The Publican
The Publican was a UK weekly trade magazine serving the licensed pub, bar, brewery and hospitality sector.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Publican was a specialist UK trade publication focused on the licensed retail sector, particularly pubs, bars, breweries and businesses involved in supplying or operating licensed premises. Launched in 1975, it reported on commercial, regulatory and operational issues affecting the pub trade and combined editorial coverage with practical information for people working in or managing licensed businesses. The magazine covered developments in the pub industry, including industry policy, alcohol regulation, market conditions, business trends and matters affecting pub operators. Its classified and reference content was an important part of its proposition: it carried listings for jobs and pubs available for sale or lease, helping connect employers, operators, buyers and prospective tenants. The publication also produced special reports on significant parts of the pub trade and published the Industry Handbook, a reference work containing information on UK pub companies and a directory of suppliers. The Publican expanded beyond print during the early internet period. Its website launched in 2001 and provided trade news, blogs, a beer guide, photo galleries, property listings, job vacancies and supplier information. In January 2009, the website was reported to attract approximately 75,000 unique users per month. The print magazine used a combination of subscription and controlled circulation, reaching individual pubs as well as larger pub companies and breweries. Its audited circulation was 33,404 in 2008. The brand also operated as an industry convening platform. Its activities included The Publican Awards, The Publican Food and Drink Awards, Proud of Pubs Week, The Publican Pub Golf Tournament and The Publican Directors Club. Editorial campaigns addressed public perceptions of the pub sector and policy questions affecting licensed retailers. In 2008, Proud of Pubs Week encouraged the public to recognize the social and economic contribution of pubs. The magazine also opposed supermarket alcohol-pricing practices, provided training related to the UK smoking ban and regularly represented industry perspectives in national media. In 2011, The Publican merged with its principal rival, the Morning Advertiser. The combined publication became The Publican's Morning Advertiser, ending The Publican as a standalone magazine brand. At the time of the merger, Caroline Nodder was editor and Tony Arnold was publishing director. The publication employed approximately 17 people and was published by United Business Media.
History
The Publican emerged in 1975 as a weekly magazine dedicated to the UK licensed trade. Its core audience consisted of pub operators, managers, breweries, pub companies, suppliers and others involved in the commercial operation of licensed premises. Rather than functioning as a general-interest consumer title, it concentrated on the business conditions, regulation, employment needs and commercial opportunities of the pub sector. Its editorial coverage addressed issues affecting the operation and reputation of pubs, including policy debates, alcohol retailing, industry developments and changes in the regulatory environment. The magazine also acted as a practical marketplace. It published job vacancies and advertisements for pubs available for sale or lease, making it useful to both established operators and people seeking to enter the trade. This combination of journalism and classified information helped define its role as a trade-service publication. The Publican developed a substantial reference and special-report operation alongside its regular magazine. It produced reports on important areas of the pub industry and published the Industry Handbook, which brought together information about UK pub companies and included a directory of suppliers. These products extended the brand's value beyond weekly news and provided structured information for business planning, sourcing and industry research. The brand entered digital publishing in 2001 with the launch of its website. The site broadened the publication's content through online news, blogs, a beer guide, photo galleries, property listings, job vacancies and supplier information. By January 2009, it was reported to have approximately 75,000 monthly unique users, indicating that the brand had developed a meaningful online audience before its eventual consolidation with the Morning Advertiser. The Publican also used campaigns, awards and events to build an active relationship with the sector. Its events included The Publican Awards, The Publican Food and Drink Awards, Proud of Pubs Week, The Publican Pub Golf Tournament and The Publican Directors Club. Proud of Pubs Week, held in 2008, promoted the positive social role of pubs and encouraged public support for the sector. The magazine also campaigned against supermarket alcohol pricing, organized training sessions concerning the smoking ban and presented licensed-trade viewpoints in national media. In 2008, the print title had an audited circulation of 33,404. Distribution combined paid subscriptions with controlled circulation to individual pubs, major pub companies and breweries. The publication was issued by United Business Media and operated from the company's London headquarters. At the point of its merger, it employed around 17 staff; Caroline Nodder served as editor and Tony Arnold as publishing director. In 2011, The Publican merged with the Morning Advertiser, its principal rival. The resulting publication was named The Publican's Morning Advertiser. This transaction ended the standalone publication of The Publican, while carrying elements of its editorial and commercial identity into the combined trade-media operation.
