance of drinking and re-enforces positive images of alcohol". Well what do you know, that is the very purpose! They have a concern that young people in particular are enticed by such advertising and are seduced into excess consumption.

I am all for the responsible retailing and consumption of alcohol, and the industry really is doing lots to educate the younger drinker of the perils, but introducing more and more laws and restrictions will only serve to make alcohol itself appear like stolen fruit and stolen fruit as we all know is much more attractive!

Education, Education, Education is the answer, not legislation

Latest Research Reveals Alcohol is Good For Health and Sex

I always knew that my dear old Dad was right when he told me "Son, a little of what you fancy does you good … but all things in moderation". Now I learn that my favourite pastime, a visit to the pub for a few jars is good for me!

Tony Edwards, a science journalist and writer, has brought together leading research on the effects of alcohol and found that, far from being harmful, drinking could prevent illness. Red wine is best, and beer works too - but must still be drunk in moderation.

More good news, drinking can improve your sex life! Tony writes: In a 2009 study, the University of Florence asked 800 women aged between 18 and 50 to answer a standard questionnaire on 'female sexual function'. What did they discover? Teetotallers scored 68 per cent on sexual satisfaction, those who regularly drank a single glass of red wine 72 per cent, and those who often drank two glasses 76 per cent. Ah, but is this a causal relationship or just a correlation? In other words, does red wine marginally improve a woman’s sex life, or do the kind of women who choose to drink it also have a good sex life? We don’t know.

Male wine-drinkers haven’t yet had their sex lives investigated. The only data I can find is that a constituent of red wine increases the effectiveness of the erectile dysfunction drug, Levitra — but only if you’re a rat, perhaps some of my male buddies should be aware of this.

Tony also tells us in his new book, 'The Good News About Booze', that drinking is also good for many (many) ailments and writes: A businessman goes to his GP and complains "My hands hurt, I get a bit of a pain in my chest sometimes, and I’m beginning to forget things". The doctor examines him and says "You’ve got a touch of arthritis, possibly mild heart disease, and you may be in the first stages of dementia. How much are you drinking?". "Never touch a drop, doctor" says the patient proudly. "Ah, that explains it" says the GP, wagging an admonishing finger. "Here’s a prescription for red wine and a few pints of bitter".

So, buy his book and read it in the pub! You will get educated and improve your life chances at the same time (you will also be with like minded people) I think the research should also focus on the fact that a visit to the pub is good for you!

Oh, and before I get castigated; of course "Drink Responsibly".


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Former Government Drug Adviser Advocates Drug-use in Pubs

Real progress is being made in the academic world! We will soon be able to go down the pub and not only; not have a cigarette, but now not have a drink either. Professor David Nutt, he who was a government advisor but resigned from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in 2009 after a clash over policy has a new bold and cunning plan!

He is seeking funding (unsuccessfully) to develop a pill that mimics the effect of alcohol without the hangover (one of the joys of drinking in my experience). He claimed the drug would do for alcohol what the e-cigarette had done for smoking. The drug targets the brain to give the taker feelings of pleasure similar to the effects of drinking. However, an antidote can block the sensations immediately, leaving the user free to drive or return to work.

Prof Nutt said the drug could be taken in a range of cocktails. "I’ve done the prototype experiments myself" he said. "I’ve been inebriated and then it’s been reversed by the antagonist".

Is there something in his name do you think?

Not surprisingly the drinks industry has not yet been persuaded to contribute to his research funding.

What next, maybe a pill to replace food? Then we could go to the pub and not smoke, not drink and not eat, this would leave us plenty of time to chat and laugh with our mates. Ah, that’s the future for the pub?!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Successful Pubs Cater For Their Entire Local Community

There comes a time when contributing to the good of the community has to be balanced by commercial reality.

Can the greatest pub in the area really afford to continue letting the Dog Owners Society (nothing against dog owners!) of the village have a section of the restaurant area dedicated to them on the first Monday in every month, when two bottles of sparkling water is about the most they order? It’s a dilemma facing so many 'community pubs'.

'The pub' offers a terrific venue for so many obscure groups but they seldom want to pay for the privilege, and often only visit the local for this once a month meeting. But upsetting them by saying "sorry I am afraid you will have to find somewhere else" then gives the pub a (wholly undeserved) reputation locally of being skinflints (at best). There is an old adage from the rugby world which says "Kick one and fifteen limp" how true of local communities.

Being 'all things to all people' is the challenge facing our great unsung heroes; the husband and wife team who run the 'community local'. So many differing customer types and tastes to cope with and cater for: the local vicar, the local stone-waller, the local millionaire, the local bankrupt, the local drunk, the local flirt, the local do-gooder, the local author, the local celebrity, the local idiot, the local genius who knows how to run the pub better than you (well that applies to most of the list), the local recently bereaved widow, the local just out from the Nick, the local about to go into the Nick, the local who wants exclusive service, the local loudmouth, the local fighter, the local lover, the local singer, the local one-pint-a-night-man who wants the log fire lit just for him, the local who gets upset if someone sits in his seat, the local who always wants credit, the local who wants the music turned down, the local who wants the music turned up, the local who doesn’t want any music, the local who wants a different menu, the local who (constantly) tells you the beer is cheaper in Tescos (and Wetherspoon’s), the local who wants you to stock some obscure brand of gin and then doesn’t order any leaving you with dead stock, the local who complains that the quiz questions are too hard, the local who complains that the quiz questions are too easy, the local who says the lights are too bright, the local who says the lights are too dim, the local who says its too hot, the local who says its too cold, the local who wants you to provide the Daily Mail, the local who wants the Telegraph/Times/Mirror/Sun/Observer, the local who wants to sit and use your free Wi-fi whilst taking two hours to drink a half of shandy et all … and dear reader if you really want to have more, I can quote another twenty or so types!!

