It's been fun!

Writing on the eve of her departure, Editor-in-Chief Lorna Harrison looks back at 12 years on The Publican - and 12 years of changes in the pub trade.

As a new, eager Publican reporter back in the title's hedonistic days of 1993, one of the first articles I wrote was headlined "A 21st Century Licensing Act". It was published on December 6, 1993 and quoted The Publican's then legal expert Peter Coulson saying the long-overdue relaxation of opening hours was on the cards for 1994 would include:

• midnight closing on Fridays and Saturdays
• the possibility of all-day Sunday opening.

It is, therefore, somewhat ironic that 12 years later, as I pen my final article, we are only just celebrating the new licensing reforms — it's been a long time coming and have we really got what we wanted?

All-day Sunday opening was introduced in 1995 and prompted many of the concerns and negative responses that we are getting from the national press today. Evidence showed that fears attached to this extra drinking time were unfounded. Like many industry issues they tend to blow up, drive everyone crazy for a few months and then die down as everyone learns to adjust to them.

Ridiculous conditions​

Take the hoo-ha over Children's Certificates. Many of my front page stories in 1994 and 1995 covered this sensitive area. The ridiculous conditions attached to some licensees' certificates eventually made the law unworkable and pubs ended up opening their doors to kids while police turned a blind eye. A good example of where public demand has won over rules and regulations.

And as far as rules and regulations go, our industry has certainly had its fair share. Since 1993, when minimum wage and disability discrimination couldn't be further from our minds, we have been plagued with a mountain of new legislation that makes life back then appear positively rosy.

Of course, it was not. Hard-up Inntrepreneur lessees dominated the news pages, as did issues of high rents, unfair lease agreements, revolving-door managers, dodgy holding companies, high beer duty and cross-Channel imports.

Smoking was also starting to creep in as a major issue. An article I wrote in February 1994 highlighted research by pro-smoking group FOREST saying smokers were turning to home drinking as more pubs snubbed them. An interesting comment was made by David Pollock, former director of anti-smoking group ASH (Action on Smoking and Health). "It is unlikely that smoking will ever be banned from pubs completely," he said, adding that future legislation could insist on separate areas. How times have changed!

Moving at a snail's pace​

Flicking back over my 12 years' worth of articles, it is evident that the industry has moved forward but it's been at a snail's pace, hampered by bureaucracy and red tape. The change in power at the top hasn't helped our plight over the years, with one licensing minister promising one thing only to have it snatched away by the next. Until recently, we've also been guilty of presenting a poor fight to the government with the lack of a single voice.

That's where, I hope, The Publican has made a real difference - stepping in to act as a voice for Britain's licensees.

Notable campaigns since I became Editor in 1996 have included the Save our Rural Pubs fight in response to moves to reduce the drink-drive limit. There was a real fear that rural pubs would close if the limit was reduced further. I believe that thanks to the 8,000 signatures we collected, along with a strong representation on behalf of readers, we helped kill the bill.

We also helped secure families in pubs, were hugely influential in a the move to axe rural rate hikes in 1996 and, more recently, have continued to support publicans on all aspects of their business. This has ranged from fighting for longer opening hours to exposing the wrong-doing of dodgy rip-off merchants, right up to our latest Proud of Pubs campaign, aimed at shouting about the great and the good in our industry.

Despite all the problems we've faced together over the past 12 years, we have to look at the end result - the pub of today compared with that of 1993 is, in my opinion, unrecognisable...for the better!

Compared with many pubs I visited then, outlets are now brighter and cleaner, with high standards of service, excellent food, fabulous drinks ranges and, importantly, something for everyone.

The people business​

This shift is down to the passionate people who run them, from the licensees and their staff to the pub companies who have become more professional over the years and who now see the value in looking after and training people.

I also look to the trade groups which have vigorously fought for the interests of our pubs: the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers; the British Beer & Pub Association, and the BII, which has transformed the way we operate and look after our staff. I couldn't fail to also mention Tony Payne who, since the demise of the National LVA back in May 1992, has championed the cause for the individual licensee.

I would like to thank all the people I've worked with over the past 12 years for their support and for giving our industry the excitement, innovation and professionalism we have today.

My time on The Publican could never be described as "a job", more a way of life that I am going to miss immensely. However, the time has come to move on to new challenges and I couldn't be leaving the editorial in better hands, with a fantastic editorial team of hard-working and committed journalists who truly have the interests of the industry close to their hearts.

I look forward to keeping pace with this fantastic industry in The Publican and hearing all your news. Rest assured I will remain, as always, Proud of Pubs.