Call for fighting fund to promote the trade

Bowes wants millions for advertising campaign to counter negative media images of the industry

by John Harrington

Alan Bowes, executive chairman of London & Edinburgh Inns, is urging the trade to fight back against bad publicity by setting up a multi-million pound fighting fund that will pay for a massive advertising campaign.

Bowes said trade bodies do the best job they can, but are hamstrung by lack of funds. 'They just can't compete on their budgets against the likes of ASH or the NHS. It's like trying to bowl the Aussies out at Lord's using a tennis ball.

'If we really want to raise the image of the trade, we're going to have to get the begging bowl out. Everyone from the biggest brewers to the smallest tenant is going to have to chip in.

'We need to have a coalition right across the industry that fights back on issues like smoking and responsible drinking or else we'll be going nowhere. I really believe our future is an issue worth fighting for.

Bowes, a committee member of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), said he will be outlining his views in a letter to ALMR chairman Alex Salussolia.

Bowes' dramatic rallying cry comes as many pub bosses have been invited to the London mansion of Laurel owner Robert Tchenguiz next week for urgent talks aimed at countering intense and sustained media hostility towards the trade.

The meeting follows mounting concern at Laurel that bodies such as the British Beer & Pub Association and ALMR have been outgunned in the public relations battle to defend the good name of the pub trade.

The Iranian property tycoon, who has spent more than £400m on circuit pubs in the past year, is understood to be dismayed that the atrocious publicity they attract has not been rebutted more effectively.

Laurel chairman Chris Hutt, who invited industry chief executives to next week's dinner meeting, told them in a hard-hitting letter he has 'no confidence that trade bodies are up to presenting a sufficiently positive view to counter the flood of negative media stories.

Hutt refused to comment in advance of the meeting. But a source close to Tchenguiz told the Morning Advertiser: 'The industry is actually doing a much better job on issues such as binge-drinking and social responsibility than it gets credit for. It just needs to mobilise itself to become more effective in communicating what it's doing.

Punch Taverns chief executive Giles Thorley and Mitchells & Butlers chief executive Tim Clarke are among those invited.

Since the invites went out, the BBPA has met with Hutt, who is not a member of the organisation, to explain the range of

initiatives it is undertaking.

Though firm proposals and timescales have yet to be drawn up, the BBPA told Hutt that it hopes a clear, long-term strategy aimed at reversing anti-pub sentiment can be put into action early in the new year.

The association's acclaimed Beautiful Beer campaign, which has united the industry and impressed national food and drink editors, is likely to act as a model for a pro-pub campaign.

BBPA chairman Ted Tuppen said: 'We've spoken to Chris and explained what's going on behind the scenes. I'm very confident that there's not a lot more the BBPA could be doing.

'It's working very effectively. The days of shouting at government are long gone, thank goodness: it just doesn't work. We have to play a long game.

'Relations with Government are more positive and grown up than they've ever been: we are having a very constructive debate.

'As for The Daily Mail, we're not going to change their views using logic. The best thing is not to over-react to their sensationalist approach. But I do applaud the excellent campaign the MA has launched.

Nick Bish, chief executive of the ALMR, to which Laurel belongs, said: 'I can see why high-street operators would want to discuss these issues.

'It's true that we're not reaching the public, but the debate we're already having is about how do we do that. Just taking ads in national papers could be mocked, and might be throwing good money after bad. And the costs of doing something really big to reach the public are daunting.

'Do member companies want to pay far bigger subscriptions to tackle what's a national and cultural problem?

So successful is the MA's Heart of the Community initiative proving that another weekly pub title has fallen in line behind the MA and launched its own campaign of pub support. Said MA editor Andrew Pring: 'It's great they've copied our initiative. This is such a big battle for the trade that we need every little bit of help we can get.

l Beacon of hope p8

l Pubs renaissance p17