No wonder licencees are exhausted at the end of each day! And yet the good ones (and my word you need to be good these days) rise above all of these foibles of their cherished and valued customers and provide a terrific community service, and what’s more: I’ll bet the Dog Owners Club are not confronted and remain using the pub! Just perhaps they could spend a bit more?

Support your Local!!! They deserve every bit of your custom and you only get what you deserve. Use it or lose it! Support your local Landlord and Landlady, cherish the good ones, they can be few and far between!!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Timpson Adopts Whitbread's 300 Year Old Pub Management Model

There’s a new management philosophy being promoted and exulted called "Upside Down Management". The theory is that Head Office should set a few standards, then the 'front line' (in other words 'customer facing staff'), should run the business unhindered by HO interference.

It’s a bit similar to the introduction of tenancies in 1742 when Whitbread created them, in as much as the Whitbread Brewery brewed the ale, and the tenants interacted with the customers by selling it to them! Pretty simple model really. Here we are 271 years later seeing it being adopted by other retailers.

John Timpson, chairman of the shoe empire, is a leading advocate of trusting the front line staff to deliver the goods, and what a fine man he seems to be and what fine results his philosophy is achieving for his business.

Not only has he taken away the "Trust me I’m from head office" hierarchal approach and turned it upside down, he has removed all of the modern supply chain information obtained from data bases and computers, relying on motivated staff to forecast what is needed / when for their local store. Much more reliable in his experience! (perhaps a step too far for some retailers?).

Just to demonstrate his total belief in trusting staff, he even employs ex prisoners (about 10% of his staff). And what do you know, they perform brilliantly. Statistics prove that giving an ex prisoner a job, motivation and trust reduces recidivism from 61% to 19%. So, a great social contribution, as well as good business!

Here are some of the messages he offers around making this Upside Down system work:
• You need to recruit the best people, but (kindly) get rid of those who cannot respond to the trust placed upon them, or when they cannot deliver the business performance and growth others can.
• You need area mangers who understand that they are not there to 'tell' front line operators how and what to do; they are there to help grow each business by offering advice and support.
• You need to reduce the companies marketing spend and rely on local initiatives and word of mouth to do the job.
• You must pass power down to the front line for all operational matters.
• You must avoid putting in huge prescriptive regulations and rules just because 2% of the staff let you down (not always the ex prisoners by the way!). Instead, you need to trust the other 98% to deliver compensatory overall growth results.
• You need also to have a method of monitoring customer feedback.

Hang on, its 1742 all over again! And isn’t a lot of this just what we do in the tenancy world today?

We provide a low-entry-cost business opportunity, we set out a few standards (called an agreement), we then let the tenants run their businesses with support from an area manager. All we have to do as an industry is to find ways of Pub Cos/Brewers and Tenants to both get a fair return from their investment and efforts. Ah, there’s the rub … but it is not impossible!

By the way, I like to think that in Inn-Dispensable, we were 20 years ahead of Mr T, because this is exactly how our business model works which our chairman Phil Davison introduced all of those years ago, and I as MD have progressed and  developed ever since. We trust our tutors to deliver a great experience to all of our customers, and at HO we monitor customer feedback very closely.


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Scrapping The Personal Licence Is Insanity

If you have ever wondered how HMG views alcohol, and therefore pubs, well here is the government department in charge of all matters relating to alcohol: The Home Office. The Home Office amongst other things, deals with: Drugs, Crime, Counter Terrorism, Passports.

Alcohol and therefore pubs used to be under the control of The Department for Culture Media and Sport, they deal with; “Making Britain the most creative and exciting place to live in, VISIT and do business in”. Now all surveys dealing with why people visit Britain always have “visiting a British Pub“ high on the list, why then is our sector controlled by the department dealing with criminals, terrorists and drug dealers and not the department dealing with visitors and making Britain exciting?

Of course there are issues around alcohol, of course we need to sell and consume alcohol responsibly, of course we need to educate children on its adverse effects, of course we need to protect staff in A&E against abusive alcohol soaked idiots, of course we need to ensure bar staff do not sell to drunken people or underage children of course we need to reduce the cost to the country of alcohol abuse, of course we need to do something about days work lost though alcohol, of course we need to do something about domestic violence caused by alcohol, of course of course of course (the list goes on).

But hang on a minute, we do have an industry that employs around 900,000 people, generates billions in tax and satisfies all of those tourists, so now why is HMG proposing that we do a way with Personal Licences to sell alcohol? It is the one element of the 2003 Licensing Act that brought knowledge and professionalism to the trade and taught staff how to sell alcohol responsibly (my previous blogs offer a full description).

Here are some of HMGs (insane) proposals regarding Personal Licences:
• No-one need have one unless it is a condition impose by the Local Authority on the Premises Licence
• No-one need have Criminal Record check to sell alcohol unless stipulated as a condition on the Premises Licence
• Any training will be by way of a Training Certificate (not examination)

So currently we have a test of knowledge by way of examination which is the building block of getting young people onto a professional journey into the licensed trade; It works, it is respected, it is universal, it is inexpensive (around £150) it is held by around a quarter of a million bar staff.

