The Lock In Pub Podcast

The Lock In team take a look at the challenges around reopening, from staff to stock levels, and get some top tips on marketing your business from guest marketing whizz Mark McCulloch. The team also get to grips with business minister Paul Scully and ask him what exactly this Government has against the pub trade. Tune in now!

We're talking finance and funding in this week's episode of the Lock In podcast. From the growing rent debt problem to thoughts on how to crowd funding, the podcast team speak to a couple of special guests on the topics and also discuss how consumer spending is likely to change and how operators can cut costs and boost margins. And James gets his legs out...

It has been a year to the day when the Prime Minister told customers to avoid going to the pub. The podcast team take a wry look at what has turned out to be an unprecedented year of challenge and struggle, which has brought out the best and the worst in the sector, and reflect on some of the lessons learnt. We also speak to a couple of suppliers, Aubrey Allen's Russell Allen and Hairy Dog Brewery's Jim Nolan, to get their view on the year. Tune in now.

The budget has been revealed, some would say before the budget was revealed, and the podcast team give their reaction to the Chancellor's hand outs and what it means for their businesses and wider hospitality. We also get some more considered analysis from hospitality veteran James Kowszun and the team test out and assess some new product launches.

With the roadmap to reopening the podcast team give their thoughts to the news, (spoiler,the reaction is not that great) and look at how pubs should be approaching the reopening challenge. They also tackle the tricky subject of insurance with special guest Steven Swift of Sector Associates, and share their frustrations on the insurance challenge. Tune in to hear it all.

The ever-changing announcements on holidays is the theme of the latest edition of the podcast, tackling the question of are staycations an option for customers and how this could impact pubs. The team are also joined by Liberation Group managing director Jayson Perfect to hear his views on the possibility of staycations.

Ongoing restrictions, supply shenanigans and whether to invest or not - the team take a topical look at the latest issues for the pub trade in this week's episode of the Lock In podcast and we discuss misguided campaigners and the importance of pubs for tackling loneliness.

It's all about the people in this episode of the podcast as the team talk training, furlough challenges, keeping teams engaged, future recruitment challenges and we speak to special guest Jamie Campbell from CPL Learning to get his advice and tips on staff training and wellbeing. Plus some stuff on crepes and the guys reveal their worst ever jobs...

It's all about the money in this episode of the podcast as the team talk finances, and speak to grants expert Kevin Stewart to get his advice on how operators can prise the cash grants out of local councils. James and Heath also share their thoughts on generating revenue in the lockdown and converting stock into cash.

Legal challenges and opportunities come under the microscope in the latest episode of the Lock In podcast as the team are joined by licensing specialist Andy Grimsey from Poppleston Allen. We also tackle some of latest challenges facing the sector, debate the need for a Hospitality Minister and Heath puts forward the theory that Boris Johnson is enacting a particularly twisted reality television experiment on the sector.

With the pub industry back under full lockdown, the podcast team review the Christmas that wasn't, discuss the current dilemmas facing the trade, and kick around some practical ideas of what pubs can be doing while we await the next government decision on the future. We also carry out the Pepsi challenge on some alcohol free brands to see if we can spot the difference...

With 2020 drawing to a close, and the last episode of the Lock In podcast for the year, the team take a look back at a year which has had few highlights, but plenty of challenges for the sector and more on the way. We take a look forward at what 2021 might hold, are there any opportunities, and the team make a few predictions for the year ahead and learn a shocking Brexit truth about James Cuthbertson...

With food the focus under the new government restrictions for pubs, the Lock In podcast team talk about how you can create a food offer during the crisis, what makes good, and bad, pub food, the practicalities of a food offer and debate what substantial looks like.

In this week's episode of the Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, Heath Ball and James Cuthbertson talk about preparing to come out of lockdown, their reaction to the latest government restrictions and find out live which tiers their pubs fall into. Tune in to hear all that and their thoughts on some new products on the market. Subscribe to listen to all episodes of the Lock In podcast.

