Willock: Last orders

• The best of Willock: Top ten editorials from the out-going editor

My successor, Ed Bedington, an experienced business journalist, will be joining the excellent Publican’s Morning Advertiser​team as early as next week, so I leave you in good hands.

I’ve spent almost three and a half years as editor of the PMA. And while that represents just a fraction of the venerable title’s 221-year existence (1/64th to be precise), those 174 weeks have felt like a long time in the pub sector.

I joined the PMA in November 2011, and no sooner had I arrived in the editor’s chair than the Government issued its response to the Business, Innovation & Skills Committee’s Report into pubcos’ relationships with their tenants.

It said: “The government is not minded to intervene in setting the terms of commercial, contractual relationships... legally binding self-regulation can be introduced far more quickly than any statutory solution and can, if devised correctly, be equally effective.”

Fast forward to March 2015 and that same Government is intervening in quite a serious way, putting the finishing touches to a ‘statutory solution’ which, followed to its logical conclusion, will break the beer tie.

Lots of other things have happened on my watch, including:

• three consecutive beer duty cuts (good news);
• the introduction of early morning restriction orders and late-night levies (bad news);
• and the creation of assets of community value (depends on your perspective)

Some other things haven’t happened, at least yet, notably:

• the proposed up-to-4,000% PPL music licence tariff increases (good news);
• a cut in VAT for hospitality businesses (bad news);
• and the introduction of minimum pricing for alcohol (depends on your perspective).

But what is happening right now is a sustained economic recovery from a long and deep recession, which, more than any legislative tinkering, will help to secure the future of the pub sector. Estimates put per-pub sales growth at 16% during the next four years.

It’s going to be a great time to be in pubs — either as an operator or customer. Sadly for me — for a while at least — I won’t be part of it. There isn’t a pub scene as such in Dubai — alcohol can only be served within the confines of a hotel bar — though I am told the expat Friday brunch is a tradition worth upholding.

It’s been a privilege to get to know you in the past few years. What a great industry this is, what fabulous businesses you run, and what amazing people you are. I will miss you greatly.

If you’re ever in Dubai, do look me up. I’ll be at a hotel bar reminiscing about the great British pub. In the meantime (or at least until I inadvertently offend the wrong person and need to beat a hasty retreat) thank you and good luck.