Is it that as the numbers seeking a Personal Licence are dwindling (because so many have already obtained one) that HMG see a reduction in income for local authorities and so they want to devise something new for which they can charge? (Just one of the many conspiracy theories abounding).

If handed to local authorities, look out for the Politicisation of regulations around alcohol!

It is not broken do not mend it!!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Pub co or Freehouse?

This one is a long (long) read but worth getting to the bottom!!

Fred and Mary have always (for as long as they can remember) wanted to run a pub, they have no experience of running any sort of business what so-ever but as Fred has just lost his job and he is in his mid forties, they both reckon this is a good time to pursue that dream.

Mary, also in her mid forties, can easily give up her job behind the till at the local supermarket (when the time is right) not least because the £12k a year she earns for her full time duties has always seemed to her a poor reward for the effort she puts in.

Fred has been a store-man for a number of years at a local warehouse and his £19k pa is now lost, the company have however given him a redundancy package of £7k.

The three kids are at various stages of their education, with Sally doing A levels, Bert in year 9 and Rebecca in year 6. The combined wages of Fred and Mary over the past few years have been just about adequate to live quietly in their three bed semi, holidays and luxuries however have been sparse to say the least. They have maintained a mortgage on their property and have build up an equity stake of around £35k, they have little or no savings and so their fund to seek the pub of their dreams is around £40k.

Fred now has time on his hands and so starts his exploration of the various pubs available on the market and the various ways in which he and his missus could enter into the trade. He scours the web and finds there are “thousands” of pubs available and to his surprise finds there are many different ways in which to take one on, Free house, Tenancy with a tie, Tenancy without a tie, Free-house- free of Tie deal, Lease deal with a tie, Lease deal without a tie, Shared equity deal, Pub Management; all a bit confusing!

So he seeks advice, starting with his bank manager (same bank manager who told Richard Branson he would never make any money)who tells him to take up llama breeding in the Himalayas rather than take a pub, onto his solicitor (also Branson’s solicitor)who tells him he would be better off staying at home, getting hold of his cash and burning it in the fireplace as it would save time and effort in losing it. Undeterred however Fred does take one piece of advice from his solicitor; that as an entry point and first task he needs to get himself a Personal Licence (bit like getting a driving licence before you buy the car). Being equipped with this he is advised will at least have a bit of credibility with those who can asses his seriousness about taking on a pub.

He again scours the web and finds more “thousands” who deliver the course but settles on the most attractive looking company which offers not only the course but an on-going relationship should he eventually take on “The Dog and Duck” and yes you have guessed it he chooses Inn-Dispensable.

The course is brilliant, the tutor great and the result a pass for the BII Award for Personal Licence Holders, Inn-Dispensable then carry out his application for an actual Personal Licence and he is now “fully qualified” to take on a pub (well that is the only legal requirement!!)

Fred and Mary now decide it would be a good idea to again get in touch with that splendid tutor from Inn-Dispensable and learn about all of the upsides and downsides of the various ways in which they might invest their £40k and which of the bewildering options might best suit them.

Before Jack from Inn-Dispensable offers his advice he gently points out to F & M that “there is more to running a pub than pulling a few pints” “Really” say F&M, “what like”, well says Jack, “It is a business first and foremost and if you want to have half a chance of making it work, you need to be very expert in the following:

· Health & Safety/Risk Assessment
· Duties & responsibilities for Health & Safety at Work
· Risk Assessments
· RIDDOR
· First Aid
· C.O.S.H.H
· Fire regulations
· Manual Handling
· Employment Law
· TUPE (Transfer of Staff)
· Retail Legislation
· Consumer protection
· Mandatory conditions
· Weights and measures
· PRS & PPL
· WiFi
· Crime prevention
· Equality Act
· Smoking & Drugs
· Violence
· Finance Management
· Net & Gross Profit
· Book Keeping
· Gross Profit Calculations
· Sales Price Calculations
· Stocktaking
· Profit & Loss
· Cash flow
· Dish Costing
· V.A.T
· Budgets
· Breakeven
· Stock Control
· Stock taking
· Stock reports
· Ordering
· Security of cash
· Catering
· Menu planning
· Dish costing
· Food safety
· Enforcing agencies & legal requirements
· Storage, production and service of food
· Food Hygiene
· Legislation
· Gaming & Machines
· Legislation
· Maximising machine income
· Marketing & Merchandising
· Marketing Mix
· SWOT analysis
· Customer Occasions
· Business Trends
· Internal & External communication
· Customer Service
· The service profit path
· Effective service of products
· Selling skills
· Customer service path
· Business Planning  
· Mission statement & action planning
· Market position – SWOT/TOWS
· Competitor visits
· Modern Marketing Mix
· Pricing strategy
· Promotions diary
· Event planning checklist
· Setting C SMART objectives
· Retail standards and offer

Blimey says F &M how do we go about learning that little lot. Well says Jack, if you take the Pub Company deal ,they will put you on a course to cover it all, but if you take a Free-House , you will be on your tod! You will have to find it all on the web or pay a consultant to take you through it.
“Look” says Jack “I think the best thing you can do is to refine your search for the pub of your dreams along the lines of “what you can afford, where you want it to be, what sort of pub you want to run, how the kids can finish their education and what your lifestyle expectations are, then come back to me and we can work out the numbers and the way forward”.

