We want "fairness" and "flexibility", IPC tells MPs
The government must intervene in the industry to ensure pubcos offer "fairness" and "flexibility", MPs have been told.
This was the message from the Independent Pub Confederation (IPC) during the final session of the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) committee inquiry today.
Kate Nicholls, IPC secretary, said the group wanted to see licensees offered "freedom of choice, flexibility and fairness" over tied arrangements.
But she remained unconvinced the pubcos could deliver this.
"Ultimately we believe this can't happen on a voluntary basis," Nicholls told MPs. She stressed there needed to be "government intervention".
She later added that an enforceable code of practice has not been in place since the Beer Orders, adding: "The industry cannot sit in judgement on itself."
Simon Clarke of the Eagle Ale House, South London, claimed that "nine times out of 10" when a free-of-tie option was offered, it was accompanied with a rent increase.
But he told MPs on the BIS committee: "If you are to be offered freedom from the tie, that has to be accompanied by a rent review."
Fair Pint's Karl Harrison said the group had seen "little movement" by the pubcos since the BEC report. "There's been a denial of problems and there just seems to be window dressing," he said.
On the issue of the Brooker High Court rent case, Harrison said he was encouraged that RICS had acknowledged it as "significant".
But he claimed the findings had not been "universally accepted" in the industry. "We are not seeing a rush to embrace this report," he said.
Meanwhile major concerns were raised by the IPC panel and MP Lindsay Hoyle about the accuracy of Brulines equipment and the way it was being used.
Harrison claimed the Brulines system was "inaccurate, possibly unlawful, and used for intimidation".
Nicholls also revealed that a number of pubcos had pulled out of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) benchmarking scheme, because of its association with the IPC and stance on the BIS inquiry. Nicholls is also head of communications at the ALMR.
She also said that there is currently "no dialogue" between the BBPA and the IPC, but the group was "more than willing" to have dialogue.
