National Pubwatch faces ruin

National Pubwatch could be facing ruin if it fails to raise much needed cash within the industry.

The organisation needs an extra £15,000 a year to survive but is having grave difficulty finding the money. Although it receives support from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), Unique, Laurel and Greene King this is not enough to pay for the newsletter and general running costs.

The organisation is the industry's equivalent of Neighbourhood Watch and fights to cut crime and violence in pubs by helping to set up local schemes with licensees and the public and issuing information on best practice for licensees.

Secretary Malcolm Eidmans has approached the government for cash, but has so far failed to receive financial backing. "We need cash now or we're in deep trouble," Mr Eidmans told thePublican.com.

"The reality is that we could be finished soon unless we receive more support. Lots of companies do help out already and we appreciate that - but we need to find some more money from somewhere to pay for the newsletter and general running costs.

"We can't ask members to pay for subscriptions as the cost of administering this would make it unworkable. Just to maintain this would be a vast expense."

Founder Raoul de Vaux is also concerned about the future of the organisation. "We need funding otherwise I can't see any future for National Pubwatch," he said.

Mr De Vaux set up the organisation in 1997. Since then its membership has grown to cover thousands of licensed premises across the country. In some areas, such as Blythe in Northumbria, setting up a scheme has led to crime falling by as much as 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, early indications from The Publican's Market Report 2002, to be published next week, show that licensees believe crime and violence have got much worse, heightening the need for schemes like National Pubwatch.