Blog | Magnify Marketing

Springboks in the Leicester Square

1st December 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

You open your doors and your never quite sure who is going to walk in so you can imagine the surprise when a lot of abnormally large men walked in with South African accents. They were of course THE SPRINGBOKS fresh from their victory over England at Twickenham. Great to see genuine stars (unlike the x-factor variety) who can relax and enjoy themselves as well as having quality banter with the staff. They clearly loved the food coming out (they were the biggest steaks on the menu) and great to see staff able to offer great service and enjoy themselves at the sametime. Great experience for everyone!...

Mixologists drive sales

23rd November 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

Many bar owners and managers aren't aware of it, but each year there are multiple opportunities for bartenders to show off their skills by competing for mixologist awards. If your bartender won an award for a drink that he or she created, it would create a buzz for your bar and would garner a lot of free press. Depending on the rules of the contest, you could also feature the winning libation in your bar and tout it as an award winner. Check with liquor brands to see if they are offering contests. Brands like Bacardi and Skyy have hosted cocktail contests in the past. Also many cities and counties have their own competitions. Do you have a bartender who would make a good competitor? If you do, let them know about the contests, help them find more information about entering and support them to enter. If they place or win, it could mean a lot of publicity for your bar. Customers will want to taste...

Latest news

29th March 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

NEWS As National Cask Ale Week gets underway, an industry report has revealed that cask ale continues to outperform the declining beer market. Against a backdrop of a 5% fall in on-trade beer sales last year, total cask volumes are up by over 1% amongst the smaller brewers and turnover, by an average of 16%. morningadvertiser.co.uk The managing director of Adnams, Andy Wood, is to take over from Jonathan Adnams as the chief executive of the business. M&C Report Geronimo Inn has reported like-for-like sales up 6% and total turnover, which includes the six pubs the group bought from Punch Taverns, has increased by nearly 44% to date. thepublican.com According to a report in The Independent on Sunday, pub entrepreneur, David Bruce, is set to raise up to £10m for the next stage of his latest venture. Bruce has already raised cash to purchase and develop sites for the first phase of his Country Pub & Dining brand and is targeting 10 sites within...

Latest news…..

10th March 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

NEWS Four pub operators are launch members of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). Eat, Sleep & Drink's Felin Fach Griffin and Gurnard's Head, owned by the Inkin brothers, Geetie Singh's Duke of Cambridge in Islington and the Thomas Cubbitt in London's Belgravia, are among the 85 members of the not-for-profit SRA. morningadvertiser.co.uk Graduates struggling to find a job in traditional professions such as accountancy, banking and the media are being encouraged to run a pub by Punch Taverns. For the first time the company will make 236 properties available to graduates and other entrants to the business under an innovative new tenancy agreement called the Capital Builder. M&C Report Restaurant chain, Nando's, has been chosen as the number one company to work for in the Sunday Times list of the 25 Best Big Companies (over 5,000 employees) West Yorkshire brewery Saltaire scooped three awards at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) National Beer Competition 2010, including the title of Supreme Champion Beer 2010 for...

Latest news

2nd March 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

NEWS Former Caledonian Brewing director Martin Kellaway and former Tetley head brewer Ian Smith have teamed up to open their own brewery - the WharfeBank Brewery. morningadvertiser.co.uk According to the M&C Report, the Orchid Group has revealed ambitions to reach an estate of 500 pubs and plans to double its Bar Room Bar portfolio. The first sites of the proposed 60-strong pub restaurant expansion by Whitbread have been unveiled. The company will be opening two new-build Table Table restaurants in Barnsley and York in April. morningadvertiser.co.uk The Donnington Brewery in Stow-on-the-Wold has been named the UK's "Brewery of the Year" by the 2010 edition of the Good Pub Guide. thepublican.com Jamie Oliver has announced that he is to expand his high street restaurant chain Jamie's Italian with a new outlet planned for Bristol in 2011. caterersearch.com According to the Mail on Sunday, Sky is said to want to link up with the BBC and ITV to offer the World Cup in 3D. Abode Hotels, the firm founded...

Latest industry news

23rd February 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

NEWS According to new research from Experian, UK business failures are at their lowest level since June 2007. The data shows that businesses saw an 8% improvement in their financial strength score, improving from 79.46 in January 2009 to 81.16 in January 2010. M&C Report The M&C Report understands that the Tragus Group is to unveil a clutch of new openings in London. The operator is thought to be launching a new Café Rouge on Tottenham Court Road in April, along with a second site under the same brand, on Charing Cross Road in May. It's been a busy week at the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). They've appointed Colin Valentine as their new chairman and named the Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield as its National Pub of the Year, for the second year running. The American restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday has announced plans to open in Britain this summer. The company's first outlet will open in Cardiff in June according to a report...

Latest News 16th Feb 2010

16th February 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

The El Bulli restaurant, in the town of Roses, north of Barcelona, winner of the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards a record five times, is to close for good, according to The Independent on Sunday The 'celebrity' London members' club, Paramount, has struck a deal with creditors to stave off administration. The club, whose shareholders include Graham Norton and Stephen Fry, narrowly avoided collapse by wiping out 70% of its £1.4m debt after creditors agreed to a company voluntary arrangement (CVA). The Sunday Times JD Wetherspoon is backing plans to move the UK into the Continental time zone - in the hope that longer, lighter evenings will encourage increased trade. Mail on Sunday According to the M&C Report, James Horler, the former chief executive of La Tasca, has thrown his hat in the ring to buy the tapas casual dining business after news broke that a formal sale process is to be launched. The High Court has rejected PPL's attempt to block payback of...

Leon leading the way

8th February 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

Last week I had lunch in Leon - not that unsual as thousands of people eat in their every week! What I wanted to highlight was not only is the food good to go with all the hype - but the staff have a pride in it that I have not seen for a number of years! Chains having taken a real hammering recently but they set the bench mark for service and standards that are now considered the norm. The manager who served me loved the fact that I have neve been to a Leon before - explained how it worked and made some recommendations. The combination of quality environment, great food and serivce has left a really lasting impression and made me a real advocate - what do other people think or was a just a right person at the right time?...

Latest News

8th February 201011th March 2013 By PaulNo Comments

Wentworth MP and Minister for Housing and Planning, John Healey, has reportedly been handed his dream job in government - Minister for Pubs. Press over the weekend suggested that Healey had been appointed to aid the UK's 53,000 recession hit pubs. M&C Report According to a survey conducted by the Sunday Mirror, pubs are charging up to 60p more for a soft drink than a pint of beer. The survey revealed that a pint of standard bitter is cheaper than an equivalent amount of non-alcoholic drink such as cola and lemonade in almost half of Britain's pubs. Guy Ritchie is opening a British pub in New York in a move that will help him to maintain ties with his children. It is thought that Ritchie will recreate his London pub, The Punch Bowl, in New York's Tribeca area. Mail On Sunday The UK could be in line for its most blistering economic recovery in almost 40 years, according to an authoritative measure from...