Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen claims Government plans for Statutory Code make 'no sense'

Well, Ted would say that wouldn't he? Ted being the man who referred to the MORONS - MP's who'd signed an Early Day Motion criticising the practices of Britain's Tied Pubco's - of which the company he is proud of is head and shoulders the most notorious.

This Article from Morning Advertiser

This response from Karl Harrison. Co Founder of the Fair Pint Campaign:

Billingham's comments are revealing and somewhat at odds with what these rather tawdry companies have been telling us all for years.  Billingham finally confirms that the reason for the tie is for his company - not the tenants - to benefit from bulk buying.  As we know, little of any of this benefit is passed on and so it is unlikely that the consumer receives anything like its fair share of the benefit.  I hope the OFT is listening to Billingham as he rants himself into a corner.  That's the danger of course of letting him out of the accounts office to speak publicly.

Whilst Billingham is a comparative newcomer to pubco 'foot in mouth' politics then Ted is no such stranger and we're all used to his tirades which normally involve florid - if misplaced - nautical metaphors.  I was sad to hear this blast from Solihull lack such colour.  Ted's approach is to shoot from the hip but I bet that Brigid Simmonds OBE over at the BBPA would like him to get the gun out of his holster first so he doesn't shoot his foot off again.  Fans of the pub debate will fondly remember Ted's 'MP's are morons' comment from a few years ago.

The outstanding remark in this latest volley from lonely Fort Tuppen is his assertion - "why would I want my good pubs to shut?".  Lord help the tenants that are running anything less than a pub judged good or better by Ted!  One reason for him wanting to see a good pub shut is to force out the current tenant making a success of the business in favour of one that won't but will pay more rent whilst still believing they will make a go of it. 

I also love how they are his pubs!  Marvelous stuff.  Noone has bothered to tell Ted that his company (not him of course) owns bricks and mortar and other people with more talent, creativity and work ethic - along with the communities they serve - make them pubs.  For too long our sector has demeaned hard working publicans as mere 'licensees' or even worse ' hosts'.  Can you imagine referring to a retailer like Philip Green as a host!  Is Tim Martin a 'host'.  The only host in our sector is that part of it playing unwitting host to parasites such as Enterprise and Punch.

The ego of these guys knows no bounds.  Anyone would think that they were running real companies as opposed to debt ridden zombies where they serve as overpaid caretaker managers and little more.  Sad really