Trade and Industry Committee criticises CAMRA

Martin O' Neill, chairman of the Trade and Industry Select Committee, has refuted claims by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) that its report on the beer tie is a 'whitewash'.

Speaking at the launch of the report into the relationship between pubcos and tenants he said that CAMRA should be looking closer to home for solutions to the lack of pubs serving real ale.

He said: "If it is a whitewash it is only in a small area. CAMRA is advocating a change but maybe the real problem is that insufficient people are drinking real ale. CAMRA has to look at itself for solutions as the rest of the industry has."

Iain Loe, research and information manager at CAMRA, has refuted the accusations highlighting the fact that the organisation already heavily promotes real ale through National Pubs Week and the Great British Beer Festival.

He said: "We are disappointed after the comments Mr O'Neill has been making in the weeks before the report. Some of the people in the industry who have not been doing what they should and will be forced to clean up their act.

"I disagree with that as CAMRA is the only organisation promoting real ale.

"We don't run pubs and don't brew ale. We refute the claims of Mr O'Neill."

Related articles:​

Pubcos off the hook on beer tie (21 December 2004)

Committee targets BBPA code (21 December 2004)

MP quizzed over report (21st December 2004)

Mixed reaction to pubco investigation (21 December 2004)