Mark Daniels: It is time to bring some sense to the table...

Last week, Michael Turner - chairman of Fuller, Smith & Turner - stated that whilst there was so much in-fighting going on inside our own trade, there was never going to be any hope for moving forward.

Unfortunately, many didn't seem to see his side of the argument, which is a shame because, whatever your feelings for pubco operatives might be, he was right. It seems that each day a new 'trade body' pops up, fighting its corner for the little man with no voice, and each appears to have its own self-serving agenda.

Sectors of this trade are steadily becoming more and more disparate, and with the constant sniping and bickering that is going on, the real problems the industry - as a whole - face are being pushed into a corner, ignored.

As arguments surrounding the beer tie escalate, as battle cries roar, new laws are being pushed in behind our backs with little or no opposition. Individuals and groups are wrapping themselves up in to such a frenzy that, slowly, what might have been a constructive argument is becoming nonconstructive.

I enjoy reading the forums on this very website. Sometimes I get involved, sometimes I like to just lurk and see what's being said. But recently I find myself staring agog at the screen at some of the personal rants that take place, and in a community that is supposed to be trying to find a way to break through the problems it has in order to find a solution, the offence individuals take to the fact that others have a differing opinion is, quite often, staggering.

Tied tenants who are struggling take great offence at tied tenants who are making it work; the level of jealousy over being free-of-tie is immense. The wholly grail of being free-of-tie is dangled like a carrot by groups who promise lower prices on the pump and a reduction in rents and thousands more customers back through the front door.

An outsider looking in would see this display of infighting as amusing childish behaviour at best, a shambles of an industry on its knees with no clear direction at worst.

Over the last few days, however, green shoots of hope seem to have popped up in the forums and blogs. Little comments of perfect sense, and some begrudging quotes to the effect that the principles of the Tie may be founded in good, but it is the business practices of a couple of operators that may be causing their tenants harm.

Inez Ward's blog of earlier this week stated as much when she acknowledged there are many factors affecting the pub trade and that not all pubcos are the same.

Robert Sayles' blog eluded to British Airways, another large company quagmired in a business model no longer effective for its market place, but with no easy way to just change overnight.

The tie is not illegal under European law, as often gets claimed. To declare it so would be to declare many other tied or restrictive contracts - even, dare I say it, certain franchise operations - illegal, but the way some tied operators run their tenanted business may very well need to be questioned.

I believe that the principle of the Tie can work for this industry, but I also believe that there is a need for change, for fluidity, for flexibility. Some pubcos are already looking at ways to change. Some might need to have their arms twisted. Some are more receptive to new ideas than others. There are faults with the tie, there are faults with the way some operators administer it, and there are faults with the way tenants view their tie.

Each party needs to be prepared to compromise. Each party needs to find a way to make this industry work. Each party needs to find a way to protect us from the further restrictions this Government will continue to impose upon us.

We don't need extra trade groups taking more money from already financially-strapped publicans promising results that simply cannot be achieved and we don't need trade unions calling for self-employed people to strike.

All that will do is force more customers to think that pubs are no longer pleasant places to visit. Strike action is not something the general public accept any more - you've only got to look at the public response to recent Post Office and British Airways strike action to understand that - and it will simply serve to drive more customers away, and more licensees out of business.

And to industry observers looking from the outside in, it will simply make us look like an ever-weakening trade.

Some sense needs to be brought to the table, and quickly. Whether you like Michael Turner or not, he is right: infighting and bickering is "damaging the trade, harming tenants and putting customers off going to the pub"

The supermarkets are sitting there rubbing their sweaty palms together, waiting for even more customers to give up on pubs and head indoors with a cheap can of lager and a Blu-Ray DVD.

Out of the mouths of babes...

Anybody who follows my Twitter feed will probably be aware that I have been having a little, er, car trouble of late. Over dinner last night my children were concerned about what is going to happen with our car. My almost-ten-year-old, who is rapidly becoming more car-obsessed as each day goes on, is concerned we are going to end up with an 'old banger'.

"We've always had cool cars," he moaned. "I don't want an old banger."

My seven-year-old asked why we couldn't just buy a brand new car and so I had to point out that, right now, the money to do such a thing isn't available.

"Don't worry, Daddy," he said, and gave me a hug. This, in itself, is a rare and emotional thing as Jacob has Asperger's and therefore is not prone to displays of affection. "I know how you can be rich. All you've got to do is put all your gold in an envelope and send it off to moneyforgold.com!"

He beamed with the simple logic of his plan and Ali and I had to laugh - we'd have cried otherwise.

If only we had enough gold to make his wishes come true...