Adam Withrington: Wanted: A good lobbyist. Please!
There is not one industry member I have seen in the last two weeks who is not stunned to the core by the recent political goings on - from the second tax hike in a year to the legislation threatened in the Queen's Speech.
But one question keeps recurring - why does the government have it in for us? Well perhaps a more pertinent question is why is our message not getting across to government? This comes down to the question of lobbying.
The last two weeks, indeed the last three to four years might prompt anyone to ask what the bloody hell is going on, and who is actually going into bat for this industry?
The prime target for criticism is the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA). There are mutinous rumblings across the BBPA membership due to its complete lack of impact at government level. The problem the BBPA has is that its members are counting pennies across the board. Do they actually want to pay for membership of an organisation that is not delivering support for their aims?
Clearly not after its performance following the eight per cent tax hike two weeks ago. On one side we had our trade association failing to get its act together.
On the other we had the example of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), which within 48 hours of the announcement had got the Treasury to back down - saving whisky from half of the hike. Industry insiders are known to be outraged that the BBPA did not gets its act together quicker, bombarding the Treasury and trying to turn around this potentially devastating increase.
As a contrast of effectiveness, by the time the BBPA got in to meet with the Treasury the SWA had already achieved its objectives.
There is a high level of disappointment in the lobbying efforts of the BBPA across the industry - what actually has the organisation achieved with government? From speaking to some sources in the Treasury, officials find it hard to believe a lot of what they are told by BBPA. That is a hugely worrying sign.
But this is only scratching at the surface of the problem. Another organisation attempting to lobby government is the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR). It seems that the more significant battle for both BBPA and ALMR is to be seen as the more influential trade association. As they see it, it doesn't matter how the industry wins the battle, as long as they were the ones at the front calling the shots.
That may not be how it is in reality, but it sure as hell looks like that. They both want headlines and quotes. Not once has there been a publicised articulation of joined up lobbying to government.
But the battle between the ALMR and the BBPA is a battle within the retail market. What about brewing? Well I think that is what a lot of brewing members of BBPA would like to know as well.
Why else has one of the big four brewers gone on record against the BBPA's stance on minimum pricing? Why are so many of the larger family brewers joining the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), when SIBA has always been viewed as a microbrewers organisation? Because they want a voice - a voice they don't believe they are getting through the BBPA.
The industry's lobbying effort to government is a shambles: it is rudderless and directionless. Is it any wonder the pub industry is so under fire?
