Fair-price charter for 2012 Olympics

Pubs could be asked to sign up to a charter committing them to charge fair prices during the 2012 Olympics.

Several trade bodies representing events and hospitality providers have already signed up to the 2012 UK Event Industry Fair Pricing and Practice Charter.

It commits operators to charge "fair and reasonable" prices between 1 June and 30 September 2012.

They must "not enter into a cartel or similar arrangement" that would "artificially inflate" prices. Products sold must be "fit for purpose".

The charter says it's "not a legally-binding document", but rather a "firm statement of intent".

The British Hospitality Association (BHA), which counts major restaurant chains such as Tragus and Gondola among its members, is one signatory of the charter.

It has been complied by tourism bodies Visit Britain and Visit London, which are set to examine whether to expand its scope.

When asked if pubs could be asked to sign up, a Visit Britain spokeswoman said: "It may be that the Fair Pricing Charter gets rolled out to a wider audience in the leisure sector."

She stressed that the charter is nationwide and not limited to London or the immediate vicinity of the Olympics.

British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "When it comes to hospitality, pubs will have a key role to play in delivering a successful London Olympics.

"Delivering good value and service to millions of customers during the games is vital, so we are keen to see how pubs can become more involved."