Luff ponders on the past
Peter Luff, chair of the Business & Enterprise Select Committee probing pubcos, gave this reflection on trade lobbyists at the time of the Beer Orders, when he was special advisor to the Trade & Industry Secretary: "It was often clumsy and counter-productive. Rather than trying to engage with arguments they would resort to aggressive campaigns. But that was 20 years ago. I don't think they would make those mistakes again."
Summer of love for McGill
Snifter's favourite stocktaker Alex McGill retired last week after 35 years with Venners.
The rumour is that he will now re-start his life as a hippy.
McGill, a larger than life character, started as a stocktaker and progressed up the ladder to marketing director with Venners.
He is now planning to grow his hair long enough to fit in a pony tail, tune up his guitar and tour Britain's music festivals like a proper old hippy.
"The man is a legend and I have some very big shoes to fill," said his successor, David Fitzgerald.
Snifter wishes him well on his journey. Grooovy!
Sticking to the litter of the law
How did the trade's favourite council — Westminster — respond to the first anniversary of the smoking ban? Why, with a name-and-shame campaign, that's how. Nine pubs and clubs are named among 37 premises highlighted for "failing to tackle the growing scourge of cigarette litter".
Westminster said "final warnings" will go to venues before "tough enforcement action" is taken. Pouches for storing fag butts will be handed out free in "problem areas". Westminster Licensees Association spokeswoman Kate Nicholls slated the "ridiculous PR exercise" adding: "They say pubs and bars feature heavily on the list, but I make it just over a quarter. Given they actually single out late-night as a separate activity, I think it's pretty good going."
Snifter agrees, but couldn't resist a little chuckle at the fact that the HQ of the Government department responsible for
the environment — Defra — is
also named
as an offender.
Jack of pubs plays to win
Football teams look to strengthen their squads during the summer. It seems to work the same way in the brokerage community. Snifter hears that highly-rated leisure pub-sector analyst Douglas Jack is set to leave Panmure Gordon.
It is understood Jack, who is on gardening leave, will be joining Numis in
due course.
Jack is best known for breaking the news of cash-flow difficulties at SFI Group a few years back.
A source said: "It looks like Numis has decided to plug a gap in leisure coverage and moved to make a big-name signing."
Pimm's on tap at the Anchor
Here's a new one for Snifter: draught Pimm's and lemonade. It's on the bar at Spirit's Anchor pub on London's Bankside — the first Spirit pub to have the font. Apparently, it's a seasonal font that gets removed at the end of
the summer.
