Martin: 'Lay off the supermarkets'

The pub trade is committing a huge own goal by lobbying against the supermarkets according to the founder of JD Wetherspoon.

In an exclusive interview with The Publican ​Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin said rather than committing the "massive mistake" of criticising supermarkets over the price of beer, pubs should be lobbying on issues which directly affect their own industry.

And he believes that rising alcohol taxes, which leapt two per cent above inflation again in last month's Budget, are the direct result of pubs complaining about the off-trade.

Martin said: "Tax has gone up a lot more in recent years because instead of campaigning on proper issues the trade has been campaigning on supermarkets.

"The trade has indirectly lobbied for more duty - because the trade has said force the price of beer in supermarkets up. How stupid is that?

"We've got to forget the supermarkets and let them get on with their business. They are only doing their job."

But Martin praised the work of Michael Turner, chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association, and said the Axe the Beer Tax campaign had begun to get the trade moving in the right direction, despite its lack of success.

"We need to build on that and say there should be no more onerous employment licensing legislation - no more legislation that would cost more publicans to run pubs. We need a break for 10 years.

"That won't happen if everyone says it's the supermarkets' fault."

Yesterday Wetherspoons announced a 0.5 per cent rise in like-for-like sales over the 13 weeks to April 26, 2009, with total sales up 4.7 per cent - a performance which meant the managed pub group was now "slightly more positive" about the current financial year.