Off go F & M, 500 miles and two months later they come back with two pubs they really want to pursue, one a Free house, the other a Pub Co lease.

Jack takes a look at the Balance sheet and Management Accounts of both pubs and what do you know they are identical with a turnover figure of £250k pa (ex VAT), bottom line profit of £30k (net of rent or finance charges), both around 180 barells a year,  same wet /dry mix, same margins, same wage costs, just about the same everything other than; the Free house is on the market for £400k and the Pub co lease is available for an ingoing of £22k plus a rent of £25k pa.

“We don’t mind either pub” says F & M , which is the best deal?

Well lets look at the numbers says Jack, but before we do I need to tell you that this is broad brush stuff, we as a company, do not offer accountancy advice, you will need to see your accountant to get a full appraisal but I can point out a few principle numbers, You would also be well advised to go onto our website and take the BII  PEAT (Pre Entry Awareness Training) course.

About the numbers; here goes;
The operational costs of running either pub are identical, so it’s the capital cost we need to view. Effectively if you take the pub co lease you will shell out ~£22k pa in rent but you will pay around £80 a barrel more for your beer (allegedly, this could change at any time if suppliers reduce their discounts to the Free trade) so over say ten years you will pay out a sort of premium of 10 x £22k plus 10 x 180 x £80 per barrel = £364k. At the end of the ten years you can sell the lease on for whatever you can get but likely (certainly) no less than the £22k you paid originally so net cost of this deal around £342k. With the other deal if you borrow say £380k at say 6% (currently but will never be as low again? Could grow to 10% plus over the next ten years) = £22.8 pa plus ten year repayment at £38k pa = £50.8k pa first year  and near to £500k over the ten years (but you get whatever you can achieve back when you sell it!
So “You pays your money and takes your choice!”.

Only one (major) flaw in all of this says Jack… “You haven’t got £400k to buy the Freehouse. Well, not unless you can borrow around £360k - go try and borrow it!”.

F & M return a few days later after seeing six bank managers and have discovered they could get easy loans to run the llama breeding centre in the Himalayas but naff all to buy a pub! “So it looks like the pub co deal for us?”, “I think so” says Jack “But we have heard so many bad stories and bad press articles about pub cos, what do we actually get from them compared to that if we really could have afforded that Freehouse?”. Well let me give you a list of the differences, you get the following from your pub co but not if you could have afforded the Freehouse (which you cant):

You get a low cost entry into running your own business which fulfils the dream you have always had
You get an induction course to give you every piece of information you need to run a successful pub
You get a dedicated Business management development manager free to support you.
You get promotional activity on an on-going way
You get invitations to company exhibitions and seminars
You get access to on-going training courses
You will get help with repayment of your trading account if you fall behind (if you were a Freehouse the suppliers will simply cut off goods if you do not pay on time)

And remember this, a pub co can only succeed if you succeed, they have a total interest in seeing you succeed, without you, they do not have a business”.

F & M go on to get the Pub co deal and live happily ever after.

The freehouse sold and went bankrupt 2 years later.

The Personal Licence System Works. So, Why Ditch It?

As I blogged previously; the Government has launched a consultation on the possible abolition of Personal Licences. No idea where this latest government gem came from, but they claim it's about "reducing red tape". More likely it's about mending something that isn’t broken!

The proposal should be opposed, as the new idea they have in mind to replace the existing system is a potential disaster, and has attracted much criticism from just about all informed industry players.

HMG suggest that, in place of Personal Licences, they envisages that licensing authorities are given greater flexibility to impose conditions on premises licences at a local level, for example, for staff to undergo training. Imagine doing away with national vehicle driving licences and letting local authorities set local training for drivers? Good idea?

Some local Authorities might decide it would be best to drive on the right-hand side, and introduce training courses and qualifications thus to do. Now that would be really progressive (well, until you drive into the next 'LA' territory!).

Most industry players see the Personal Licence as one of the better innovations of the 2003 Licensing Act. It offers a national standard of knowledge, challenges bar staff to study and prove knowledge of the law and how to sell alcohol responsibly, gives them a step on the ladder of professionalism, protects customers from violence and drunkenness, protects children from harm and neighbours from nuisance - and is recognised across the country.

Pretty good objectives in my view! So why change it?


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Pub Sales Increase By 10-23% As A Result Of Tax Parity Day

Around 15000 pubs took part in the Tax Parity Day last Wednesday, a campaign (see previous blogs) to seek to have a reduction in VAT for pubs - thereby giving tax parity with supermarkets.

The 15000 pubs reduced their prices on the day so that the new price reflected what would happen if VAT was reduced to 5%, and what do you know? Sales went up!

Many operators recorded increased sales, with Amber Taverns up between 10% to 23%, St Austell up 10% and JDW boss Tim Martin reporting that "Tax Parity Day was an outstanding success with sales up approximately 20%". Many others reported similar success stories.

The theory remains the same; reduce VAT in pubs to give parity with supermarkets and sales will grow. This will create more jobs (700,000 more jobs created in countries that have so far bitten the bullet and reduced VAT) this in turn will increase tax revenue (each extra £3 pint sold in a pub produces £1 in tax and £1 in wages).

