Buxton keeps JDW out of its pubwatch group
by John Harrington
JD Wetherspoon has failed to win readmission to Buxton Pubwatch despite dropping price comparisons with local pubs in the Derbyshire town.
Wetherspoon's has taken the unusual step of comparing drinks prices on its Price Watch poster at its Wye Bridge House pub with prices at pubs in nearby Macclesfield, rather than other Buxton pubs.
The Wye Bridge House was expelled from Buxton Pubwatch in March because of what were claimed to be alleged inaccuracies on the poster and 'unacceptable standards of behaviour by staff.
But Wetherspoon's slammed Buxton Pubwatch for 'scapegoating, and said it was 'unfair and unjust not to allow JDW to help stop trouble at pubs.
Pubwatch chairman Ken Howarth said that following its expulsion, Wetherspoon's offered to compare prices at pubs in Macclesfield, rather than Buxton, on the Price Watch poster. JDW has since started doing this.
But Buxton hosts argued that the move would confuse customers. 'We weren't sure if the customers would notice that the prices weren't for pubs in Buxton, Howarth explained.
Howarth, Punch lessee of the Queen's Head Hotel, stressed that Buxton Pubwatch is sticking to its guns by not letting Wetherspoon's join the scheme while the poster remains.
'It's stalemate as far as we are concerned, Howarth said. 'The ball is in Wetherspoon's court.
Wetherspoon's spokesman Eddie Gershon said that the move to compare prices with Macclesfield was made 'to show good faith and understanding to other pub managers in Buxton, who cited the poster as one of the reasons for not allowing our pub into pubwatch.
On the possibility that customers could become confused and believe that the price comparisons are with other pubs in Buxton, Gershon said: 'I can't see where the confusion arises as it clearly states, by the prices, the word 'Macclesfield'.
Gershon also denied reports from Howarth that Wether-spoon's approached other pubs in Buxton in an unsuccessful bid to set up a breakaway pubwatch scheme.
'The pub isn't looking for a breakaway pubwatch and still wants to join the town's scheme. I can't see why we are not being allowed to join, he said.
