Bass appoints BP marketing chief

Bass Taverns has hired BP Oil’s head of UK marketing Gerry Abram to its newly-created post of director of retail sales development.

Abram will oversee the introduction of sales promotions within the Bass Taverns estate, which comprises more than 2,500 outlets, including branded concepts such as the recently acquired Harvester and Toby restaurants, Innkeepers Fayre, and the themed pub chains Fork & Pitcher, O’Neills and All Bar One.

The new appointment underlines the growing importance of sales promotion to the pubs and restaurant chains as they battle with a fragmenting leisure market and the tendency of consumers to pursue entertainment at home. Some chains are even introducing loyalty cards.

At BP Oil UK, Abram headed marketing for the company’s petrol stations. He worked for the company for more than five years under various titles, most recently as marketing development manager. BP is seeking a replacement, but Abram’s duties are being undertaken temporarily by Barbara Lohoar.

The petrol price war showed some signs of abating yesterday (Tuesday), when petrol pump prices rose by about 2p per litre. The increase was blamed on raw material price rises.