A long hard slog, but eventually...??


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Tips for Promoting Pub Trade When The Sun Stops Shining

It has often been said that the greatest salesman for the pub trade is the sunshine. No doubt about it, a sunny day encourages many to pop down the pub for a refreshing pint. So what do we do when the clocks go back, the sun stops shining and those dark dreary nights are upon us? Well, what we do is lay on great events for pub goers to enjoy!

Do you know that eight out of ten people count themselves as “pub goers” and that fifteen million (yes million) visit the pub once a week. The campaign “Its better down the pub” (see my previous blogs) continues to encourage people to support their 'local' more.

There are some great dates coming up: Halloween is now the third largest party date in the pub calendar (after Christmas and Easter), followed by Bonfire Night - when many pubs lay on a firework display. The month of November is re-named “Movember” when men across the world grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for male health charities - much of which happens “down the pub”. 'Cask Ale Week' happens to promote the quality and variety of Cask Ale. And then of course the Christmas season. These are all 'special dates', and so many pubs now lay on really imaginative fun activities to celebrate them.

So look out for what is happening in your local and get on down there!

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Should We Scrap Personal Licences And Risk Lawlessness in UK Pubs?

Personal Licences were introduced as part of the new Licensing Act 2003 (introduced on November 24th 2005) to effectively provide a qualification by way of training and examination, thereby ensuring those who sell alcohol (and authorise others to sell alcohol) actually know the law of the land and how to ensure alcohol is sold responsibly.

Sound thinking and sound rationale, which replaced the previous system where new licencees had to appear before a magistrate's bench and be challenged on their knowledge of licensing laws - with no national standards of interrogation. So far so good. Thousands of bar staff, off-licence staff and supermarket staff, etc, have achieved the required qualification which in turn has given them a foot on the ladder of professionalism in our industry. So why now should HMG believe it is not fit for purpose? Is it because local authorities have been so depleted of resource, they cannot cope with the administration? Is that what is really behind it?

There are flaws in the Personal Licence system, for example a pub could legally get by with just one Personal Licence Holder (who might also be the Designated Premises Holder, the person in overall charge of the day-to-day running of a Licenced Premises) then have another 6 staff who sell alcohol under the authority of the Personal Licence Courses Holder (you still with me?) but those 6 staff would not have need to have a CRB check (part of the Personal Licence requirement) at all and so could be villains galore.

Maybe the answer is that ALL those selling alcohol should have a Personal Licence, not do away with them?

If our industry is serious about raising professionalism, then understanding the Licensing Law is a vital start point. There's no point in studying: customer service, cellar management, financials controls, wine dispensing, menu planning, employment law, marketing, merchandising, chalkboard skills, pricing strategies, competitor activity - and about another 30 items that a real professional licencee or bar person needs to know - if the first thing you do is to serve someone under-age, or someone who appears to be intoxicated, or serve someone outside of permitted hours, only to find yourself heavily fined or sent to Prison!

Once again we see the UK Government looking to interfere where interference is not needed!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Pubs to Drop Drinks Prices on September 25th

The campaign for a VAT reduction to 5% for the pub industry (Tax Parity Day) is hotting up!

The planned day of action looms where thousands of pubs are due to reduce their prices by 7.5% which would mirror the effect of the reduction of VAT to 5%, the anticipated effect of the action days is to see growth in sales of 8%. Sorry about all of the numbers, but it is a mathematical equation to underpin the message that a permanent VAT reduction would see growth of employment and development in the leisure sector.

Tax parity twixt pubs and supermarkets is the goal in all of this, which in turn would likely persuade more people to visit the pub rather that sit lonely at home supping Ale!

Here is the argument; Supermarkets in effect pay little or no VAT on food whereas pubs pay 20%, this enables supermarkets to subsidise their sales of alcohol, this in turns results in a huge gap between pub and supermarket prices. The VAT Club, headed up by Jaques Borel (see my previous blogs) are seeking to have VAT in pubs reduced to 5%, and their case is; Since a pint in a pub is three to four times more expensive than a supermarket the cash VAT per pint levied by the government would be similar in supermarkets and pubs if VAT was reduced as they suggest.

Just one issue, it apparently would cost HMG £12 billion to do it!

Support your pub, visit it on the day of action, put Wednesday 25th September into your diary!

Newcastle Introduce Minimum Alcohol Pricing

"Call me Dave" (Cameron) couldn’t get it introduced, and so Newcastle City Council have gone alone and have introduced a minimum price per unit of alcohol of 50p as a price condition for all new licensed premises - in the on and off trades across the city.

Licensing solicitors John Gaunt suggest that this is not mandatory as the council says that it will 'encourage' compliance and says "it will be interesting to see what happens if and when the Licensing Authority choose to impose such a condition, and whether it will then stand up to the scrutiny of the higher courts".

Newcastle first, the rest of the country tomorrow?

Interesting eh?

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Is Now The Right Time to Buy a Holiday Home…or Pub?

Just returned from holiday in Spain. Great golf, weather, wine and friends - all adds up to happy days!

Took the opportunity to view a number of the (reportedly) 1 million properties for sale (most of them empty), and gee whiz talk about “over-subscribed”. Amongst many, we viewed one sensational Penthouse, original asking price 850,000 Euros, now asking for 300,000 Euros (and I reckon if you offered them 250000 you would get it).

