Pub customers petition Marston's over beer prices
A group of regulars at a Marston's tied pub in Chesterfield are to deliver a petition to the company complaining about the price of beer.
Licensee John Fox, who has been at the Nags Head in Newbold for 15 months, returned from holiday to find that over 120 customers had put together and signed a petition to the brewer about the prices it charges him.
Fox, said the petition was a "surprise" but that his customers were well aware of competition from a Marston's managed pub down the road.
"I sell a pint of bitter for £2.90 but it is £2.35 down the road," he said. "I try and make 50% GP but I can't always do that. If it was a Wetherspoon pub then you have to accept it and get on with it but when it is your own brewer, it seems absurd."
Fox takes on average £3,000 a week — his break even point — but trade has dipped to around £2,300 a week after Christmas. He has a job driving an HGV on Sundays to supplement his living costs.
Marston's has tried to help the pub on price by giving him a 25p a pint discount if he matched it at the bar. "We had a 50p per pint discount from Monday to Thursday for a month but we didn't get any great footfall," he said.
The rent at the pub is £16,800 after a reduction from £20,000. He claims he was quoted a rent of £52,000 to go free of tie.
"I don't know what the petition will achieve but it would be good to create some ground swell of opinion amongst licensees who may be in the same situation."
