Grilling the pubcos: the new spectator sport?

Watching pubco bosses squirm in front of a committee of MPs should be labelled a spectator sport.

Appearing before the Business & Enterprise Committee in Westminster last week, Enterprise Inn's Ted Tuppen and Punch Tavern's Giles Thorley knew they were on a hiding to nothing, and those gathered to watch the proceedings certainly knew it was going to be entertaining.

As the preceding session featuring representatives from the British Beer & Pub Association, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and the BII dragged on and on well over its allotted time, one could almost make out the beads of sweat breaking out on the pubco executives' brows.

The committee members were certainly pretty fired up by the time Messrs Tuppen and Thorley took the stand. MPs gave the executives both barrels, some with more accuracy than others.

It was the least the pair could have expected. The state of the pub game is now well publicised beyond these here pages. The contribution of the pubco to society as a whole is unlikely to feature in anyone's Magnanimous Top Ten, with MPs fearing the industry is being thrown to the wolves for want of some sensible financial judgement.

Whether anything comes of the BEC review into the findings of the 2004 TISC enquiry into the conduct of the pubcos remains to

be seen.

Tuppen and Thorley probably truly believe what they say about their operations — that they offer great business opportunities for their licensees and back that up with wholesome support.

The problem lies further down the food chain. I know of one Punch licensee who is seeking a free-of-tie rent and believes the operator's own code of practice is simply not being adhered to. Perhaps Messrs Tuppen and Thorley need to get out more.