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Weekend round-up: Free wine tastings to be banned; Foster's prepares takeover defences

Published:  13 October, 2008

A round-up of stories from the weekend newspapers. TextA round-up of stories from the weekend newspapers.

Sunday Times:
Picking up on the Government's drinks industry code first leaked to Harpers last week, the Sunday Times says the proposals mark a hardening in the government's stance after the failure of a voluntary code to curb binge drinking. Under the proposals, bars are to be banned from offering free alcohol to women and free wine and beer tastings will be curbed under a new system of government restrictions to cut public drunkenness. There will also be rules to limit "happy hour" offers that encourage speed drinking, and soft drinks will have to be sold at the same discount during promotions. Wine in restaurants will have to be served in glasses with marked measures.

The FT:
Foster's, the Australian drinks group, is preparing its takeover defences amid expectations that the sale or demerger of its wine business will lead to a scramble for its coveted beer operations. The drinks group, which recently named Ian Johnston as chief executive after his predecessor Trevor O'Hoy took the fall for the group's ill-fated foray into wine, is due to complete the "strategic review" of its wine business within about 10 weeks. Analysts estimate that Foster's beer assets could be worth close to A$12bn (US$7.8bn). SABMiller, the London-based brewer, is a strong contender to bid for the beer brands if they come on to the market.

The FT:
SABMiller, maker of Peroni and Pilsner Urquell beers, is expected to report flat or negative like-for-like lager sales, with sales in key markets such as South Africa and Colombia likely to disappoint. Focus will be on SAB's key trading currencies, particularly the Columbian peso, which has fallen against the US dollar (the currency that the company reports its results in) over recent months.

The FT:
Diageo, maker of Baileys liqueur and Smirnoff vodka, is expected to say it remains on track to meet prior guidance in spite of increasing macroeconomic uncertainty. But interest is on how the distiller's whisky and vodka sales are holding up in such places as Russia, which has been engulfed in political and financial turmoil.

The Sun:
A beer hall in Iraq has held its own version of Munich's famous Oktoberfest party - complete with frothy steins, sausages, an oom-pah band and dirndl-clad waitresses. German-born Gunter Voelker, owner of the Deutscher Hof Erbil restaurant in Irbil, in Kurdish controlled Northern Iraq, says he wants to dispel the notion that Iraq isn't a holiday destination and insists beer is bringing people together.

The Mirror:
Airline pilots banned from the road for drinkdriving are allowed to carry on flying passenger jets, the Civil Aviation Authority has revealed. The CAA has admitted that nine commercial pilots were convicted of drink-driving last year. Three worked for easyJet while one was employed by Virgin Airlines. Pilots are banned from any alcohol consumption within eight hours of a shift, and easyJet imposes a 10-hour embargo ahead of duty.

A round-up of stories from the weekend newspapers.

Sunday Times: Picking up on the Government's drinks industry code first leaked to Harpers last week, the Sunday Times says the proposals mark a hardening in the government's stance after the failure of a voluntary code to curb binge drinking. Under the proposals, bars are to be banned from offering free alcohol to women and free wine and beer tastings will be curbed under a new system of government restrictions to cut public drunkenness. There will also be rules to limit "happy hour" offers that encourage speed drinking, and soft drinks will have to be sold at the same discount during promotions. Wine in restaurants will have to be served in glasses with marked measures.

The FT: Foster's, the Australian drinks group, is preparing its takeover defences amid expectations that the sale or demerger of its wine business will lead to a scramble for its coveted beer operations. The drinks group, which recently named Ian Johnston as chief executive after his predecessor Trevor O'Hoy took the fall for the group's ill-fated foray into wine, is due to complete the "strategic review" of its wine business within about 10 weeks. Analysts estimate that Foster's beer assets could be worth close to A$12bn (US$7.8bn). SABMiller, the London-based brewer, is a strong contender to bid for the beer brands if they come on to the market.

The FT: SABMiller, maker of Peroni and Pilsner Urquell beers, is expected to report flat or negative like-for-like lager sales, with sales in key markets such as South Africa and Colombia likely to disappoint. Focus will be on SAB's key trading currencies, particularly the Columbian peso, which has fallen against the US dollar (the currency that the company reports its results in) over recent months.

The FT: Diageo, maker of Baileys liqueur and Smirnoff vodka, is expected to say it remains on track to meet prior guidance in spite of increasing macroeconomic uncertainty. But interest is on how the distiller's whisky and vodka sales are holding up in such places as Russia, which has been engulfed in political and financial turmoil.

The Sun: A beer hall in Iraq has held its own version of Munich's famous Oktoberfest party - complete with frothy steins, sausages, an oom-pah band and dirndl-clad waitresses. German-born Gunter Voelker, owner of the Deutscher Hof Erbil restaurant in Irbil, in Kurdish controlled Northern Iraq, says he wants to dispel the notion that Iraq isn't a holiday destination and insists beer is bringing people together.

The Mirror: Airline pilots banned from the road for drinkdriving are allowed to carry on flying passenger jets, the Civil Aviation Authority has revealed. The CAA has admitted that nine commercial pilots were convicted of drink-driving last year. Three worked for easyJet while one was employed by Virgin Airlines. Pilots are banned from any alcohol consumption within eight hours of a shift, and easyJet imposes a 10-hour embargo ahead of duty.

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