Fair Pint publishes BBPA agreement

Fair Pint has followed through with its threat to publish full details of the British Beer and Pub Association's industry agreement.

The anti-beer tie campaign has also published a stinging criticism of the agreement on its website (www.fairpint.org.uk)​.

However, the BBPA has accused Fair Pint of breaching the confidentiality agreement of the mediation process in relation to the document published containing its criticisms of the BBPA agreement.

The BBPA has stressed the difference between the agreement it reached with the BII and Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (Pubcos set out 'fundamental reform' plans​) and the actual code, which will put flesh on the bones of the agreement.

It says clause 6 of the agreement is the key point. It states: "The BBPA will revise its code of practice in accordance with the terms of this agreement. Adoption of the revised BBPA code of practice is a mandatory requirement for members of the BBPA who operate leased or tenanted pubs with purchasing obligations."

BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said this morning that the full code would be ready for publication by the time of the next Business and Innovation Select Committee hearing on 8 December.

It also believes that the BISC (formerly BEC) is the right arena to reveal the full details of its new code because it is a "direct response to the shortcomings in our sector highlighted by the Committee".

Fair Pint denied that it had breached the confidentiality agreement of the mediation process.

BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings said: "While it seems extraordinary they have published a document from mediation, at the same time we would encourage everybody to read the other document, signed by the BII and FLVA, which echoes all the points we have been making since 14 October."

Fundamental imbalance​

All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group chair Greg Mulholland said: "Much of it is money for old rope, things that should have been implemented long ago including recommendations from the 2004 Trade & Industry Select Committee inquiry.

"Apart from that, most of the new clauses are things that pub companies should already be doing anyway.

"There are also no sanctions for companies who breach the proposed code, which makes it utterly toothless.

"It was notable that when I raised this point at the Beer Group meeting on Monday, the only answer was they would be named and shamed. That is not a sanction. It is not binding and not enforceable, so it would change nothing."

He added: "A voluntary code that doesn't deal with the fundamental imbalance in the tenant/pubco relationship is little more than window dressing. We need real reform it is time the Government woke up to that."