A Gluttony of Gastro-pubs

 Six weeks after I applauded the editor of the Good Food Guide for ditching the hackneyed term "gastro-pub", it seems that a Sunderland-based pubco - Tavistock Leisure - have different ideas. They are about to roll out both a gastro-pub franchise and an Italian concept - probably even less authentic than Jamie's, I suspect. (Morning Advertiser, 24th October 2011).

I like Sunderland - I spent a lot of time up there 20 years ago, running a couple of places in receivership, and I reckon they're a canny lot.........

Walking on egg-shells

Global finances are (again) in turmoil; Greece's economy is in meltdown, with Italy and Spain not far behind - public sector workers, in particular, scared about losing their jobs ........ but the EU has the time and the money to ensure that the people of Europe pay more for their eggs (Caterer, 10th October 2011). Cracking!

Black Sheep is not a Peculier Golden Goose!

     In the news earlier this week, with the report that control of the independent Theakstons' brewery has now passed to the next generation (Morning Advertiser, 2nd October 2011), the family firm is making headlines again by drawing attention to the unfairness of our excise duty rates by revealing that in the last financial year they paid 41% of annual turnover to HMRC (Morning Advertiser, 5th October 2011).

      Having discovered Theakston's Old Peculier back in the mid-seventies at the Anglesea Arms in South Ken, I had tremendous admiration for Paul when he disagreed with the rest of the family - hence "Black Sheep" - and went it alone.

One government after another goes for the perceived easy targets, but how long before the golden udders run dry?