You say you want a revolution, well...

1989 was a tumultuous year in anyone's book.

First we had the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union, thanks to the 'velvet revolution' taking place in a number of then-Eastern Bloc countries.

Then we had the debut of a now-famous plasticine man and his faithful dog - Wallace and Grommit.

And for the pub sector, 1989 saw publication of the Monopolies & Mergers Commissions (MMC) report on the industry - which led to probably the most far-reaching piece of legislation to affect it to date.

I was pretty oblivious to what was going on at the time, save noticing my favourite watering holes began serving different beers, and more of them.

I can't remember noticing the price of a pint inexorably rising, but I appreciate now that both these areas - product range and price - were at the core of what the MMC saw as a "complex monopoly" exerted by the then-large brewers.

Elsewhere on this website you will find an extensive feature which reveals what those who were around at the time thought of the impact of the Beer Orders, or The Supply of Beer (Tied Estate) Order 1989 as it was known.

There are some, like Peter Luff, Tory MP and chairman of the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) committee, who believe they "manifestly failed" in what they set out to achieve, namely to prevent the existence of a supply monopoly.

Others are more forgiving, arguing product choice available to consumers is light years ahead of the situation 20 years ago.

Luff has not given up on his mission to 'sort the trade out'. With the BIS committee - formerly the BEC - due to hear yet more evidence on the trade next month, many will be hoping this will be the final chapter in what has been a bruising year…