W&DB drops full-pint from 200 managed pubs

Wolverhampton & Dudley has been forced to scrap the full-pint initiative from 200 of its managed pubs.

New-style beer dispense systems from major brewers such as Guinness, Scottish Courage and Interbrew, and branded 20oz glasses from brewers have made the full-pint initiative hard to operate across the estate.

The decision by the Department of Trade and Industry to support a 95 per cent pint last year has also contributed to the decision.

The move has been seen as a blow to the Campaign for Real Ale who is supporting a 100 per cent liquid pint.

Derek Andrews, head of Pathfinder told thePublican.com: "As a consequence of merging Marston's and Mansfield into our estate our new starting point has been with freeflow and our lager suppliers and Guinness have dispense systems that only work on freeflow and oversized glasses can now only be sourced abroad.

"We still avidly support giving people a full pint and will be training all our staff."

Stephen Oliver, managing director of the tenanted side of the company, The Union Pub Company, has confirmed that there is to be no change in the tenanted estate. He said: "As long as we are still able to get glasses we will continue to keep metered dispense."

But Mike Benner, campaigns manager at Campaign for Real Ale, said: "Wolverhampton & Dudley have used the fact that they sell a full pint as a marketing tool. Their customer base expects to get guaranteed full pint."