Trade groups unite against mandatory code

Licensees across the country are being urged to lobby new Home Secretary Alan Johnson in a bid to get him to scrap controversial plans to impose responsible retailing laws on the trade.

A hard hitting letter was sent to Johnson by Best Bar None chief executive Neil Robertson today asking him to drop plans to impose mandatory conditions on alcohol retailers.

Trade chiefs and pubco representatives also met with government officials this morning as part of an effort to convince them to water down the plans.

The code, which is currently working its way through Parliament as part of the Policing and Crime Bill, aims to bring an end to irresponsible promotions and force pubs to offer smaller drinks measures to customers.

But in the letter Robertson said the moves are "excessive" and would "have no practical positive impact for the public."

Copies of the letter are also being sent to heads of all 80 plus Best Bar None schemes across the UK.

They are being asked to send their own hand-written versions to their local MP, copying in the Home Secretary.

All 15,000 members of BII - of which Robertson is also chief executive - are being asked to do the same as will members of the other associations and bodies supporting the activity.

And to back it up Best Bar None chairman Lord Rupert Redesdale is tabling an amendment to the Bill in the House of Lords today asking for the conditions to be reconsidered.

The letter states: "It (the mandatory code) will not improve safety or reduce crime because we already have more legislation than the police and wider licensing system can use, or even fully understand.

"The planned conditions are blanket, indiscriminate and disproportionate. Existing legislation can deal with irresponsible on and off trade retailers.

Instead Robertson points to statistics that indicate how Best Bar None schemes have helped contribute to a drop in alcohol related crime of between 15 and 30 per cent in some areas.

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, Noctis and the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations have also added their names to the letter.

Paul Smith, executive director at Noctis, who was at today's meeting and endorsed the letter, said it was made clear that some kind of code would be introduced.

But he added: "We are at the beginning of this process and we made it clear there will be plenty of unintended consequences for the trade from the code."