Mulholland: pubco bosses should step down

The bosses of Britain's biggest pubcos should step down with immediate effect — that's the call from staunch anti-pubco MP Greg Mulholland.

The Lib Dem, also chair of the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, said that pubco bosses had lost the confidence of the trade and should step aside for new leaders to lead reform of the tied pub model.

"The Business and Enterprise report in pubcos has shown that those who have led the pub trade into the current mess it is in have also lost their moral authority and should step down," he said on the day that the Government also faced a motion of no confidence.

"I signed the motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the House of Commons, because he could not have led the house out of the mess it has got itself into over the expenses scandal.

"The pubco bosses too have lost the confidence of the pub trade.

"It is clear to all that reform is needed, but it has to be real, not just window dressing and it is simply impossible for certain industry figures to lead this process."

Mulholland slammed Punch's re-branding exercise as Punch Partnerships and Enterprise's offer to fund a licensee's body as "laughable".

He added: "It is time for new leadership in the pub trade and the shareholders of Britain's pub companies must realise that and ask the people who have led them into debt and discredit to stand down.

"The pub trade needs new leadership if it is to get itself out of the mess it is in and to help save the British pub."