'Police dismayed at pub trade'

The police are dismayed that the industry has torn up a voluntary code banning aggressive happy-hour deals and other irresponsible drinks promotions in more than half of the UK's 57,000 pubs. Chris Allison, the Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on alcohol said: "Sadly the trade repeatedly shows that it cannot be relied upon to consistently act in a responsible way." - The Guardian​

British Beer and Pub Association chief executive Rob Hayward has accused the treasury of seeing the brewing industry as "a cash cow to be milked". He said: "With around a million jobs reliant on the trade, the loss of 1.6million pints a day is having a serious impact on the UK economy as a whole. We need a change of approach from the Government." - The Sun​

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) director, Ian Brocklebank, has said the organisation is lobbying Westminster to ease the financial burden on publicans. "There are issues that we are raising with the government around beer tax and the possibility of making locally-brewed ales exempt from VAT," said Brocklebank. - The Scotsman​

Cut price alcohol is causing young people to drink to excess, a Government-backed study has found. It is the first time academics have established a direct link and will add to pressure on supermarkets to stop selling alcohol as a "loss leader". - The Telegraph ​

Beer sales in pubs have fallen to their lowest level since the Great Depression, new figures show. Publicans are pulling 14 million pints a day, 1.6 million fewer than last year and seven million less than at the height of the market in 1979. - The Telegraph ​

Figures released by the British Beer and Pub Association showed that total beer sales fell 2.8 per cent to 8.7bn pints for the year to the end of June. - Financial Times​

Mitchells & Butlers' like-for-like food sales in the 10 weeks to July 19 were up 5.1 per cent. It believes its cheaper food-based outlets, notably Pub & Carvery and Sizzling Pub Co, have benefited from consumers trading down from pricier restaurants. Chief executive Tim Clarke said: "There is no doubt that the steep rise in the price of fresh food in supermarkets has made the value comparison with eating out in our pubs all the more powerful. It's encouraging more people to come out." - The Times​