Rented a brilliant apartment situated on the 18th green of a great golf course, owned by a British couple who have had it for 12 years, now seeking to sell it, problem is they are asking (and need) 239,000 Euros for it, but similar properties nearby, taken in as distressed assets by the Bank, are available at half of this! Their rent levels have also dropped by 20% as more competition is driving down the amount they can achieve.

Is now the time to buy?

Any parallels with the Pub scene in the UK? Too many pubs for too few customers - or best time to take that free-house or lease?

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Under-age Alcohol Sales Laws Courses

We've been running a few courses recently regarding "Prevention of under-age alcohol sales", with a wide range of delegates from pubs, supermarkets, garages and a number of Licensing Officers attending our training.

As a result, no confusion any more:

1. No, you can't sell alcohol to a 16 year old when they eat a meal.
2. No, you can't allow an unaccompanied under 16 year old in without an 18 plus year old to accompany them.
3. Yes, a 16 year old can drink beer, cider or wine with a meal, providing it is purchased by someone over 18, and they accompany them whilst they eat the meal.
4. Yes, a 16 year old can enter a licensed premises, unaccompanied.
5. No, you can't purchase alcohol for anyone under 18.
6. No, you can't send anyone under 18 to purchase alcohol.
7. Yes, you can deliver alcohol to an under 18 year old, if it has been purchased by someone over 18.
8. Oh, and yes, you can be fined up to £5000.
9. Yes, you can be fined up to £20000 for persistent sales to under 18s.

...and yes there are about 30 other laws and regulations about under age sales.

Want to learn more? Phone 02392 345 679. More courses planned!

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Minimum Pricing of Alcohol To Be Dropped

"Call me Dave" Cameron has seen the light and backed away from his "Tough on alcohol pricing" commitment and will be walking away from the plan and eating his words.

I argued with myself in previous blogs and finally came down on the side of supporting the idea, on the grounds that any initiative to reduce the retail price gap twixt pubs and supermarkets would benefit pubs. Well now it’s gone (or going away) to be replaced by a more modest policy with the introduction of a ban on selling very cheap prices or loss leaders.

Most informed people within the industry thought it would never happen, and so it has proved to be. So pubs continue with the challenge to sell on "Value" not on "Price", and what fabulous value. Meet your pals, enjoy good company, watch a match, eat great pub grub, stop being lonely, sit by a warm fire, read a newspaper, play darts , find a romance, contribute to a charity, entertain friends, listen to a band, laugh, tell jokes, hear jokes and much more.

So a pint sat at home for £1.20 versus all of the above for another £1. No contest in my view!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

7.5% VAT Cut In Pubs and Restaurants for 'Tax Parity Day'

Jacques Borel, the 'VAT cut' campaigner has recruited some heavyweight players to join his "National day of Action" where pubs, restaurants et al will reduce their prices by 7.5% to show just what happens with such a reduction. In France when this was trailed, sales grew by some 8% on the day of action.

His campaign is to persuade government to reduce VAT from 20% to 5%, thereby giving tax parity compared to supermarkets for the 'on–trade'. His claim is that such a reduction would mean more growth, sales and employment within our sector. The 7.5% reduction on the day of action is the impact that it is estimated would result from the desired VAT cut to 5%.

Tim Martin the hero of JD Wetherspoon commented "We wholeheartedly support this initiative for Tax Parity Day, we are aiming to make it our busiest day of the year".

Says Jacque "Creating Tax parity between pubs, Restaurants and supermarkets will fulfil many government objectives. It will create jobs, and will raise the amount of taxes the government receives, since pubs and restaurants pay more taxes and create more jobs than supermarkets. It’s a win–win situation for government, voters and our industry".

Many say he is swimming against the tide. Well, many people also said that the chancellor wouldn't stop the Duty Escalator. But he did, didn’t he!

Who knows, with so many of the top players supporting Jacque, he could well work a miracle. Who else is supporting this? Well, catch a load of these top names; Heineken, Brains, Sheperd Neame, Punch, Charles Wells, Pizza Hut, Subway and Roadchef!

Look out for it in your local. September 25th is the date – book a table! And good luck say we.


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

'Medicinal' E-Cigarettes And The Pub Industry

A good mate of mine, a lifetime smoker is desperately trying to kick the habit. He has tried it all; cold turkey, patches, counselling - you name it, he’s tried it. Now however, the one thing that is really helping him, 'e-cigarettes' are under threat.

Firstly J D Wetherspoon have banned them from all of their pubs. Their reason is a credible one, in as much as they claim these 'cigarettes' are very difficult to distinguish from the real thing, and so their staff are having to “police the pubs” - distracting them from their real job of serving customers.

The CEO of E-Lites Adrian Everett however claims there can be no confusion because his product gives off a green light. He (not surprisingly) wants to see more pubs allow and encourage them, to help individuals kick the tobacco habit and for the greater health of the nation.

Professor John Britton head of the BMA’s Tobacco control Group says e-cigarettes will save the lives of 5 million smokers if they use these instead of tobacco!

E-cigarettes, which use a vapour containing nicotine are now however to face more regulation and will in 2016 be re-classified as MEDICATION. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has said that it does not recommend people use e-cigarettes but has not banned them as it will likely drive smokers back to tobacco.

