Who are the trade's friends?

I was intrigued to read the comments of political journalist Adam Boulton recently on the thorny question of how Government departments treat the licensed trade.

It is perhaps the legacy of those who buckled under to the original concept of tougher licensing laws that they are now reaping the rewards, with a Government that sees the trade as relatively toothless and ripe for yet another roasting.

Although they come from different perspectives, both the Chancellor Alistair Darling and the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will be all too aware in briefings that they have nothing to fear from trade representatives and everything to gain from playing hard ball and clamping down on irresponsible drinks promotions.

But I ventured a wry smile when I heard that Boulton thought that the DCMS was not the best ally because it was also the regulator. Really?

As far as I am aware, all the regulation facing the pub business at the moment is coming from the Home Office, with an extra tax clobbering from the Treasury. Absolutely nothing in real terms is coming from Culture, Media & Sport, since the relative silencing of Gerry Sutcliffe, now toeing the party line and concentrating on the need for "responsible retailing" rather than further legislation.

I also join with Jonathan Neame of brewers Shepherd Neame in expressing absolute incredulity that ministers can still claim huge cost savings and cuts in red tape under the new licensing administration. Unchallenged assertions of this type are being used to bolster the Government's claims on improving the

legislation, while the uneven operation of the new Licensing Act and its manifest failings as a good piece of legislation, highlighted in several reports, are swept under the carpet.

But what intrigues me at present is where the lead is coming from within the industry as a whole. With respect to the current lobby groups such as the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), all the talk is of damage limitation rather than seizing the initiative or propelling the pub trade, in particular, to a better position in Government thinking. Much good work recently has been done by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), which seems to have a better political grasp than others and has been at the forefront of some excellent positive spinning, possibly thanks to recent appointments to their team.

At a time of recession, some think that the pub trade can benefit from the old "drowning their sorrows" theme. My own view is that the licensed sector must move into a new gear, not relying on the old lobbying concepts but presenting a clear economic case for supporting the leisure and hospitality sector as a whole.

And it does need new friends in Westminster. There is no realistic chance of a let-up by the Home Office, because whatever Boulton says, their clear remit is to support the police and enforcement agencies against the "evils" of drink and to emphasise its relationship with crime and disorder. You are not going to get a positive message there.

The Treasury is another matter. Darling is not the first Chancellor to clobber drink, and he will not be the last. But he can clearly be persuaded by lobbying and it is always worth pointing out the counter-productive effects of price increases at a time of recession. But facts, not strident clamouring, seem to present the best case for the trade.

There are those who think that the trade should simply drop anchor and ride out the storm, hoping for a smoother ride in future. But I think this is the best possible time for a debate on how best to present

the industry to Government, and which route will provide the long-term benefits it needs.