M & B announces profits up

Pub Company Mitchells & Butlers have today announced an increase in profits:

• Total sales up 4.9% including food sales up 7.8%
• Operating profit up 1.1% and operating margin at 16.3%
• EBITDA returns of 21% achieved on expansionary capex invested over the last two years
• Net debt reduced by over £400m; net debt:EBITDA now at 4.7 times
• Like-for-like sales in FY 2011 of +2.6% with food like-for-like sales of +4.8%
• Like-for-like sales growth of 2.0% in first 8 weeks of FY 2

M & B run a diverse collection of pubs, mainly left over from the former Bass Empire:

• Sizzling Pubs
• Vintage Inns
• Harvester
• Ember
• Toby Carvery
• Crown Carveries
• Metro Professionals
• Nicholson's
• Premium Country Dining Group

• O'Neill's
• Alex
• All Bar One
• Village Pub & Kitchen
• Miller & Carter
• Browns
• Innkeeper's Lodge

They don't tend to brand themselves as M & B but as one of their 'flavours' above. 

Locals cry out over pub improvement

From Brew Wales

There was much angst in the Twittersphere and on Facebook last week when pub company Mitchells and Butlers announced that the Pen & Wig in Cardiff was to be refurbished. Knee jerk reactions were in place along with petitions and a statement from a CAMRA source in Cardiff that the current Cardiif CAMRA pub of the year had been sold to a wine bar chain.
Rather than listen to the gossip, Brew Wales decided to do some research and can confirm the Pen & Wig has not been sold but is merely transferring from one division of Mitchells and Butlers to another. At the moment the pub is in the Town Pub portfolio and the plan, after a refurbishment is to transfer it into the Nicholson's chain. Now having been a fan of Nicholson's for years - they run some of the best pub company-owned pubs in London - historic pubs with excellent quality beers - this can only be an improvement for Cardiff. However the NIMBYists disagree and without looking to the facts have all started to sign petitions to stop the improvements to the pub. Don't take my word as to how good Nicholson's are, His Worshipfulness the Official Ale Taster of London also agrees.
Latest word on the improvements to the Pen & Wig is that they are to be delayed for a year due to the outcry of a bunch of small-minded ill-informed customers. In Newport we would welcome any of our pubs being improved in this way, Cardiffians open your eyes and be grateful companies are willing to spend money improving their pubs in your city.

Pen & Wig is Cardiff CAMRA Pub of the Year

Set in Cathays, the heart of student land, the Pen & Wig is the Cardiff CAMRA Pub of the Year 2010. This busy Mitchells and Butlers pub is housed in a Victorian three-storey building and features a choice of drinking areas, with wooden floors in one section and flagstones in another. At the front of the pub is a large Victorian window and an equally large old Bass brewery mirror is set to one side. Converted to a pub in 1994, the Pen & Wig manages to have an atmosphere about it that is often lacking in other pub company-owned pubs. To the rear is an outdoor drinking area, which in the summer months is a perfect sun trap. Throughout the year it is popular with smokers. The Pen and Wig still retains some of the original Victorian layout of the building, with dividing walls and doorways.
The large bar counter, well-finished in stained wood, offers two banks of five handpumps with regular real ales being Brains Bitter and Greene King IPA, together with guests from breweries such as Daleside in the Lake District and Caledonian in Scotland. There is a jukebox, although the music level is not too high and there are quiet areas where conversation can prevail. Pub games are also popular with a chalkboard menu of more than 10 choices behind the bar.
The extensive menu with grill nights on Wednesdays and curry nights on Thursdays caters for all tastes, with pub classics from £2.99 to slow-cooked belly pork with mash for £6.69. The dessert menu is also inviting, with a giant chocolate fudge cake and sticky toffee pudding on offer.
This is a great pub and worthy award-winner from the Campaign for Real Ale. Good beer and good food in a nice atmosphere, a welcome change from the city centre theme bars.

The Pen & Wig 

1 Park Grove

Cathays 

Cardiff 

CF14 3BJ

 
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