Boycott the Daily Mail

The Publican is leading the fight back over the Daily Mail's flawed attacks on the trade and is now asking pubs to boycott the paper.

Following a non-stop slating of the pub trade based around its "Say No To 24-Hour Pubs" campaign over the past month, the industry has declared: enough is enough.

That's why The Publican is urging licensees to "Say No To The Daily Mail" and ensure you don't have it in your pub.

The newspaper launched a misguided campaign in January to stop the Licensing Act, claiming it would mean 24-hour opening and increase the amount of drink-related disorder.

It failed in its attempt to stall the start of the Act, but has reignited the campaign over the last month to halt the new regime and slam the pub trade.

According to The Publican's Lifestyle Report 2004​, the Daily Mail is the favourite newspaper of the pub trade with three out of 10 licensees buying it regularly. This equates to 20,000 readers across the country who can register their concerns about the approach the newspaper is taking to the drinks trade.

The Daily Mail has unfairly accused the entire trade of acting irresponsibly by planning to open round the clock and of influencing government policy by wining and dining senior civil servants. It has also carried countless news reports that distort the image of the trade and imply licensees are operating irresponsibly.

Licensee Helen Johnson of the Royal Oak, North Kelsey, Lincolnshire, said the Daily Mail was "blaming pubs for everything". "Not many pubs support 24-hour drinking," she said. "Has the Daily Mail considered this? The Mail should spend more of its time criticising supermarkets."

James Cracknell, licensee at the Coach and Horses in Clapham, South London, said: "There's been a lot of hype and exaggeration in the articles about pubs and licensing. "I'm astonished by the way it's been handled and the broad stroke technique that's been used when this is clearly a very complex industry."

Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, said: "Does the Daily Mail deserve our support when it is attacking the trade on a regular basis? We are responsible and licensed and we have to work within stricter guidelines than any other industry."

A spokesman for London brewer and pub company Fuller's, meanwhile, told The Publican: "I think the Daily Mail is a very good newspaper - for wrapping chips in."

The Publican attempted to put the pub trade's concerns to the Daily Mail this week - but was told that no-one was available for comment.