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News: Unbelievable, Jeff! TV sports
Sports TV celebrity Jeff Stelling is the face of a new Abbot Ale campaign encouraging pub-goers to enjoy the ‘best and most simple things in life’.
Popular sports television presenter Jeff Stelling has been announced as the face of Greene King’s new ‘Relax with an Abbot’ initiative in partnership with Abbot Ale. The campaign has been created to help the nation slow down and enjoy “the best and most simple things in life” – such as a pint of Abbot Ale and a quiz at the local pub.
With the colder autumn and winter nights ahead, this is the perfect time of year for Abbot Ale as darker beers always excel as the nights continue to draw in.
As part of the initiative, Jeff Stelling will be fronting a number of PR and marketing activities, including a recent exciting competition where Greene King customers could win a sports quiz hosted by Jeff Stelling at their pub.
Jeff has already been quizmaster at the Harrington Arms in Sawley where he hosted a special Abbot Ale sports quiz event in August.
Guests at the Harrington Arms were off ered their fi rst pint of Abbot Ale free on the night as a sample to taste the great traditional beer.
Ticket prices were £5 per quiz team and all proceeds went to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Nicola Bellamy, General Manager for the Harrington Arms, said: “Myself and the team were thrilled to welcome Jeff to host our quiz night. What is more relaxing than a good quiz to get the brain going and a free pint of Abbot Ale?
“Abbot Ale is a popular choice for those that visit the Harrington Arms and with Jeff ’s help, our guests were able to enjoy this fantastic beer in the best possible way. With a great host, great beer and great food, it was a fun night, with the money we raised going to such an important cause too.
NET ZERO BY 2040
Greene King has pledged to become carbon net zero by 2040 and has committed to setting near-term emissions targets in line with climate science and recognised sciencebased targets.
The commitment will see the company aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 from the base year of 2019.
Nick Mackenzie, Chief Executive, said: “The climate crisis is the responsibility of every one of us. I’m proud of the commitment we’re undertaking, helping customers to make more environmentally friendly choices and reducing our own carbon footprint.
“We are making the public commitment to take action. It matters to our customers, our communities and our employees.”
DEAL 35
DEAL 36
Buycaskwithconfidence!
Greene King’s Cask Iron Guarantee allows operators to buycask ale withconfidence.
We’re proud of the beer we brew. In fact, we’re so con dent that your customers will love the outstanding quality of Greene King cask ales, we’ll give you your money back if they don’t sell through.
Our Cask Iron Guarantee scheme o ers you the ability to claim a full refund for unbroached cask ales, as well as claim credit for any remaining volume on broached casks, if they don’t sell through before expiry. In other words, you can stock Greene King cask ales with zero nancial risk. Whether you’re a new cask stockist taking your rst rkin of Greene King IPA or a specialist expanding your range with a limited edition seasonal ale, there’s never been a better time to expand your cask o ering.
To take advantage, all that you have to do is sign up through your Sales Development Manager, then simply place your order as normal. Later on, if necessary, you can contact Beer Returns to report any casks that do not sell through before expiry quoting ‘Cask Iron Guarantee’. The beer with then be collected and your account will receive a credit. It couldn’t be easier.
The initiative is available to all Greene King-supplied free trade accounts, on all cask ale orders. Speak to your Sales Development Manager for more information.
BII introduces #notjustapub campaign
The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has launched its #notjustapub campaign calling on pubs and customers to write to their local MPs, asking them to raise the urgent need for wideranging support for pubs.
“In 2022, [pubs] are now facing an even bigger threat to their survival, with unprecedented energy costs and in ationary pressures crippling their businesses,” Steve Alton, BII CEO, said. “We are calling on everyone who loves pubs, from licensees to local customers, to share their support for these integral pillars of our communities by getting involved in the #notjustapub campaign. local businesses to the Chancellor, and share your passion for pubs on social media, to leave Government in no doubt about the vital importance of pubs to each and every high street, village, town and city in the UK.”
The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, announced emergency support for businesses with the six-month energy price guarantee on September 8th.
The BII has created a template letter, which can be found at www. bii.org/BII/Campaigns/not-just-a-pub.aspx. Participants are also urged to use the #notjustapub hashtag on social media to rally support.
NEW COMMITMENTS TO HELP JOBSEEKERS BUILD A CAREER AT THEIR LOCAL PUB
Greene King has recently made a number of important training and recruitment commitments to help strengthen the UK pub sector by demonstrating to people from all backgrounds that they can have a successful career in their local pub.
The commitments are featured in a new report called ‘Untapping Potential’ which highlights the crucial role that pubs play in providing fulfilling careers in local communities. The report also signposts the vital role of pubs in levelling up skills, jobs and communities.
Launched at a reception at the UK Parliament, the report shows how pubs can deliver the Government’s Levelling Up agenda by providing the training and career development opportunities, and the sense of local pride that communities need to help them thrive after the pandemic.
