Forum user 4028 16/02/2009 14:20:17


RE: Fair Pint backs MP's Save the Pub group

It is clear from all their published material that Fair pint is not anti pubco but anti anti-competitive practices in the pub industry. That the original objectives as posted above support retaining the tie in cases where brewers have fewer than 500 pubs in itself is evidence that Fair Pint's position, far from being extreme, is pragmatic.

The campaign has been consistent from its inception in raising awareness of the tie's debilitating cash drain on the pub industry. That the tie is responsible for the bulk of the pub industry's financial problems is a simple single issue that can hardly be considered controversial as it is so self evidently the case: How can any business survive difficult trading conditions when it is obliged to buy goods at prices that are at least double those of its competitors?

By contrast to Fair Pint's resolutely straight down the line stance (incidentally no convincing argument has been put forward from any quarter which counters Fair Pint's postion on the tie) BBPA has quite obviously been briefed to beef up noises about duty, government red tape and incoming legislation being the source of the industy's woes just as BEC Inquiry pubco 2008 is rounding up various bits of supplementary evidence ready for finalising recommendations to be published soon... That the tie is firmly in the sights of MPs can be in little doubt. Watch out for fireworks when recommendations are published saying that property companies should be property companies and brewers should be brewers.

The flurry of recent press activity omitting any reference to the tie is diversionary tactics designed to take onlookers' eyes off the big red hairy bouncing ball that is the tie.

edited by: Forum user 4028 at: 16/02/2009 14:20:41

This post replies to info man > RE: Fair Pint backs MP's Save the Pub group