RE: Practice can make our trade perfect

Ewan. As a member of the BIIBAS accreditation committee I think it is right to clear up some mis-conceptions about its purpose. I've already raised concerns in other threads and obviously with Neil Robertson directly.

The committee simply looks at proposed codes of practice to assess whether or not they meet the basic criteria of the BBPA Framework. Members of the committee, including myself, have sought to press for more from those submitting the codes but in reality they only need to meet a minimum standard. The accreditation process most certainly doesn't endorse any pubco or brewery business model nor make it more or less appropriate for any tenant. It is wrong to represent it as such.

My own position is that codes of practise in general are a poor substitute for proper regulation of sectors open to exploitation such as the tenanted pub sector. There is an additional weakness here in so far as the basic level is set by the BBPA which is paid for by those producing the codes and the proposed "policeman" is the BII which many members (including me) and others consider to be perhaps too close to the same BBPA members.

Whether those pubcos using codes of practice will adhere to them is unclear. Neil Morgan's speculation doesn't assist us on that of course. There are many legal issues outstanding as well and more advice and clarity on that will also emerge. In truth, if the basic model and financial stricture of the larger pubcos prevents them from changing their behaviour then it won't happen, codes or not. Certainly the sector needs to change, codes may be a small part of that but they aren't, in my view, the answer to the real problems although they may help us to focus on them.

RE: Practice can make our trade perfect

Double standards

RE: Practice can make our trade perfect

Richard sorry but wrong on a couple of points. Karl himself has stated that his position is one of being at the table to observe and record for the future not to influence. He has said he has no influence as the codes will go ahead regardless so his position and that of fair pint at this particular table does nothing to move matters on at all which IS what I am saying is that NO MEANINGFUL sitting at table with the Pubcos has been attempted or attained since the once at mediation and certainly none without pre-requisite conditions.

Ken NAson

RE: Practice can make our trade perfect

Sorry Richard this is about Karl's perception of himself as a Master of the Universe. Getting him to approve the codes was a masterstroke by the pubcos. They played the vanity card with him and he swallowed the bait