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Examines the development and changing environment of the public house sector. Studies reasons for the general decline in trade with particular reference to the state of rural pubs. Considers some strategies for ameliorating the problems faced. Highlights the considerable challenge to management and argues that the role of local and national government is crucial, suggesting that they need to have more proactive policies in place.

The purpose of this paper is to study some of the business and legal problems experienced by the licensed trade and to explore the need for greater control for entry to the industry.

The approach taken has been to use an overview of the function of professional and trade bodies together with a detailed analysis relevant to the licensed trade.

The findings are that the dangers of anti‐social behaviour resulting from alcohol consumption, coupled with the activities of some licensees, suggest that a more professional group of licensees could benefit employees and consumers.

The research is limited by being desk‐based.

The extra demands to gain a licence could be unpopular but, if the proposals led to fewer examples of business failure, a greater proficiency in dealing with customers and a greater awareness of the dangers of alcohol, then it would be of real benefit to the public. Is a Licence to Trade the way forward?

Briefly outlines the recent history of the Licensed trade in the UK before considering what role marketing theory can play in the formulation of business response to competition. Considers the classic four Ps, price, product, place and promotion together with people, process and physical evidence. Gives examples of success in each area. Concludes that the nature of the pub trade has changed with jajor players dominating the market. Cites the growing use of the Internet to help the small operator to increase trade and advocates regular analysis of the small trader’s position will enhance their ability to adapt to change quickly.

This article considers recent developments in the ownership and structure of the licensed trade in the UK. A marketing analysis has been undertaken to demonstrate the ways in which the large pub owning companies have established competitive advantage over the smaller operators. Areas that the independents can use to gain trade are identified and examined. The possible impact of careful market analysis and effective use of modern technology are considered. Successful usage is described, and the sections of the trade likely to benefit most are identified. The problems of establishing a Web presence are also discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to ask if customer experiences in public houses (pubs) go wrong because of poor initial and subsequent training for front-line staff, while questioning if enough is being made of employee engagement and socialization as a means to improve consistency within the pub service encounter.

The study applies a critical review of the literature with a focus on the initial and subsequent training of front-line employees in the context of managed and entrepreneur-led pub-retailing operations.

The delivery and impact of a well-designed initial training programme may not only enhance long-term employee engagement and loyalty, but also provide competitive advantage for pub-retail operations through a more consistent service delivery. The paper questions the suitability of the approach currently being adopted within the sector and suggests that change is needed in order to ensure the longer-term survival of pub-retail businesses.

Can reliable and consistent customer experiences be delivered without a more progressive approach to the initial training and engagement of front-line employees?

While the importance of initial and subsequent training is widely accepted, the potential for its poor delivery has an almost predictable impact on many customer experiences. The paper recommends a review of the methods used by managed house and entrepreneurial (tenanted and leasehold) pub-retailing businesses to enhance employee socialization, engagement and loyalty to fuel the sector’s drive to generate greater competitive advantage.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the problems which exist in the excessive use of alcohol and to consider the origins of these problems to determine if they are new or long established.

There is a heavy use of secondary sources drawn from the whole of the period studied. This is augmented by discussions with licensees, retired licensees and older customers, to collect their reflections on the industry.

The main problems caused by the excessive use of alcohol are not new, but go back centuries. As the users of alcohol itself have changed, so the attention paid to these problems has been intensified.

The paper reports the key problems of excessive alcohol consumption and examines some of the causes. Further work could examine such causes more carefully, and could include regional studies for comparison purposes.

The paper demonstrates that there are a variety of problems and suggests that they should be addressed individually rather than seeking one answer to a series of age‐old questions.

The topic should be of interest to all those who claim to be concerned by excessive alcohol consumption.

Professional wrestling is a multi‐million pound industry. Loyal fans watch events and buy merchandising. However, even the participants admit that the results are pre‐arranged, with writers producing the stories and the characters for those involved. In other words, the whole phenomena is manufactured. The spectators are aware of this, and still continue to offer their support. This study looks at the ways in which the industry seeks to entertain these fans and offer them the product that will maintain their interest and their attention and ensure that they will continue to pay regularly so as to maintain the industry’s profitability.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the need for the creation of a professional body whose membership would be essential for those wishing to hold a licence for the retailing of alcohol in the UK.

The Home Office and similar sources are employed to establish the problems of alcohol abuse. Trade information is utilised to consider the attitude of various stakeholders to this issue. Ethical texts examine expected responses from the sector. From these authoritative sources a solution has been proposed.

The results led to the proposal that the establishment of a compulsory professional body be considered.

There is a lack of empirical research to investigate the proposal. This would be necessary to progress the idea.

The proposal for a professional body whose membership would be compulsory for a licence‐holder would be the subject of a major policy debate.

This embryonic proposal is original and would be of interest to all stakeholders.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the ethical issues faced by licensees and how they are addressed to ensure suitable behaviour by customers.

The daily round of “problem drinkers” is identified, and the attitudes to their service examined.

In order to run a profitable business, only those who cause offence to others are likely to be refused service.

This paper should provide academics and others not directly involved in the industry with an idea of some of the issues faced by licensees.

Little work has been done on the opinions and attitudes of licensees to the issues of problem drinkers. This paper may help to rectify that.

The purpose of this paper is to consider the value of the British pub to stakeholders and then to examine how its image can be improved in the light of criticisms of the existing “drinks culture”.

These objectives are achieved by examining already published material relating to the pub as a social centre, an employer and an earner of government revenue. The problems of alcohol and criticisms of licensees are presented and considered in the light of other studies seeking solutions to the problem.

The study suggests that real change will not come from the licensees alone, but by a concerted effort by the majority of society to achieve responsible attitudes to alcohol consumption.

The work relies on secondary sources, and would benefit from more studies of the attitudes of the stakeholders.

The article looks at the benefits of a responsible licensed trade and shows that criticisms of this trade in general will do nothing to solve the problems of excessive alcohol consumption. That requires a far more concerted movement from the nation as a whole. This does not, however, spare individual licensees from potential criticism for irresponsible service.

The paper may offer some comfort to the licensee, who is receiving much criticism at the moment. It may also make the rest of society more aware of its responsibilities.