As the sector remains resilient – we’ve looked back at the top stories impacting the sector in July 5, 10 and 15 years ago.
15 years ago: July 2010
It was an interesting year for the pub trade, with a coalition Government in power.
Ex-pubs minister John Healey called on the coalition Government to appoint a replacement – and suggested Greg Mulholland for the role.
While the Home office was asking if the mandatory drinks code should be reversed.
Licensees were also given their chance to have their say on plans to change drink-driving law as part of an MP-led inquiry.
Meanwhile, a licensee with 50 years experience said babysitting fees were keeping people away from pubs.
Elsewhere, bogus callers were targeting pubs in south Wales with ads in local magazines.
10 years ago: 2015
It was a month of regulation for the sector.
Calls for pubs to list the calorie content of items on their menu was labelled “impossible” by licensees
While Chancellor George Osborne’s shock announcement in the Budget of a new compulsory living wage left many licensees concerned about spiralling costs.
The former chairman of the Independent Pub Confederation Bill Sharp also called on all factions of the trade to show “tolerance” and work together to ensure the smooth implementation of the Pubs Code.
An interview with Sharp revealed his love for the industry and vow to carry on fighting for the rights of licensees.
5 years ago: 2020
It will come as no surprise that the top stories were all related to Covid-19 and pub closure.
The good news was the majority of consumers (99%) said they felt safe returning to the pub after the Covid lockdowns.
Research from Greene King also revealed 97% of those surveyed agreed visiting pubs made them feel that life was getting back to normal.
It was also the month that Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited a pub in his constituency, celebrating the reopening after Coronavirus shut downs. Johnson pulled a pint at the Crown & Treaty in Uxbridge, west London.
Meanwhile, the Pubs Code Adjudicator was seeking to clarify the situation when it came to trigger events for pubs in light of ongoing challenges for the sector.
It was also revealed that Greene King pledged more than £2m to support its 6,500 independent free-trade pubs as part of its ‘bounce back’ measures
In addition, more than £20m in financial support was provided to pub tenants by Independent Family Brewers of Britain.
- See The Morning Advertiser’s lookback over what was shaping the sector in June 15, 10 and five years ago here.
