Phil Mellows

Pubs for the People by me & Vallu is out with @manchesterup.bsky.social in October. On how the pub can be salvaged as a space for the Good Life that goes beyond boring ideas of White England.

A bargain at £18.99 in hardback (cant even get 3 pints for that!)

www.waterstones.com/book/pubs-fo...

More on this, and what it means for the workers, kmflett.wordpress.com/2026/03/02/b... from @keithbeard.bsky.social

Brewdog bought for £33m by US beverage and cannabis company Beverage and cannabis company Tilray acquires the Aberdeenshire brewery, the brand and 11 bars for £33m.

US cannabis to craft beer combine Tilray buys most of Brewdog in a £33m package deal - that only includes 11 of the 60 UK bars | BBC via Propel Info: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

OPINION: What is happening at Stonegate? Pub trade adviser Phil Dixon explains what is going on behind the scenes at Stonegate following news it is seeking a CCCD.

'What's happening at Stonegate?" Phil Dixon on form for the Morning Advertiser: www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2026...

Front page banner on the iWeekend newspaper flagging a feature in the 7 Days supplement on ‘Britain’s best pubs with views’.

I’m in the iWeekend again today.

www.itv.com/news/border/...

Ted Bruning Ted Bruning, journalist, historian, prolific author, former editor of the Campaign for Real Ale's What's Brewing newspaper and a founder member of the Guild, has died aged 68 after a long illness.Afte...

Wrote a brief obit on Ted Bruning for @britbeerwriters.bsky.social
www.beerguild.co.uk/news/ted-bru...

Canadian-American owners to shut down Cornwall's Sharp's Brewery The brewery makes Doom Bar, the UK's biggest-selling cask ale

Sharp's brewery is being closed www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwal...

Redundancies at two historic Scottish whisky distilleries amid sales downturn STAFF at two historic Scotch whisky distilleries have been offered redundancy ...

Staff at two Suntory distilleries offered redundancy as world demand for scotch whisky dips | @scotnational.bsky.social www.thenational.scot/news/2588403...

BrewDog workers to protest for job security outside Aberdeen bar | @unitetheunion.bsky.social
www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/...

In fact, it’s quite busy in there tonight!

Newcastle pubs ban AI art from breweries to protect local creatives As two pubs in Newcastle ban AI art, artists discuss the impact it can have on creatives.

BBC News - Newcastle pubs ban AI art from breweries to protect local creatives - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thorn Tree Inn, 48 Jackson Road, Matlock, DE4 3JQ | Property for sale | Savills Property details for Thorn Tree Inn. One of many properties for sale in 48 Jackson Road, Matlock, DE4 3JQ from Savills, world leading estate agents.

I know this pub well. It was very successful under a previous tenant. It's in a well-populated area and people came just for the view from the terrace across the Derwent Valley to the hills beyond. And for the Bass. I'm sure it can still work for the right buyer. search.savills.com/property-det...

Understanding the age of listed buildings can be a minefield. Ye Olde Fighting Cocks at St Albans is claimed to date to 793; its listed as 16C; but is a dovecote of c1400 resited c1600.

More on Reinterpreting Listed Buildings during an online talk, 26 Feb:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reinterpre...

Our last online panel: “producing award winning work” is now live in the Membership Area on our website.

Go, go, go! 🏃🏾‍♀️

Ah, thanks Richard!

It’s in the process of being wound up in the Court of Session - Begbies Traynor have been appointed as provisional liquidators (note: not administration). Assume the petitioner was HMRC. New company ultimately owned by Scott Williams (of Williams Bros.) registered 17/2/26 at brewery address.

Something's Brewing: February 2026 Phil Mellows discovers some of the radical moves underway to save our hard-hit pubs

Something I wrote for my @newhamvoices.bsky.social column about how pubs are adapting to survive: newhamvoices.co.uk/2026/02/09/s...

How pubs help us to mourn It was a battleship-grey January afternoon but the mood for one man inside the pub was even more ashen. While the fruit machines luridly flashed and l...

I wrote this about pubs and mourning - I hope this can help some people who might be going through grief. Just remember you're not alone

wb.camra.org.uk/2026/02/05/h...

Yes, that's what I saw. It's just reporting other unconfirmed reports, though.

Unconfirmed reports that Glasgow’s Overtone Brewery has gone bust.

BrewDog up for sale, unsurprisingly.

Also, in pink 🌷🌸🩷

There's a lot of 'heritage' going on.

Oh, much more premium.

A four-pack and a single can of 4.7% Carling Black Label - a striking black and red design.

Carling Black Label is back...

Can't wait to drink this.

Guinness prices up 31% in three years The price of a pint of Guinness has risen 31% over the past three years, compared to upticks of 19.1% in the wider stout category, and is set to increase again from April this year.

'Guinness prices up 31% in three years' | Morning Advertiser www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2026...

Scotland's only dry hotel up for sale as owner admits banning booze was a mistake THE businessman behind Scotland’s only “dry” hotel has admitted his no‑alcohol experiment has hit both profits and staffing – with the…

'Scotland's only dry hotel for sale as owner regrets banning alcohol' | The National www.thenational.scot/news/2584271...

I don’t agree with all of this - some points are dated, for instance, and abolishing the tie will lead to even more pub closures - but it’s a fascinating example of a (very detailed) temperance argument in support of pubs, or rather some pubs.