Pubcos pledge on happy hours

Pub companies have agreed a new crackdown on happy hours and other promotions under a British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) initiative.

Members of the BBPA - who together own 32,000 of the UK's pubs and produce 98 per cent of the nation's beer - say they are outlawing happy hours, all-you-can-drink offers and drinking games. The pub industry hopes the initiative will calm the ongoing criticism about binge-drinking ahead of upcoming government consultation on alcohol disorder zones.

BBPA members include the three biggest tenanted pub companies in the country, Enterprise, Punch and Union Pub Company, which is owned by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries. The BBPA said it was confident that the pubcos had been communicating the policy to licensees and they were confident they could deliver on the pledge.

BBPA director of communications Mark Hastingssaid: "Offers like pay £10 on the door and all drinks are free, drinking games, and schemes that encourage people to drink too much too quickly have no place in our sector and we are determined to stamp them out. With the backing of the government, the police and licensing authorities across the UK we aim to ensure that all pubs operate to these standards of corporate and community social responsibility.

"Responsible promotions do have an important role to play in a pub business and are in the interests of consumers. Irresponsible promotions damage the reputation of the sector, drive down quality and standards and have no place in a well-managed licensed business."

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