THE GUV'NOR

Ali Carter

The licensee of the Bayview Inn, Widemouth Bay, Cornwall, suggests a few New Year's resolutions for the trade

New Year's Resolutions for 2007...

Give up fags (a good move considering the looming legislation for 1 July 2007), cut down on the booze (yeah, like we're in the right place to do that!), shift a stone and go to the gym three times a week. Let's face it, it's not going to happen but we like to think it just might!

What a great Christmas pressie it would be if the pubcos and Government were to make a couple of New Year's resolutions and actually stick to them.

For the Government - "Give us a break"

Leave us alone for a bit, let us have a year with no more big changes - last year licensing, the year ahead smoking legislation. Please let us all have a year to consolidate - no more changes to employment law, licensing law, health and safety law, duty, or smoking. If you do this we may get a chance to move forward rather than continually play catch-up.

For the pubcos and

regionals - "Love your licensees"

You may see your biggest asset as the value of your pub estate, but look again: isn't it your individual licensees who add value by trading brilliantly, improving market share? One leading pubco refers to its tenants and lessees as "customers" a refreshing display of respect for the men and women at the coal face day in, day out.

Don't penalise success with massive rent increases - tear up the rulebook that demands that you please the City and shareholders over your licensees. Stop driving some of the best operators out of the licensed sector. If you do this it will help reduce the crazy level of churn in this industry.

For the retail brands - "Big isn't always beautiful"

Smaller fonts for 2007 please. Our customers are in danger of not being able to see the happy, smiling faces of our well-trained staff behind the towering row of shiny fonts.

For licensees - "Carry on regardless"

Carry on being the brilliant, resilient, versatile, unique bunch of fun-loving eccentric professionals at the heart of communities across the country, but stop procrastinating and make time to build your business and devote time to yourselves and your families - you never know, you may even stick to your New Year's ressies as a result!