Pubcos invited to Fair Pint summit
29 June, 2009
Enterprise Inns and Punch yet to confirm if they will attend Westminster event
Campaign group Fair Pint is waiting to hear if pubcos Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns will attend a summit meeting next month.
The anti-beer tie campaigners have invited a host of people from across the trade to The Fair Pint Summit – Calling Time on the Tie: The Way Forward at Portcullis House in Westminster on July 14.
And while tenants, front bench MPs from the three main political parties, brewers, trade group heads and members of the Business & Enterprise Committee (BEC) that investigated pubocs are expected to attend Punch and Enterprise have yet to confirm.
The invitation states that the summit is a “genuine attempt to ensure all voices are heard” in the debate on the future of the trade.
It also says: “Their (the BEC) report concluded that ties were reducing the profitability of pubs, raising prices and reducing choice for consumers. The committee recommended that the government should refer the tie to the Competition Commission and take action to increase the fairness of the relationship between publicans and their landlords.
“We are keen to bring all stakeholders together to look at the future of the pub sector and build consensus on the way forward.
"We believe it will be important to ensure that the government takes action to support the Select Committee’s recommendations in order to deliver fairness for UK landlords and consumers who suffer as a result of tied lease agreements.”
Readers' comments
Ed please be patient as Fair Pint have achieved an incredable amount within the last six months, not all gets credited to them, but that's ok by them, as long as the industry are moving forward. As regards another meeting, meetings are the place where bodies can get together and discuss issues, as without these nothing gets changed.I would have though that would be in everyones favour.
If an orang u tan had half the intelligence of a chimpanzee it'd be a gerbil.
June I think one of the rasons that the guys at Fair Pint have done so much is that they actually love the pub trade, unlike the leading two pubcos who really are property companies, especially Enterprise Inns. There is a hugh difference here, as Enterprise are only interested in their result figures, regardless of whom gets hurt in the process. They really are an immoral company.
And yet still no answer - why have fairpint called this 'summit' when there has already been one, and another one scheduled shortly? Which they attended anyway. What are they hoping to achieve with another interim meeting?
If the pubcos had half the intelligance of the guys at Fair Pint the industry would be in a far better shape.
Anyone know what happened to: Enterprise tenant given days to leave pub? Appears to have been pulled. Surely Enterprise are not getting bad stories removed by the trade press?
Where is the article that was on the forum earlier on in the day, it was about a woman and child being evicted by Enterprise with a very short notice, that it has been removed makes me really worried. WHY has pressure been put on the Publican to loose the article, if so, it is a really bad sign, please print this, as if you do not, I will know that I am well and truly correct.
Daniel Pearce, Managing Editor, The Publican No pressure was put on The Publican to lose the article you are referring to. However, more details about the story came to light during the course of the day and we exercised our own editorial judgement to take it down from the site.
What would we do without Fair Pint in our corner, as we cannot rely on any trade body actually fighting for us licensees, it would seem that the big two have a lot of them in their pockets.
Zara, Fairpint certainly care about themselves, of that there is no doubt
I think it is wonderful that we now have people like Fair Pint who really care about the licensees, they know themselves how hard it is to run a pub under the tie, and the very high rents that the pubcos charge. Please, please carry on Fair Pint.
I am an ex-pubco employee, and I think that the BEC report on pubcos is spot on, this has to go to the Competitions Commission.
Delerious/Colin, you two guys crack me up ! Any other offers on 'summits' ? I was thinking about the potholes in the road outside my house. Any takers? Maybe we could invite Obama?
Delerious, well I was thinking of organising a 'summit' to discuss the price of frozen peas in my local supermarket. I've noticed that they're 10p a bag more expensive than down the road and I think it's iniquitous. I know it's not important to many people ( well just me actually) but any chance you could get Gordon and Mandy to turn up?
Oh dear, Fairpint clutching at straws again. Wake me up when they have actually achieved anything. Even the use of the word 'summit' is pretentious , given the wiki definition, thus "summit is a meeting of heads of state or government, usually with considerable media exposure, tight security and a prearranged agenda." Oh good grief, Walter Mitty rides again. I was thinking of organising a 'summit' myself actually to discuss parking regulations in my City. With any luck, two traffic wardens will turn up in their tea break and agree with me and then I can claim total victory. Everyone is welcome whether you drive a car or not.
Newbie, best solutio is to get your yellow pages look up wholesale drinks suppliers in the are of your pub and call them up and state that you are buing a pub in their area (name it if ok) and ask what their best supply price would be on supplying the target barrelage.Ask them for a price list and any discounts they would make available. Ken Nason
surely the bec made the decision to go to the comp commission based on months of evidence findings. Lets go there and accept what the decide. I have serious evidence from recent dealings with punch that they are not becoming transparent, they are just becoming cuter. My lawyer will be persueing the matter. But back to the point, pubco's will not reform unless they have specific guidelines they have to stick to by law, they have shown this time and time again. I will accept the commissions decision whether i like it or not but lets hope this happens asap as it is becoming very tedious and embarrassing how long this is taking to be sorted out
Please help.... I have the opportunity to buy a freehouse currently taking £7000 plus per week 90% wet. I dont need advice about due diligence or the current plight of the trade etc. but what I do need to know is what is the cheapest actual purchase price I should be able to buy lager, cask bitter and Guinness for? I have approached Scotco and Carlberg but get the feeling their offering isnt the best I can get. I wonder if they are even setting a ceiling price between them???? What are your current best buying prices? Many thanks.
Regardless of who does or does not attend it will all be totally pointless unless workable solutions to the problems are tabled and discussed. Any solutions have to be to BOTH sides advantage and shouts of "remove the tie" will be totally unhelpful in solving the problems facing the tied sector. Ken Nason
Colin Marlock, I hear what you are saying, BUT, they do seem to be able to organise meetins etc., somthing the other "interested" parties are not able or willing to do.
Once again it would seem that Fair Pint are leading the way forward, who would have though a year or so ago that Fair Pint would have such a strong voice. Well done all concerned.
Fair Pint are doing a great job in trying to bring all the relevent trade bodies together to try and sort out the dreadful mess the pubco estate is in. How has it got is bad, a combination of reasons, mainly the pubcos fault, and also the trade bodies who have not looked after the publican's interests, but have had more interest in the pubcos. Fair Pint are willing, so hopefully others will be too.
I have to ask, why? I thought one meeting down, one meeting to go? Why arrange another, seemingly unnecessary one, in between the other two?
I wouldn't expect Enterprise or even Punch to turn up for this. Fairpint are an unelected and purportedly represent only a small minority of tied licencees. It follows therefore that whatever is discussed at this 'summit' is without the knowledge or any mandate from the vast majority. Think numbers again.
Come on Enterprise Inns show willing.
This should be a realy interesting day, with all the bodies that have being invited, I do hope that all will show up to show that they are serious in moving forward, and not just paying lip service to keep people happy.
Well done Fair Pint, you are trying to get the two main pubcos around the table, this can only be a good thing. Lets see who turns up.
Fair Pint as usual are trying to bring all parties to the table. It will be interesting to see if Enterprise Inns attend, my bet is they will not, as I beleive that are afraid of talking with people who know so much about how Enterprise Inns is really run, that they would have to answer some very tricky questions, come on Enterprise Inns prove me wrong.