I have no doubt Tony Payne is a charming and arresting personality and wish I had had the opportunity to meet him before an Enterprise Inns Director took over his job at FLVA.

However this piece places him firmly out in the cold outer reaches of the pub industry. Like Pluto. He's certainly out of touch and, although I never bet (except of course I signed a tied lease which proves that I'm a big time gambler on the side), judging from this article, I'd put £100 on his having never run a pub in his life and be confident of getting at least my money back.

Any takers?