Licensee sets up trade association to end the beer tie
A licensee is setting up his own trade association to represent tenants and challenge pub companies to end the beer tie.
The Freedom For Pubs Association (FFPA) will pull together new evidence from tenants to present to the current Trade and Industry inquiry. A petition is being set up on a website - www.freedomforpubs.co.uk - which is going live this weekend.
Mike Bell, (pictured) tenant at the Portobello Gold in West London, a former Unique pub now owned by Enterprise, said he had been pushed into action because tenants had not been properly represented at the inquiry.
"Our first aim is to put our case as it has clearly not been illustrated so far," he said.
The key objectives of the association are:
- freedom from the tie
- a two-year moratorium on rent reviews
- reform of the methodology for calculating pub rents.
Licensing specialists Brian Jacobs, an accountant, and solicitor John Kelly - each of whom has submitted evidence at the inquiry - have been instrumental in setting up the association, and financial consultant Matthew Brown is also involved. Mr Bell consulted with leading brewers before moving ahead with the initiative.
"We are worried that the inquiry could go the pubcos' way," said Mr Bell. "If they are given a rap on the knuckles and asked to abide by a voluntary code of conduct, that will really be maintaining the status quo - and more pubs will go out of business."
Membership of the FFPA is open to pub managers, as well as tenants, and Mr Bell said members were likely to be asked for a small subscription, yet to be agreed, on joining.
The association would continue after the inquiry, he said, whatever the outcome.
Brian Jacobs urged licensees to back the FFPA. "If we don't do something shortly, we'll end up with fewer and fewer tenants," he said.
Ted Tuppen, chief executive of Enterprise Inns, said he would welcome further input into the Trade and Industry inquiry.
"Given the lack of care and attention that seems to have been put into the inquiry by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), they are right to say the FSB's evidence has been a waste of time," he continued.
But Mr Tuppen said he doubted whether the FFPA campaign was credible.
- For further details on the association email action@freedomforpubs.co.uk or write to Freedom For Pubs Association, PO Box 5, Bristol BS10 7DA.
