You get what you pay for...

Bang! What was that? Perhaps the sound of the British Hospitality Association (BHA) shooting itself in the foot over the issue of holiday entitlements for employees?

The first tranche of new regulations governing time off is introduced this October, effectively raising a five-day-a-week worker's holiday entitlement from 20 days to 28 days.

The BHA, which counts around 7,000 pubs as members, isn't happy. There's much talk in other quarters too as to the 'problems' the new rules will cause, for instance, giving staff time off in lieu of working public holidays.

I know many people think I'm just an old lefty, out of touch with the commercial realities of the world. I like to think I'm neither old nor out of touch, as it happens. Nevertheless this is one particular drum I can't help but wanting to have a bash at. Again.

Talk to anyone in the pub trade about their staff and they'll say they are crucial to a pub's - or indeed a company's - success.

Yes, the new rules will cost money and many companies amply reward the stars of their organisation already.

But it seems somewhat off-kilter for a major trade body to complain about the costs of improving the working conditions of the very people whose efforts are vital to its members' success, and at other times recognised as such.

How can people talk about the industry needing better quality staff on the one hand, and then moan about how much holiday these same staff will get or how much they're going to have to pay them on the other? Seems slightly contradictory to me...

From next week users of thepublican.com's City pages can check out the thoughts of an old City chum of mine via what the kids call a 'blog'. Well-versed in pub matters and a rather outspoken fellow, Sebastian Connerie has kindly agreed to 'wax lyrical' on everything and anything industry-related that takes his fancy. He'll be doing this under the rather snappy title 'Pinstripe'. As is the way with these things it's going to be interactive, so if you've any comments on Sebastian's 'stream of consciousness', feel free to let him know. Visit www.thepublican.com/blogs from Tuesday, January 23.