Putting the (public) house in order
The big pubcos have been given yet another chance to put their public houses in order by the House of Commons Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC). They have another 15 months to address concerns about the balance of power between landlord and tenant.
In its ‘follow-up’ to a report last May, which prompted pub industry leaders to issue a new code of conduct aimed at ensuring transparency in dealings, the BISC says there is still a “serious imbalance of power between pub companies and lessees” that remains “a matter of deep concern”.
A referral to the Competition Commission is threatened, and the Office of Fair Trading still has to have its second go at responding to Camra’s super complaint.
This one could drag on a bit…
End of an era
Tetley’s cask ale is to leave its historic roots in Leeds and will, from next year, be brewed by Marston’s in Wolverhampton, brewer Carlsberg UK announced. The keg version,Tetley’s Smoothflow, will move to the Molson Coors (formerly Bass) brewery at Tadcaster.
Beer lovers mourned the decision – not to mention the 170 people in Leeds who will lose their jobs as a result.
The high cost of smoking
Nick Hogan of the Swan with Two Necks and the Barrister in Bolton became the first publican to be jailed for flouting the smoking ban. He got six months for refusing to pay a £3,000 fine plus £7,000 costs.
Supreme chocaholic
Triple Chocaholic, a 4.8% ABV stout, was named Supreme Champion Beer 2010 at the Society of Independent Brewers’ National Beer Competition, seeing off 55 other finalists.
It was a triple, too, for its brewer, West Yorkshire’s Saltaire, as Chocaholic took gold in the speciality beer category and its Cascade Pale Ale took top spot among premium bitters.
Picture: Tim Croxson of sponsors Croxsons presents the trophy to Tony Gartland, owner and head brewer at Saltaire Brewery.
“Oh, I thought you said meet at the pub…”
Newly-appointed pubs minister John Healey, who has just two months to turn around the fortunes of the industry before the election, has got off to a shaky start. After getting various parties together for a summit meeting, he failed to show up himself.
We can only hope he had a good excuse. Like being unable to get out of the pub.
The Politics of Drinking… and more
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