Enterprise licensee group pushes forward with campaign

Around 35 disgruntled Enterprise Inns licensees from Sheffield attended a meeting this week as part of a campaign for "fairer rent" and freedom from the beer tie.

The Sheffield Enterprise Inns Tenants Group held its first official meeting to discuss their experiences and work out a strategy for the campaign.

Local MP Clive Betts was also at the meeting, listening to people's concerns and offering advice on political campaigning.

The group, some of which attended an All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub meeting last month, is hoping to set up a website so licensees can share their views.

Roger Davies, licensee of the Yellow Lion, Aston, said he was getting emails and phone calls from Enterprise licensees "all over the country". "The main beefs are the price of beer they charge and rent," he said.

He added the group was working with anti-pubco campaign Fair Pint and would help them "in any way we can".

David Ball, co-owner of the Fleur de Leys, Sheffield, said the meeting was "generally positive" and people wanted to fight for freedom from the tie, "or at least for it to be operated in a more sensible manner".

But a spokesman for Enterprise Inns, referring to some of the campaigning licensees said: "Sadly, a number of those named in recent articles have declined to disclose any meaningful information concerning their current business circumstances and therefore made it impossible for us to assist them despite our best efforts."

He added: "Enterprise is continuing to provide support at the rate of £1.4m per month to deserving licensees."

Enterprise says that a licensee signs up to a lease in "full knowledge" of the pricing structure and that two thirds of its lessees receives discounts off wholesale prices, ranging from £32 to £100 per barrel.