Beer might be our national drink, but many of us don’t realise the health benefits of a pint or two.

In a recent survey, the Beer Academy discovered that many people mistakenly believe that beer is fattening or made from chemicals, and only two per cent of people knew that beer is a source of silicon, which strengthens bones.

In fact, beer is one of the healthiest drinks available as a good source of vitamins and fibre and has a relatively low calorific value.

Landlords should think about promoting the health benefits of beer to their customers, whether it’s by displaying nutritional information in the bar or providing menus where drinkers and compare and contrast the calorie content of their favourite tipples.

With the World Cup bringing out the patriot in all of us, it’s good to know that the nation still consider a trip to the pub a quintessentially English past-time.

Spending time in your local was voted the most ‘typical English’ pursuit in a recent survey by Bombardier. Of the 5,000 people quizzed, 73 per cent said that they considered spending time in country pubs, taverns and inns the trait they most identified with the English.

And, with England now through to the next round of the World Cup and due to play on Sunday, pubs can look forward to an especially busy weekend of flying the flag.

Useyourlocal has launched a new feature where customers can rate their local pub.

We’ve extended our search for new Admiral Taverns’ landlords by running the ‘Love Your Local’ campaign with Real Radio.

We’ve had a great response to the radio and online campaign from those looking to cross sides of the bars, with plenty of people contacting our recruitment team to find out more.

We’re also offering listeners the chance to win an England football shirt. To enter the competition visit the Real Radio website and answer the simple question, but be quick – entries close on Wednesday 30^th June.

As we’re a nation of beer lovers, it’s about time someone created a website dedicated to our favourite tipple…

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA)’s Beer Genie site aims to promote a positive image for beer by offering information, advice, hints and tips about all things beer-related.

The site is aimed at beer drinker, but will also be useful for landlords looking for inspiration on events and the best beers to stock in their pubs.

Take a look at the Beer Genie website and check out our Licensee Support section for further advice on making the most of your pub.

The Big Pub Guide, a nationwide iPhone app that enables customers to search the facilities of 55,000 UK pubs, has been launched.

The app allows pub-goers to search for pubs in their area that fit certain criteria such as pubs with beers gardens, pubs showing the World Cup and dog friendly pubs.

With people increasingly relying on their iPhone as a source of information, joining the database could prove a real boost to business.

Landlords can have their pub added to the database for a small fee – visit The Big Pub Guide website for more information.

With pubs expected to be a great deal busier during the World Cup, the London Fire Brigade is warning licensees to check their pubs are safe from fire this summer.

The law places the responsibility for fire safety in the hands of employers and other people who have control of premises such as landlords, so having an understanding of fire safety and the role they have to play is at the heart of good business management. The safety of customers should be of paramount importance to landlords, and they face prosecution if their pub falls foul of fire laws.

Licensees can find out more about fire legislation from their local fire safety regulation team; visit the London Fire Brigade website to find your local team or contact the Admiral team if you have any other queries.

The Publican is encouraging licensees to host their own ‘pub party’ to mark this year’s Proud of Pubs Week.

The idea of the national week, which will take place from 19 to 25 July, is to remind pubgoers that the prime reason they go to the pub is to enjoy themselves. It’s a great opportunity to attract new customers and provide something a little different for your regulars.

In the run up, The Publican will be providing details of how you can get your hands on its specially brewed Proud of Pubs Summer Ale and a range of merchandise, such as Proud of Pubs T-shirts, badges and beermats.

For more information, take a look at The Publican website – you can also download a poster to display in your pub.

We’re reminding landlords who employ doorstaff at their pub or club that all new doorstaff will now have to go through extra training and practical assessments.

The updated training qualification for those wishing to obtain a Security Industry Authority (SIA) Licence also includes training on awareness of terrorist threats, first aid and how to deal with under-18s.

At the moment, there’s no requirement for current SIA licensed doorstaff to undertake top up training. However, there may be a requirement that they do so by summer 2011, so be sure to keep your eye on the latest updates to ensure all your doorstaff are properly qualified.