Pub trade unites to save crown

Trade leaders have written to Prime Minister Tony Blair calling for him to reverse the decision to scrap the Crown symbol on pint glasses and replace it with a European stamp.

Bosses of nine major brewers and pub operators have signed the letter, which says the decision to replace the Crown mark with the CE mark is "a needless intrusion" and against the wishes of their customers.

The latest in a long line of examples of excessive interference from Brussels, which only serve to undermine support for the EU among business leaders​Letter from trade leaders.

The letter has also been sent to Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell.

It says the move is "the latest in a long line of examples of excessive interference from Brussels, which only serve to undermine support for the EU among business leaders."​

The letter reads: "As representatives of Britain's brewing and pub industry we were disappointed by the Government's decision to support the Measuring Instruments Directive. This means that the Crown stamp - used since 1699 to guarantee the size of pints and half pints - is now being replaced with the Conformité Européenne (CE) mark.​

"It is a needless intrusion into a system, which has worked well for many years and continues to do so. We feel that it has been imposed on our industry without consultation and against the wishes of our consumers.

"This directive is yet another in a long line of examples of excessive interference from Brussels which only serve to undermine support for the EU among business leaders and the wider public.

"As such we are writing to ask you to consider negotiating a derogation from the directive for the UK to allow the Crown to continue to be printed on pint glasses."

The letter has been signed by: Giles Thorley, chief executive, Punch Taverns; Tim Martin, chairman, JD Wetherspoon; Robert Neame, chairman, Shepherd Neame; David Franks, chairman, Brokenfoot Inns;

Anthony Fuller, chairman, Fullers; Peter Linacre, managing director, Massive Limited; Peter Robinson, chairman, Frederic Robinson; Simon Whitmore, founder, Butcombe Brewery; Colin Wilde, commercial director, Tynemill.

Open Europe - a think tank set up by British businesses to look at the influence of Europe - has backed the campaign.

Open Europe's Head of Research Paul Stephenson said: "This might seem like a small thing, but it's an example of an important problem: the way the EU just can't stop itself from interfering.​

"Businesses and voters don't want this change, but politicians seem unwilling to do anything about it. We hope they might change their minds."