Would you say more lager is sold these days in the take-home market or the on-trade? A The on-trade still has the edge, but the moment is not too far off when the off-trade actually overtakes it, at least in volume terms. According to the latest Nielsen figures, the on-trade shifted 1.8 billion litres of lager in the year to Feb 23, compared to the…

A If it’s any consolation, your problem is not unusual. According to a survey by Investors in People, 79% of workers believe that underperforming “dead wood” colleagues are causing problems. It found that 46% think they are working directly with someone who fails to do their fair share of the work, and 40% add that bosses are doing nothing to address the issue. Those who…

A Despite the name, most Pubwatch schemes will usually accept membership from the off-trade. Although much of the business tends to revolve around pub-based issues, it’s a useful forum for discussing common concerns about problem customers, and your involvement sends a clear message to police and Trading Standards that you’re proactive in your approach to responsible retailing. Threshers, Spar and dozens of independents have joined…

k Q Can I rely on a “portcullis” shutter system to protect my shop or must it be solid steel A The portcullis models are really only suitable for shops in shopping centres where there is already some security . In an open street you’re inviting trouble if you don’t opt for solid steel. Chris, London A If you buy solid steel, make sure you…

A Japan does have a wine industry – most of it based around Mount Fuji to the west of Tokyo in the Kofu basin. There are fewer than 200 wineries in Japan, which face an awkward combination of typhoon climate, ­soggy soil and a short supply of available land. Yet some stalwarts persist, producing wines from American grapes such as Delaware and hybrids such as…

A There are many views on this controversial topic, but American expert Dr Richard Grant Peterson says he is getting a little tired of being asked this sort of thing decades after he thought he had disproved the theory that corks breathe. “Show me a cork that breathes and I’ll show you a bottle of vinegar,” he says. “I agree that it sounds glamorous to…

k Q How insistent should I be when offering samples – could I be accused, by the police, of forcing people to drink alcohol? A I am increasingly wary of this, especially as the local scallies have been known to gatecrash our informal tastings just to get their hands on a thimble-full of Shiraz. These days we tend to put the open bottle on visible…