Adam Withrington: Can the BBPA properly represent both beer and pubs?

Since the debacle that was November's pre-Budget report there has been speculation that the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) would be dissolved.

After all it has singularly failed in its key objective: to influence government policy alcohol duty - not a charge that could be levelled at rival trade associations the Wine & Spirit Trade Association and the Scotch Whisky Association.

So following a fortnight that has seen the BBPA chief executive Rob Hayward resign and the BBPA chairman Michael Turner deliver a report on its very future perhaps the biggest news of all is that the organisation does indeed have a future.

Upon finishing his presentation to the council, Turner is believed to have told the assembled members that it was his wish that he be remembered as "the chairman who saved the BBPA".

However, despite the report's stated desire for the BBPA to be "the central voice of beer and pubs" there is one key question that needs answering: can the BBPA effectively represent both beer and pubs?

Because while duty has been the catalyst for the recent changes the real concern over the last three years or so within BBPA council has revolved around the one time Brewers Society slowly evolving into Pub Company central HQ. Well, that is how the brewers see it anyway.

I have been privy to several conversations involving national lager brewers and regional cask brewers who have been hard pressed to disguise their fury at the growing power of the major pub companies within the BBPA at their expense. The brewers certainly would not ever wish to deny the pubcos a place at the top table. But not at their expense.

The big national brewers are believed to pay as much as £380,000 a year each for membership of the BBPA. The pubcos pay somewhat less (anything up to £200,000 a year depending on size) and if private reports are to be believed have been lobbying furiously to have their subscription payments reduced with no impact on their level of influence. This is hardly a recipe for peaceful co-existence and constructive working relationships.

This is the central problem at the BBPA. Noises emanating from members in recent days suggest that the new-look BBPA will be more brewer focused. Well I'm sure the pubco members will just love that.

As things stand beer and pubs cannot be successfully represented by one trade organisation? Brewers have to work closely with the off-trade; pubcos emphatically do not. Brewers would get rid of the beer tie tomorrow - pubcos would crumble without it.

One solution apparently is that pubco members of the BBPA will look to other groups like the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers to represent them on retail issues when the occasion demands it. This all sounds very woolly to me. And ill-defined.

Turner and co as well as the new chief executive, whoever he or she turns out to be, have to address this key issue or else the goodwill generated by the positive moves of the last fortnight will evaporate.