In this week's episode of the Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, Heath Ball and James Cuthbertson talk about Christmas, what can we expect to get out of a Christmas with restrictions, and where they see things heading. Tune in for a listen the latest episode of the Lock In podcast.

In this week's episode of the Lock In podcast Ed Bedington, James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball talk about the challenges facing the sector in lockdown, how pubs can adapt and what the future might look like. Tune in to the latest episode of the Lock In to hear their thoughts.

In this week's episode of The MA's Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball talk about customer service, bad behaviour and their mutual love of online reviews, including the dreaded Trip Advisor. Tune in to the latest episode of the Lock In to hear their thoughts.

In this week's episode of The MA's Lock In podcast, Ed Bedington, James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball talk bad experiences drinking wine, tier two and Ball is treated to a blind wine tasting, but will he guess them right? Tune in to the latest episode of the Lock In to find out.

The Morning Advertiser's new weekly podcast, The Lock In, sees editor Ed Bedington and co-hosts James Cuthbertson and Heath Ball explore different aspects of the pub trade over a drink or two.

The coronavirus pandemic has struck every aspect of life across the UK and the world, but what does that mean for our food and drink supplies now – and once some form of normality resumes following the lockdown?

Two operators talk about the realities of operating or closing their pubs during the coronavirus pandemic in a special edition of The MA Podcast, which looks at the state of the on-trade amid the chaos.

In the fourth episode of The MA Podcast, Ed Bedington talks to Fuller's boss Simon Emeny about the pubco's future, threats to the trade and why we should be celebrating success.

JW Lees managing director William Lees-Jones gives his view on issues in the pub trade and confirms there are no plans to sell the brewery, following similar sales in the trade this year.

The gin boom is not over, says the founder of Warner’s Gin Tom Warner in the second episode of The MA Podcast.

The boss of Curious Brewery Gareth Bath has outlined what he thinks the future of the UK's beer sector could look like.

Working with frozen fish and seafood could help pub chefs meet growing consumer demand for a greater variety of fish dishes, be more creative and cut wastage, they just need to cast aside preconceptions first, finds The Morning Advertiser.

Carlsberg will buy a UK craft brewery to bolster its growing portfolio of smaller brands with an artisan British beer, The Morning Advertiser can reveal.

Soft drinks have arrived late to the premium and craft party, but operators must try to tap into better quality products now if they are to take better advantage of consumer demand for new and exciting non-alcoholic drinks.

Smirnoff vodka has entered the fruit cider category with the launch of its Passionfruit & Lime and Raspberry & Pomegranate liquids – a blend of fruit flavours and vodka.

Gin terroir is an emerging trend pubs can cash in on as consumers become ever more discerning about the locality of what they eat and drink.

Sessionable beers are disappearing as stronger craft brews have become more popular, according to Pilsner Urquell's beer master Robert Lobovsky.

Frozen food should not be shunned by pub chefs who fear using non-fresh produce will taint their offer, but should embrace its nutritious and money-saving qualities.

Pitiful attempts at offering increasingly popular international cuisines – such as Vietnamese or Thai – by pubs are leaving businesses vulnerable to reputational damage, an analyst has warned.

Paying closer attention to your staff’s working history, especially before hiring them, could help prevent a catastrophic incident of food fraud in your pub, a leading food safety advisor has advised.

Wetherspoons’ food developer Sophie Jennings has revealed how the high street pub chain was one of the top pubs for healthy children’s meals on the Soil Association’s Eating Out report yesterday (21 October).

Two top chefs have revealed what they consider to be crimes against pub food.

The Publican's Morning Advertiser's story on last week's All-Party Parliamentary Save The Pub Group meeting has evoked strong feelings among a number of licensees. Today, we publish a full audio recording of the meeting as a service to them, and the rest of our readers.

This is part 2 of the audio recording of last week's All-Party Parliamentary Save The Pub Group Meeting.

Businesses must be tech-savy, improve their service standards, and ensure their menus and designs are innovative if they are to succeed in the future.

Pub and restaurant owners should encourage their British staff to take up a career as a sommelier to balance the level of foreign someliers in the industry.