Fair Pint welcomes Grogan's tie views
The Fair Pint campaign has welcomed the intervention of John Grogan in urging Camra to approach the Office of Fair Trading about an investigation into the beer tie.
Camra said it would use its "super complainant" fast-track status to approach the OFT, after the publication of the Business and Enterprise Committee (BEC) report, to ensure a thorough and swift investigation (Camra eyes OFT beer tie 'super complaint').
All Party Parliamentary chair Grogan had urged the action over concerns that the inquiry into pubco power and the tie is deflecting ministers' attention away from other industry issues such as supermarket pricing, duty and red tape. He wants a quick resolution to the matter.
"Whilst Fair Pint believes that it would have been wiser for Mr. Grogan to wait until the publication of the Select Committee Report rather than speculating about its possible conclusions, we welcome the fact that he has now admitted that the effect of the tie on the viability of the pub sector and its impact on consumers is something which merits investigation," said Fair Pint founding member and licensee Steve Corbett.
"For too long the All Party Beer Group seems to have shied away from offending its pubco sponsors by promoting discussion about the effect of the tie on the sector. We welcome the fact that Mr Grogan seems to have changed tack and now believes that there is a need for it to be investigated.
"Fair Pint believes that the damage both to the industry and consumers which is begin caused by the tie is clear to everyone in the sector.
"The only way that this issue is going to be effectively addressed and the future of pubs secured is by through legislation to end the tie."
