FLVA chews over move to join IPC
The Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA) could be set to join the Independent Pub Confederation (IPC) — in a move that would see the formation of a fully-fledged national organisation representing licensees across the country.
FLVA president Nigel Williams said joining the IPC was under consideration by the association, which represents licensees in the north of the country.
Williams confirmed: "We have had a meeting to discuss it, but a decision will have to be made by the management committee in due course."
The IPC, which was set up in 2009, claims to represent the views of 25,000 licensees. It has positioned itself as the trade's representative body for Government to talk to about all issues affecting the pub industry.
It boasts members including the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), the Campaign for Real Ale, Fair Pint, Justice For Licensees, the Society of Independent Brewers and the Guild of Master Victuallers (GMV).
GMV chairman Bill Sharp said: "The IPC was created to bring us all together and show the Government and other parties that we are one. We feel that now is the time to look for the FLVA to join the IPC."
Sharp said he would approach the FLVA to see how they can work closer.
"We are hopeful there is a way forward," he added.
Past tensions
Members at the GMV's annual AGM in Bournemouth last week voted that its national parliamentary committee should take a back seat to the confederation.
Sharp added: "All the issues such as leases, rents and red tape are already a work in progress with the IPC."
The FLVA and GMV have had a tumultuous relationship in the past.
In 2005, plans for a merger of the two organisations to form a national trade body for licensees collapsed. It was canned because the then FLVA chief executive Tony Payne rejected the offer.
Last month the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) trade consultant Phil Dixon said there needed to be one coherent national organisation to represent the views of licensees.
