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News Article Comments : Time for a new Beer Orders
I had a routine medical check-up last week and was told my blood pressure was “brilliant”.
That was before I read last week’s MA and the report of the eviction of two Enterprise hosts in Sheffield. My blood pressure would have gone off the Richter Scale, not so much brilliant as boiling. The photo accompanying the report shows the licensees, David and Anne-Marie Ball, surrounded by supporters from the GMB trade union. Even though they have such vociferous backers, Mr and Mrs Ball looked like broken and dejected figures, their lives ruined.
It’s not an isolated case. I wrote last year about a pub close to my home, the Old Fox in Bricket Wood, in Hertfordshire, where the tenants were evicted by Punch Taverns for rent arrears. There was no softening of hearts at Punch when the hosts pointed out that much of their business in a rural locality depended on customers enjoying the large garden in the summer — and the summers of 2007 and 2008 had been a disaster, their trade ruined as a resu
| Author Name | Opinion | Reply |
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Tony Leonard 02/07/2009 14:52:54  |
RE: Time for a new Beer Orders Excellent article, Mr Protz. You've made it clear in the past that you don't support ending the tie for regional brewers but would you differentiate between small family brewers and the likes of Greene King? And where do you stand on regional breweries operating pubs outside of their region thereby preventing access to genuinely local ales? In Sussex, we have around 18 breweries, the largest by far is Harveys but it still only owns 48 pubs so it is dependent on the free trade to get its products to market. It is the pubs owned by breweries from outside Sussex that are least likely to stock Harveys or other local beers. In a recent article you wrote about this historic brewery, and you mentioned that Miles Jenner, Head Brewer, was looking to revive some Beards ales. As the licensee of two former Beards houses, this should be cause for celebration, but as the Beards' estate was purchased by Greene King (at around 25 per cent over market value according to Harveys) we are unable to stock any local ales including any forthcoming Beards' ones. The involvement of GK and regionals from elsewhere actively suppresses the ability of our local brewers to reach an audience. While the likes of Shepherd Neame, for instance, brew some thoroughly good ales that I would heartily enjoy in Kent, my heart sinks at every pub they buy in Sussex because it restricts the availability of genuinely local ales. I 'd love to know your thoughts on this. This post replies to this thread |
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info man 02/07/2009 14:58:32 |
RE: Time for a new Beer Orders I couldnt have put it better myself "They are ruthless profiteers who don’t give a tuppenny damn for the people who run their pubs and the communities they are supposed to support" This post replies to this thread |
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peter giles 02/07/2009 15:24:32 |
RE: Time for a new Beer Orders Tony You forgot to add Marstons next to Greene King,Marstons do not allow any guest ales not brewed by them,and people are concerned about lack of choice when the tie goes!! This post replies to Tony Leonard > RE: Time for a new Beer Orders |
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| info man 02/07/2009 15:34:14 |
RE: Time for a new Beer Orders Good point, they are out for themselves and have no interest in giving the customer what they want. This is alll the more reason to press ahead and fix this mess now, the trade are not going to do it. Enterprise wouldnt even come to the ALMR meetings and the BBPA tried to get the next date put back even further. They will not change, they must be forced legally. This post replies to peter giles > RE: Time for a new Beer Orders |
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| Phil Liddell 03/07/2009 01:06:50 |
Mr Protz If these are the views you hold, why have you put your name to a wholy inaccurate, ficticious, biased article in this months Whats Brewing. I have never heard such bunkum in one article in my life (except when GT and TT open their mouths). Maybe you are starting to come to your senses - how about educating Jonathon Mail and Mike Benner with your sudden change of heart. This post replies to this thread |
