Act now, says Tim Martin

Related tags Local authority control Local government Wetherspoon

Most "trade leaders" have adopted a defeatist attitude to licensing reform. Peter Linacre's approach (Letters, 10 October) demonstrates the attitude...

Most "trade leaders" have adopted a defeatist attitude to licensing reform. Peter Linacre's approach (Letters, 10 October) demonstrates the attitude necessary to overturn the government's proposals. If every licensee writes to his or her own MP in similar terms, it will send a powerful message that may well end in victory. In addition, it would be extremely effective if every pub displayed a note on a blackboard or poster on this subject. Can I suggest something along the lines of "keep politics out of pubs and say no to local authority control of pub licensing"? The point that Peter graphically illustrates is that local authority control will cost licensees money. The initial proposals for licensing charges are about 40 times higher per annum than the current fees. However, this is only the start and already Camden and Westminster have lobbied for more money. Once the principle of fees paid to local authorities becomes established, it will inevitably become a new source of revenue to be tapped annually like excise duty. Pubs now pay about 40% of turnover on VAT, rates, excise duty, PAYE and so on, but what politician will resist the urge to make us pay for policing, litter and so, in addition? The only thing publicans need to do is to make it clear to their pubcos, their MPs and their customers that they are not going to have anything to do with it, and there is a good chance of winning the case. For reasons which are almost impossible to understand, the major trade organisations and pubcos have aligned themselves with the Government on this issue. Companies like Shepherd Neame, Wetherspoon and Massive are trying to make the case for the majority. There is a danger that antipathy to Wetherspoon's in particular may blind licensees to the necessity of acting now, in the common cause, to prevent this disaster for the pub trade. Tim Martin Chairman, JD Wetherspoon Watford Hertfordshire I'm sick of Big Tim' I have to applaud the sheer audacity of Eddie Gershon in your article "High street chains in a panic over price cuts", on page 2 of the 17 October issue of the MA. He's a bloke who could convincingly argue that black really is white and that London is really a suburb of Watford (cos' Wetherspoon's HQ is there). He needs a commercial white stick. To claim that he's seen no evidence of pubs closing because of Wetherspoon's is an insult to our intelligence. Wetherspoon's is a cancer in the United Kingdom's licensing trade. I run pubs ­ I know what I'm talking about. The trade press is full of tales of woe about inability to compete with Wetherspoon's, and the long-term effect will be the near-death of the established traditional street-corner local. It's the same as happened with Tesco's and corner shops in the 1960s. There's nothing sophisticated in Wetherspoon's approach: a dead simple application of supply and demand price theory ­ stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap and, in a nutshell, you'll sell lots. Very unsophisticated economics. It's fairly vital to be the first into the pond when someone does that to a market. The problem with this cancer is there's no-one to stop them. I just hope they go bust big time and take their main supplier, Scot-Co, with them. But it doesn't look like it will happen. Then there's big Tim. I'm sick to the back teeth of opening a trade paper and seeing the same old prattle from this megalomaniac. He's now thinking of standing for Parliament. The last straw was this Saturday when I got through my letter box a latter asking me to support his attack on the proposed changes to the licensing system. For goodness sake, Tim, keep out of my house ­ there's nowhere safe from him. He's really boring, the way he shoves his views down everyone's throat. Incidentally ­ ask anyone in the trade their view about Wether-spoon's and, if you promise that you don't have a secret tape recorder, they'll tell you the same as me. Wetherspoon's is an industry wrecker and cause of endless strife, much of which doesn't come to the surface but stays in the lives of countless marginally-economic lessees, tenants and free-traders. Tony Brookes The Head of Steam Leazes Lane Hexham Northumberland And so am I' Every issue of the MA has "the thoughts of Chairman Tim Martin". It seems that this publication has become the in-house magazine for his organisation. Yes he is to this generation what Branson was to the last, yes he is very successful and good luck to him, but I do not need or want him to speak for me or appoint himself as my champion. He has three outlets in this area and I have visited them all on mid-week evenings. Without fail, even though it was not busy, many of the tables were littered with dirty glasses and ashtrays. The staff appeared to be more interested in bottling up than the appearance of the place. Some have even adopted that resentful trudge along the bar when you have dragged them away from their more important task. Therefore, could I request a balance in your chosen features. This would give TM time to teach his staff this: the majority of people in this country work for £4.20 an hour. When they buy a round for a tenner or more they are giving you a morning or even a day of their labour, so take that bank note with respect and don't expect them to sit in an area that looks like the morning after the night before or wait too long to be served. This training could be financed from the advertising budget that he has saved in the past from your coverage. Glenn Tasker Yarcombe Angel Yarcombe Devon

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