NALHM chief calls for fair deal from police
A pub managers' union is calling for more consistency in how police forces deal with pubs.
The National Association of Licensed House Managers (NALHM) believes pubs are victims of a "postcode lottery" in their treatment by police.
Brian Revell, NALHM's representative at the Transport & General Workers Union, is to write to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to request more consistency.
The issue was a major talking point at a meeting of NALHM's divisional representatives in London last week.
NALHM president Dave Daly suggested ACPO should agree to a set of Home Office-monitored guidelines.
They would cover a range of subjects including test purchasing and drinks promotions. Daly suggested separate guidelines could be enforced for urban and suburban areas.
Daly said: "Some police forces are good and work in partnership with licensees.
"The majority are policing by fear, moving from one initiative to another.
"It could be noise levels one week and underage drinking or drunkenness the next.
"We are fearful of managers losing their jobs.
"We think there should be some sort of consistency. There's no level playing field and we blame the Home Office."
Meanwhile, NALHM representatives have urged operators to cough up more cash for managers who work later under the new licensing regime.
Daly said managers' salaries should reflect the longer trading hours.
"Not one company has come forward with extra money or a bonus. We want companies to come up with something substantial."
He added that managers were losing interest in their jobs because they lack the cash incentive to work into the early hours.
"A lot of our members are doing these extra hours with no enthusiasm. No one will make any profit in the later hours without enthusiasm."
l NALHM is to meet other unions with connections to the licensed trade to discuss plans to work closer together.
The meeting, at Portcullis House in Westminster in June, is set to feature representatives of draymen and bar workers among others. "Politically we are trying to beef NALHM up a bit," said Daly.
