News Article Comments : Enterprise and Punch won't meet Fair Pint

Enterprise and Punch have told the anti-pubco Fair Pint campaign they will not meet the group before the Parliamentary inquiry into pub companies, the MA can reveal.

In a letter to the campaign group, Enterprise chief executive Ted Tuppen said: "We have recently written to [Liberal Democrat MP] Tim Farron, in his capacity as chair of the launch of the Fair Pint campaign, expressing our deep concern at the irresponsible, prejudiced and ill informed nature of many of his pronouncements about pub companies, some of his comments verging on the defamatory.

"Adopting such a stance does not imply a willingness to make a balanced assessment of the relationship between pubs and pub companies.

"Clearly, I have to ask myself whether a meeting with your Steering Group would add value to the debate and, given the positions seemingly adopted by those who appear to represent your campaign, I regret that I see little point.

"I recognise that these are very difficult times for the licensed trade an