'Industry must fight with one voice'

The industry has a chance of overturning the Chancellor's proposed duty hikes if it fights with a unified voice.

That was the clear message from licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe at the final hearing of the Community Pubs Inquiry at Westminster.

In a boost to the Morning Advertiser's Fight the Hikes campaign, Sutcliffe said the Chancellor has proved he will change his mind if presented with clear evidence.

"If the industry can show the impact on trade (of the duty escalator), he will listen and make a decision based on the evidence," he said.

"My concern is the industry does not speak with one voice. If it did the message would come across more strongly."

Sutcliffe repeated what he had told MA editor Andrew Pring earlier in the year by saying "it is not the Government's job to keep pubs open".

He said he recognised pubs as a "social hub" of communities but the trade should learn more from those pubs which have been successful and the reasons why.

"What I want to do is try and support those successes and get the message across to others," he said.

Sutcliffe said he considered there were a number of reasons why so many pubs were closing, which he admitted had reached a "crisis" point, chiefly that people's drinking habits had changed.

Licensing Act​

The minister promised that the review of the Licensing Act would lead to several simplifications to help ease the burden of red tape on pubs.

One change is being able to email applications for Temporary Events Notices rather than send them in hard copy.

Some of the changes, which don't require primary legislation, could be in place by October.

He also admitted that the concept of a "cafe culture" was "just the spin put on the idea of the Licensing Act".

Sutcliffe was also keen to stress that himself and Home Office minister Vernon Coaker had held meetings with local authorities and police to ensure the Licensing Act was interpreted and enforced more consistently.

He said he hoped there would be a "light touch" and "common sense approach" to enforcement of the act.

Cheap booze​

On the issue of cheap supermarket booze, he added: "The report on price, promotion and harm is due very soon and I am sure it will have an impact on the issue of cheap sales.

"We are all aware that for the Government to interfere in the market is a severe step. We will wait for the report and make decisions from that."

Sutcliffe said he would take up the issue of extending rate relief for pubs which provide community facilities with the Local Government department.

The Community Pubs Inquiry is expected to publish its report in September.