CAMRA withdraws super-complaint

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) says its lobbying for beer tie reform will focus on the Government and MPs after formerly stopping its action against the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

CAMRA has withdrawn its appeal against the OFT's decision not to refer the tie to the Competition Commission.

CAMRA's head of policy and public affairs Jonathan Mail said it was a "legal formality" because the time to lodge a further appeal had passed.

Mail said CAMRA was now "absolutely focused" on the June deadline set by the Government for reform of the beer tie to take place.

He added: "We are expecting [the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee] to announce their follow up enquiry quite soon. We will do a lot of work in putting evidence to them.

"The reality is the pubcos have not met the criteria set down by the Select Committee at the start of last year."

CAMRA claimed that rents and beer prices charged by pubcos were putting tenants out of business and damaging choice for customers when it launched its "super complaint" in 2009.

The OFT dismissed the complaint but was forced to look at the issue again after CAMRA appealed. A follow up report from last October found the sector is "competitive overall".