In the meantime my mate continues his battle. It will be interesting to know just how many pubs allow them or disallow them. Just another battle for our industry!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Where There's a Will, There's a New Way to Sell Alcohol

Following on from the news that JD Wetherspoon have successfully gained a licence to open a licensed outlet on a motorway, I now bring news of a motor vehicle that is a licensed outlet itself! – So you travel to one and the other travels to you!

Will Spiers, a bright your entrepreneur. recently passed the APLH on one of our courses and has launched his new business. You will see from the picture that his business is that of a converted Volkswagen Camper Van, imported from the USA which will perform as a travelling high-end bar. Champagne, fine wines, etc. 'The Camper Vin' (very clever) will be seen at race meetings, parties, music festivals, et al.

We wish Will all the best for his new venture, and who knows, one day he may have 12 of them on the road! Thanks for choosing Inn-Dispensable, Will.


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Providing Personal Licence Training for a Wide Range of Personalities

One of the great joys of running a training business in the licensed sector is the sheer diversity of our customer profile and venue location.

One minute we might be running a session at The Inner Temple of the Law Courts, the next minute in a skittle alley in the depths of who knows where. Then on to Les Ambassadors Club in the heart of Mayfair, London and the store room of an off-licence. We work with police officers, licensing officers, students, pub owners, club owners, a mobile "cut in half" Volkswagen owner, tea rooms, village halls, rugby, football, cricket, you name it clubs. And now and again a famous person.

Here's the latest:
Adam Henson, TV presenter and owner of The Cotswold Farm Park, recently commissioned Inn-Dispensable to obtain a Premises Licence and to train all of his staff when he recently began selling alcohol at the Farm Park.

And here is what Adam kindly said...
Adam commented "The professionalism and expertise of the Inn-Dispensable team was invaluable throughout the whole process".


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Campaigns Against Ever-Rising Pub Closures

Against a background report from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), that in the six months to March this year, an increased rate of pub closures went up from eighteen per week to twenty six per week, the industry and other parties are stepping up their tremendous efforts to protect and promote our pub industry.

Here are a few things that are happening;
A new consumer campaign, complimentary to the campaign I blogged on last week (Pubs are Great) has been launched to celebrate Britain’s passion for pubs. “Its Better Down the Pub” encourages pub goers to celebrate why they love pubs so much.  Take a look on YouTube at the video. There are some heavyweight players behind the campaign including Admiral Taverns, The BII, Everards, Fullers, The Pub is the Hub and SIBA (Society Independent Brewers) and many other supporters.

Then there is Jacques Borel continuing with his campaign to have VAT reduced for the Hospitality Sector, some £1.4 million has so far been spent on the campaign and Mr Borel boasts that in 6o countries across the world where he has run similar campaigns, he has been successful in 58 of them! In addition to his belief that a reduction will drive job opportunities he further argues that with an election not too far away, politicians will be eager to demonstrate any way in which they can reduce un-employment. Some senior politicians seem to rubbish his rationale…we will see.

Then we have the Skills Sector for Hospitably forecasting that 50% of all employers will take on an apprentice, this will do wonders to raise the skill level and customer care levels within pubs.

Politically, another campaign to save pubs from closure is running via CAMRA. “List you Local” encourages residents to list their local pub as an “Asset of Community Value”, once listed it gives more time and opportunity to explore other options rather than closure.

And how about UKIPs campaign “Save the Pub” no matter what your politics are, saving the pub seems a pretty neutral political thrust but only UKIP claim to be the Political Party for The Pub (their words not mine!).

Here's another for you “Fair Deal for Your Local” - even more political this one, I chose to stay out of this debate! Not sure where HMG is with Minimum Pricing but I guess it is still on an agenda somewhere!

As for Inn-Dispensable, we continue with our efforts to raise Knowledge Skill and Attitudes of staff within pubs throughout our extensive range of courses!

All of this combined surely must have an impact on encouraging customers back into the pub?


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Key Points to Running a Successful Pub - From a Winner

How refreshing to read of Mahdis Neghabian experience of being a judge in this years BII’s Licensee of the Year, having herself triumphed last year.

Here are some of the reflections she makes; The competition forces you to:
Turn the mirror onto your own business and ultimately improve it
Be original
Be innovative
Examine all aspects of the following:-
    •    Socially responsible alcohol retailing
    •    Customer service
    •    Marketing
    •    Using new media effectively
Take a step back to view your business as the customer views it

I knew we have been doing something right at Inn-Dispensable because we've been featuring all of these messages (and more) within our courses for the last 20 years. The challenge is to get more licensees like Mahdis to actually DO IT!

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

'Pubs are Great' Campaign To Promote UK Tourism

A combined initiative to promote British Pubs, who would have thought it?

What is: a great product, one of the world’s greatest institutions and the third most popular reason given by tourists for visiting Britain?…THE BRITISH PUB!

And so the BBPA (British Pub and Beer Association) have teamed up with Visit Britain to launch a campaign to encourage people to visit pubs.

The marketing will be titled 'Pubs are Great' and HMG will be involved, as their Visit Britain campaign will give support to the initiative.

Is this what "Dave" meant when he recently said, "We are going to do more to help the British Pub"? Let's hope so. More of it say I!

Thought for the day: "It's never too late"

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

Pro-pub MP Downplays VAT Cut

The battle lines are being drawn! The PMA reports that Chairman of the All-party Beer Group Andrew Griffiths has declared campaigns designed to persuade the Chancellor to cut VAT for the hospitality sector as an "exercise in fantasy politics". The MP said that "As a politician I couldn’t seriously go into the Treasury and, with a straight face, make the case for a VAT cut like this."

