Let’s hope Piccadilly Licensed Properties didn’t have their beer goggles on as they’ve paid more than peanuts, £82.5m to be exact, for 279 pubs Marston’s didn’t want.

Pubs ‘n’ Bars has taken ownership of Community Taverns while the Capital Pub Company is in a glass half full frame of mind and intends to float on the Alternative Investment Market.

Scottish publicans may well fancy a quick snifter after the news that they face a sixth licensing minister in as many years following last week’s elections at a time when licensing reform north of the border is at a crucial point.

While the industry to a man attacked the VisitBritian job cuts this week, new official figures show the UK’s tourism deficit has increased again.

The appropriately named Tom Kitchin became Scottish Chef of the Year this week and it’s your last chance to register for next week’s Caterer Group Chef Conference.

While Britons apparently tightened the purse strings if not their waistbands last year and ate out less, pub operators are desperate to recruit chefs to support their growing food trade ahead of the smoking ban.

Cotswold House hotel appears to have its while pub operator JD Wetherspoon warned smoking ban preparations would hurt profits but not its efforts to prove a green approach for its fleet of vehicles is more than a case of hot air.

By Chris Druce

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