Chris Maclean: It's not 'where', but 'what' is the publicans' voice?'

The tragic answer to the question "Where is the publicans' voice?" must surely be "What is the publicans' voice?"

The staggering truth reveals our shocking incompetence. A total inability to collectively articulate a coherent position about the issues that face us.

As our industry has confronted a range of devastating issues; the licensing act, smoking ban, the abuse by pubcos, the accusations by the health police, we have totally failed to gather together an agreed response. Headless chickens.

To some degree I blame the single issue champions; smoking bans and pubco confrontations have indeed caused much anguish and heartbreak. These are issues that must be addressed. But please understand not everybody can unite behind them. I do not want to see the smoking ban repealed. I prefer my pub without smoke. I do not want to destroy the pubco models ~ particularly when my tenancy agreement has actually served me quite well. Not everyone can, or does, agree with them.

Anyone who thinks that the simple restoration of one aspect amongst the many that confront us is, frankly, an idiot. How can we unite behind an issue that actually divides us? Worse than simply distracting us from developing a coherent response, these divisive issues prevent us from concentrating on the bigger picture.

The fact is that huge numbers of pubs are closing every week. Pubs that are the lifeblood of many communities. Pubs that generate huge revenue for the government. These are well documented arguments and the causes are many. And yet inevitably some idiot will proclaim with absolute wisdom that it can only be caused by one thing; the smoking ban/pubco model/the price of petrol. Not everyone agrees. Not everyone accepts that argument or wishes to see those things destroyed.

So what could the voice of the publican say? What could it agree on? Could there be a common cause around which publicans could unite? Maybe...

The first point I would make is that any voice of the publican must be exactly that. Not the voice of the pubco or brewery, the well-intentioned but interfering bystander, the off-trade or the disaffected. It isn't that of the restauranteur, cafe owner or club steward. Publicans are people that run pubs.

Its very foundation must be based on the recognition that pubs can be a force for great good in our society. Fundamentally pubs are at the very heart of communities. We support, nurture and hold them together.We ignore that at our peril. Campaigns like "Proud of Pubs" celebrate our contribution. We need to actively connect to this.

But equally we must re-consider our obsession with sales. Sales volumes are often seen as the driving force; the primary objective which over-rides all other considerations. I'd like to suggest that selling more, cheaply isn't benefiting us. It drives down standards and fuels the arguement for our opponents. The pressure is then put upon us to open longer, pay less, work more hours and cut back on maintenance and service.

High volumes sold cheaper simply make us run faster to stay in the same position. I don't think that is where we should be.

I think all publicans should work less hours.

Earn more money.

Pay their staff better.

Have cleaner, warmer, places.

Deliver a higher quality of hospitality.

If we can agree to that then at least we might be some way to having a collective publicans' voice.