The report highlights the need to improve career opportunities in local communities across the UK. Three in five young people don’t believe there are enough promising job opportunities in their local area, despite 89% of the same group being interested in a job that would allow them to stay in their community.
In addition to helping local pubs recruit much-needed new staff, the commitments made by Greene King include: adding 5,000 new apprentices by 2025; recruiting 300 more prison leavers by 2025; launching a Chef Academy Programme; and providing 100 new internships to those with Special Educational Needs and an Education and Health Care Plan by 2025.
GREENE KING KEEPS BURY IN BLOOM WITH RAINWATER HARVESTING
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting local communities, Greene King is working in partnership with Bury in Bloom and Bury St Edmunds Town Council to harvest up to 60,000 litres of rainwater in Bury St Edmunds to help keep the town’s hanging baskets in tip top condition.
Greene King was the first business in Bury St Edmunds to install a 10,000 litre rainwater harvesting tank in its car park, collecting water from its Social Club roof with a second location to follow. The rainwater harvested is then used to water all the town’s hanging baskets.
David Irvine, Bury in Bloom Coordinator, said: “If we can get up to 20,000 litres of storage in 2022 we will have made a significant impact.”
Both Belhaven Brewery’s Visitor Centre and its Oatmeal Stout were named the best on the planet at a recent industry awards ceremony.
Belhaven Brewery’s stunning and much-loved Visitor Centre has received one of the highest accolades available at the recent prestigious World Beer
Awards. The Dunbar-based attraction beat stiff competition from across the entire globe to scoop the highly coveted
‘Visitor Attraction of the Year’ title in the competition’s Icons of Beer sector.
It was a doubly successful awards ceremony for Belhaven as its Scottish Oat Stout was also crowned the ‘World’s Best Oatmeal Stout’ on the night.
Presented by the World Beer Awards, Icons of Beer was launched to celebrate
FIONA MATHESON, BRAND MANAGER, BELHAVEN BREWERY
every aspect of the global beer industry. From brew masters and ambassadors to retailers and breweries, it honours those who have worked tirelessly to produce and promote beer.
All entrants were assessed by a panel of industry experts, writers and competition judges.
THREE CENTURIES
Established in 1719, Belhaven Brewery is the oldest working brewery in Scotland and is known today as ‘The Home of Scottish Brewing’. Belhaven has been producing some of the nation’s favourite beers for over 300 years, including Scotland’s number one ale, Belhaven Best, and number one stout, Belhaven Black. All Belhaven beers use 100% Scottish malted barley, local spring water and unique Belhaven yeast.
Belhaven’s Visitor Experience was opened in November last year to showcase the history of Scotland’s oldest working brewery.
Visitors to the one-of-a-kind attraction can learn about the process of brewing, relax in a secret garden, enjoy tutored tastings and receive a personalised pint whilst there.
Fiona Matheson, Brand Manager at Belhaven Brewery, said: “We are beyond thrilled to win not one, but two awards at such a key global competition. Creating our Visitor Centre was a huge team effort, and the award really does pay testament to the passion and dedication that went in to creating the attraction.
“Our Brewery has such a long, rich history and we hope that winning this award will really put it on the map internationally. There is nothing that we enjoy more than welcoming beer enthusiasts through our doors and letting them discover the people, place and products that make up Belhaven for themselves.”
TOP ATTRACTION
The Belhaven Visitor Centre features a broad range of different spaces and
BLACK GOLD
Belhaven’s Scottish Oat Stout has enjoyed a phenomenally successful 2022, having been named the UK’s ‘Best Oat Stout’ at the World Beer awards in UK’s ‘Best Oat Stout’ at the World Beer awards in August then going one step further by claiming August then going one step further by claiming the title of the ‘World’s Best Oatmeal Stout’ later the title of the ‘World’s Best Oatmeal Stout’ later that same month. The latest awards cap a successful year to date for the brewery, which recently launched a new TV advertising campaign and a lively sponsorship and events programme.
date for the brewery, which recently launched
experiences including The Monk’s Retreat pub, the Belhaven Gardens, the Brewhouse and The Haven experience room.
Fiona explained: “We have The Haven where visitors can immerse themselves in 300 years of brewing history and learn about the brewing process. Then they can visit the Brewhouse and see how we actually create our award-winning beers, and they can visit our Belhaven Gardens to spend some calm, relaxing time before fi nishing off in The Monk’s Retreat, our onsite pub where they can sample some of the eight beers we have on tap. And on their way out they can buy everything from our entire bottled beer range to merchandise and point of sale. It’s a fantastic experience.”
Belhaven Brewery hopes to make more use of the outside Gardens space in future by hosting music shows, corporate gatherings and other social events.
Steven Sturgeon, Marketing Controller at Belhaven Brewery said: “We set out with an ambition to create a genuinely immersive experience that complements the beauty of our brewery and the classic Scottish beers brewed here. I am so proud of the team and their achievement in such a short space of time.”
If you would like to take some of your team on a tour of the brewery and visitor centre, please speak to your sales rep.
