25 pubcos support Licensing Act 'action'

A total of 25 pub companies have already thrown their support behind a major "direct action" campaign to halt proposed changes to the Licensing Act.

The campaign, which was drawn together last week by an Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) working group led by Novus chief executive Steve Richards, has already won support from JD Wetherspoon, Mitchells & Butlers, Orchid, Barracuda, Charles Wells and Punch.

A dozen or so companies added their support to the campaign at yesterday's ALMR autumn debate event.

ALMR chairman Tim Sykes, speaking at the event, said that "concerted action was needed right now" by operators.

He described the new Licensing Act proposals as having "no consensus of support" and based on "no real evidence of a problem".

"There is very very little time to get things done. This is a serious matter and needs a serious response. We'd like operators to recruit other supporters."

The ALMR has a £30,000 fighting fund to begin an intensive lobbying campaign through public relations firm Bell Pottinger. But the campaign is focused on urging chief executives to approach seven cabinet ministers directly.

Earlier this wek, Sykes wrote: "What is needed is an impassioned defence of our business interests. Only we as operators can deliver that and spark political and public interest in our concerns.

"Only we as operators can represent the interests of our shareholders, our employees and our customers in this debate. Only we as operators can move quickly enough to stop these proposals in their tracks.

"So the time for goodwill and warm words is over. The time for action is now. These proposals represent an unprecedented threat to responsible businesses - not just to licensed businesses but to UK Plc.

"The removal of a fair legal framework - a genuine right of appeal and the requirement for decisions to be evidence based and justified - has far wider implications. If licences and livelihoods can be removed almost at a whim, the business model becomes vulnerable to unpredictable challenge.

"We are all agreed that these proposals are unnecessary, unjust and unaffordable. We are also agreed that they will have severe and unintended consequences. A broad brush approach affecting all outlets equally will have an inevitable impact on business risk, investor confidence and ultimately jobs and consumer choice.

"To be effective, any unified attack needs a human face and be operator, not trade-body led."