Pub trade leaders are themselves divided on the best political solution for the pub trade — just as the country has been split on who should rule.
BII chief executive Neil Robertson argued that a hung Parliament could actually be good for the trade while others have warned that it could create economic uncertainty.
"The first thing to say is the last couple of Governments have not been kind to the pub trade," said Robertson. "There is nothing really substantial across the parties that would be particularly good for pubs — they are all as bad as each other.
"So a hung Parliament may be good because it can prevent the worst excesses of any Government.
"For example, I don't think the mandatory code on alcohol retailing would have got through a hung parliament. If we expect 90% of the laws to be bad for pubs, at least 50% would be hard to deliver."
But he added that the flip side could be a delay in cutting the country's deficit. He said the longer cuts were delayed, the bigger the shock to consumers would be.
Economic certainty
Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers chief executive Nick Bish said the best solution would be "anything that brings certainty". He said: "We need somebody who will be too busy with the economy to worry about tinkering with licensing and alcohol in general.
"We need something concrete to provide some certainty. Then we can get on with running our businesses as best we can and collecting tax for the Government."
The Forum of Private Business also argued the uncertainty and confusion caused by a hung Parliament would jeopardise and hamper business owners' attempts to plan ahead.
"With the economy still in a very precarious state and a mountain of public debt to be tackled, businesses owners need our elected representatives to move away from inter-party point-scoring and show political responsibility," said Forum chief executive Phil Orford.
Pricing
Noctis executive chairman and CGA chief executive Jon Collins said in terms of pricing and action on the off-trade, a Conservative Government may be the best option.
"The Conservatives have promised the cider duty hike won't return and promised that beer duty will be set at a sensible level. They also promised action on below cost sales, so in terms of pricing, they have a coherent set of policies that may help the on-trade.
"The Tories did also say they would scrap the mandatory code on alcohol retailing but I am sceptical whether any Home Secretary would do so once in power.
"But on the other side they have talked about a late night levy for venues."
Leave us alone
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), said: "Whoever gets into power, I hope they will leave us alone to get on and run our businesses. My hope is that they will work with us and have specific policies to deal with real problems."
She added that "there are areas of real concern within all of the parties' manifestos."
She highlighted Conservative plans to make late night premises pay for policing in town centres as one such area of concern.
She also said a question mark hangs over who will be the new chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group after John Grogan stepped down. "Normally I would expect that this would be from the party in power, and we don't know who that will be yet."
BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings added: "There is a lot of beer to be drunk yet before we know the outcome.
"It is certainly the case that in a hung Parliament the influence of backbench MPs will grow.
"It is imperative that the industry continues to communicate positively and constructively with the newly elected members. Everyone would like to see a clear direction rather than uncertainty."
Pubco reform
Anti-beer tie campaign group Fair Pint said it would continue to lobby whoever formed a Government for reform of the pubco business model. "Obviously Labour have promised action on the tie," said spokesman Steve Corbett. "But we will lobby and work with whoever the new Government is."
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