Fuller's tenant forced to order in £13k of beer upfront

Disgruntled Robin Wheeler, of the Railway Tavern, Carshalton, told the PMA that Fuller’s did not notify him of Christmas delivery or last order dates and despite repeated calls to telesales, the loading department and the distribution number, no staff were able to help him.

“It was ridiculous. I had to order 70 barrels four weeks in advance,” he said. “It meant we couldn’t get all the barrels in the cellar and we’ve now got a cellar full of empty barrels.”

Wheeler, who wrote to Fuller’s complaining, also criticised the brewer for a lack of marketing support, saying he’d received two Christmas posters detailing food serving times, yet his pub does not serve food.

He also slammed a five-week wait to receive branded Carling and Stella Artois glasses and ended up ordering them online.

“I feel like I’m pulling one way and they’re [Fuller’s] pulling another,” said Wheeler. “I feel they leave you to get on with it.

”They still put our rent up and it coincides with the price of beer going up. The tenant is once again left out in the cold.”

Fuller's said the licensee was informed that he did not have to place such a large order as the company could make a delivery between Christmas and New Year. The brewer also gave the tenant an extra five weeks to pay for the order due to the large cash amount.

A Fuller’s spokesman said: “Delivery timings were a one-off internal operational issue, limited to the Railway, and resolved with Robin just after he contacted us in mid-December.

“We are disappointed Robin feels he has not received adequate marketing support as in the last 12 months tenants received support in the form of free individual pub microsites, free customer Wi-Fi as well as free BII membership and a free Mystery Shopper programme. We feel our support is among the best in the industry.”