Thought for the day: “Well he would say that wouldn’t he”

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Life Doesn't Have to Be Taxing – Says Octoganarian Businessman

85 years old, French, decorated with the Legion D’Honneur, war hero, rich, innovator, self-made and claims to have created 650,000 new jobs as a result of his campaigning! And that’s just a bit of his life story!!

Jacques Borel the name, inspirational the man!

His campaign, simple; reduce VAT on Food and Drink, up go sales and profit, up go jobs! Easy to summarise? Difficult to achieve? absolutely, but he has achieved it across many countries and now he is focusing on Britain!

If you want to be inspired, if you want to see real strategy designed to address cause not effect, do no more than read Roger Protz brilliant interview with “The Man” in the Publican/Morning Advertiser. Fantastic!!

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

A Plea For Minimum Alcohol Pricing Leadership

In a Blog some months ago I had a torturous argument with myself as to whether I supported Minimum Pricing or not, eventually on the grounds that it would contribute somewhat to helping The British Pub, I came down in favour of a Yes!

Now today 12 very influential CEOs within our industry have written in the Telegraph with a similar plea to “Call me Dave” to “stick to his guns” and bring in the measure.

The argument goes something like this:
Minimum pricing will not solve all of our alcohol-related ills, but it will help to encourage responsible drinking and curb excessive drinking. All too often customers arrive at licensed premises already blitzed, often to be refused entrance. They then go onto cause mayhem in town centres which in turn reflects badly on pubs and clubs, but its nothing to do with them because the alcohol has been consumed at home beforehand!! Pretty unfair, Eh?

In their letter, they urge Dave (my term) “not to waste the opportunity” and ask that he continues to show courage and leadership in theses difficult times. Bit of a different degree of courage that Maggie (God rest her soul) had to show when the Falklands were invaded. But never the less Dave needs to follow up his pledge of some time ago that minimum Pricing is a pillar of conservative policy.

The Treasury are opposing the introduction, and several ministers have argued that it will penalise the majority of drinkers - so time to be counted Dave. The British pub needs all of the support it can get. 1 million jobs, £8 billion raised in taxes!

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Fantastic Alcohol Course at Historic Brewery

I ran a course recently for delegates to take an ARAR qualification (Award for Responsible Alcohol Retailing) sponsored by the great generosity of SAB Miller and hosted by the great generosity of Hook Norton Brewery.

We were very kindly allowed the privilege of running the session in the oak-panelled, age-old, Board Room of Hooky, a board room which must have had on the agenda; creating a “tied trade” way back in 1859. The directors no doubt discussed the benefits such a system would bring to tenants who did not have the wherewithal to buy their own pubs! So whilst the tied system has its issues today, lets not knock totally a system that in this instance has been successful for over 150 years!

This is a fabulous traditional brewery in the heart of a country village, which was founded in 1849. SAB Miller was of course founded in Johannesburg in 1895, so a youngster compared to Hook Norton.

But my how these two brilliant companies have progressed, and how they both see the value of promoting and supporting “Responsible Alcohol Retailing”. The two businesses combine tradition with modernity and demonstrate the way an age-old industry needs to adapt to current matters.

I would mention that during a coffee break I peeked into the hand-written ledgers in the boardroom and could have stayed there all day fascinated by such history (and prices for a barrel of Hooky!)

A great day for the delegates (all of whom passed) - and a great day for me.

Thank you SAB Miller and Hook Norton, and thank you to the BIIAB for a great qualification.

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

The Next On-going Pub Battle!

New powers have been given to councils across the UK, under the National Planning Policy Framework, to give greater protection to community pubs; the trick is to get more councils to make use of them!

Some 18 pubs continue to close each week and we need councils to follow the lead of Cambridge, Bristol and a few others in creating Pro-Pubs policies.

All too often loopholes in the planning system allow a pub to be knocked down and turned into a supermarket, betting shop or payday loan shop. Once a pub has gone it really has gone and will not be replaced!

CAMRA that mighty and good organisation is supporting the Save the Pub groups campaign to encourage councils to use policies to support and protect pubs with strong local policies. We at Inn-Dispensable are also doing all we can to add our weight to this worthy cause.

These efforts must be backed up by the Government to close loopholes that allow pubs to be demolished or converted to other uses without local community consultation.

All who contributed to the Beer Duty Escalator issue and won, can now show another united front to protect one of the worlds Greatest Institutions: THE BRITISH PUB.

Personal Licence Training from Inn-dispensable

Another Possible Attack On The UK Pub Trade

The UK Government are apparently planning to add "public health" onto the list of licensing objectives where authorities are wanting to introduce CIPs (cumulative impact policies).

This policy will restrict the existence and growth of licenced premises in certain areas. A licensing authority can introduce a CIP on the grounds that a new pub will add to crime and disorder.

Gerald Gouriet a highly respected QC, speaking recently a major trade event explained that; "It will be hard for a licencee to say that their premises will not harm health in the area, it is already difficult enough to demonstrate that a pub does not add to crime, disorder and nuisance. The industry is going to be fighting a real battle where all of the weapons are on the other side. We are going to be defenceless!".

Oh dear, what a grim prognosis.

Thought for the day: "Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left" Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Personal Licence Training from Inn-dispensable