City opinion John Hutson
Pubwatches key to eradicating problems in pubs
Wetherspoon takes the issue of responsible pub retailing extremely seriously. At a time when
a number of leading individuals, organisations and media writers want to point the finger at pubs for many of the problems associated with alcohol in our society, it is more important than ever that the pub industry shows a united front.
As an industry, we can't be naïve and say there are no problems in our pubs, and that all our customers behave like angels, but most pubs are well run and provide an enjoyable place for people to relax.
One way in which licensees can come together and mitigate potential problems is by joining their local pubwatch scheme.
I believe that Pubwatch is vitally important and, while many licensees and pub operators support its aims, there are still many who are not involved at all. That is a great shame and something that I feel the industry needs to address immediately; if every single pub was a member of a pubwatch, I believe it would drastically cut behavioural problems in pubs, and, just as important, it would send out a strong message that all pubs and licensees speak with one voice.
At Wetherspoon we ensure that all of our managers are involved in their local pubwatch. A good example of the benefits of a pubwatch can be seen in Epsom, Surrey. Our manager Tony Cave and his fellow licensees in the town are in competition with each other, but they understand the importance of working together to eradicate problems.
The Epsom pubwatch has won praise from the town's licensing officers, with Sgt Rosemary Redpath, who liaises between the pubwatch and individual pubs, saying: "Pubwatch is a very good idea, helping both the town and the council." And Tony has made it clear to me that working with fellow licensees in the town is key to the success of its pubwatch.
It is in this respect that I would urge pubwatch schemes across the UK to concentrate on what they do best and not use it as a way of harassing individual pubs and their managers. A case in point is two of our pubs in Carlisle, banned from their local pubwatch scheme for more than a month because they lowered their prices during the Wetherspoon January sale.
The pubwatch members argued that because the pubs had prices below £1.50 they couldn't be members of the scheme. It is our view that local initiatives should operate to encourage best practice throughout the trade, rather than being used as a tool to stifle good business practice, and that it is inappropriate for local schemes to put in place minimum pricing policies.
Our two pubs in Carlisle have now been reinstated following a vote by members, and can once again play their part in the role that the pubwatch was set up for — to ensure that pub-goers enjoy a fun time at their local, without the fear of trouble. Pubwatch should capitalise on what it does best and not be used by some to make political capital over their competitors.
In aiming to make pubs and towns safer, Pubwatch shares common ground with the police, council licensing committees and local residents. I believe that it is up to every individual licensee and pub company to ensure that they are involved.
l For more on National Pubwatch, visit www.nationalpubwatch.org.uk