- 2011
Merger with the Morning Advertiser
[1]The Publican combines with its main rival and becomes part of The Publican's Morning Advertiser.
- 2009
Website reports approximately 75,000 monthly unique users
[1]The website is reported to attract about 75,000 unique users per month in January.
- 2008
Audited circulation reaches 33,404
[1]The print magazine records an audited circulation of 33,404 and distributes copies through subscription and controlled-circulation channels.
- 2008
Proud of Pubs Week campaign
[1]The brand runs a campaign encouraging the public to recognize the social and economic contribution of pubs.
- 2001
Website launched
[1]The Publican launches an online platform featuring trade news, blogs, a beer guide, listings, galleries and supplier information.
- 1975
The Publican launches
[1]The weekly magazine begins publication as a UK trade title for the licensed pub and hospitality sector.
Products and positioning
A specialist business-to-business information and events brand for the UK licensed pub and hospitality trade, combining trade journalism, classified listings, reference products, advocacy and industry networking.
Weekly trade magazine · 1975
The Publican
The core weekly publication covered news, commentary and policy matters affecting the UK licensed trade. It served pub operators, breweries, pub companies and suppliers, while also carrying job vacancies and listings for pubs available for sale or lease. Its combination of editorial reporting and practical commercial information made it a specialist business publication rather than a consumer magazine.
Digital trade publication · 2001
The Publican website
Launched in 2001, the website extended the brand into online publishing. Its features included industry news, blogs, a beer guide, photo galleries, pub sale and lease listings, job vacancies and a supplier directory. The site was reported to have approximately 75,000 monthly unique users in January 2009.
Industry reference publication
Industry Handbook
The Industry Handbook was a reference product covering UK pub companies and providing a directory of suppliers. It complemented the magazine's news coverage by organizing information useful to operators, researchers and businesses serving the licensed trade.
Trade awards
The Publican Awards
The Publican Awards were an industry event associated with the brand and designed to recognize achievements within the licensed pub and hospitality sector.
Trade awards
The Publican Food and Drink Awards
These awards focused on food and drink performance within the licensed trade, extending The Publican's role from journalism into sector recognition and networking.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Proud of Pubs Week
United Kingdom
A public-facing campaign encouraging people to celebrate the positive social and community contribution of pubs and to support the pub trade.
- Campaign against supermarket alcohol pricing
United Kingdom
The publication campaigned against alcohol-pricing practices in supermarkets that it regarded as harmful to the competitive position of pubs and other licensed retailers.
- Smoking-ban training
United Kingdom
The brand organized training sessions intended to help licensed-trade businesses understand and implement the smoking ban.
Brand decisions
2011
Merger with the Morning AdvertiserM&ABackground
The Publican merged with its main rival in the UK licensed-trade publishing market.
Action taken
The two publications were combined under the name The Publican's Morning Advertiser.
Aftermath
The standalone Publican title ended, while its identity and editorial heritage continued within the merged publication.
2001
Expansion into digital publishingStrategyBackground
The Publican sought to extend its trade information service beyond the weekly print edition as internet use grew.
Action taken
It launched a website combining editorial content with listings, a beer guide, galleries and supplier information.
Aftermath
The website became an additional channel for the brand and was later reported to attract approximately 75,000 monthly unique users.
Recent events
- 2011
The Publican merges with the Morning Advertiser[1]
M&A · Other
The Publican combined with its main rival, the Morning Advertiser, to create the jointly branded publication The Publican's Morning Advertiser.
- 2009
The Publican website reaches approximately 75,000 monthly unique users[1]
Other
The publication's digital platform was reported to attract about 75,000 unique users per month in January 2009.
- 2008
The Publican records audited circulation of 33,404[1]
Other
The magazine's reported audited circulation reached 33,404, with distribution through subscriptions and controlled circulation to pubs, pub companies and breweries.
Sources1 sources
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