www.hertsale.org.uk www.watfordcamra.org.uk www.heb-camra.org.uk www.camranorthherts.org.uk HERTFORDSHIRE’S Pints of View The bi -monthly publication for every discerning drinker December/January 2010 Circulation 8000 No. 238 Our seasonal pub above for this edition is the Chequers in Barley (near Royston). This Greene King pub serves IPA and Abbot , with Old Speckled Hen also being available over Xmas and New Year. Home cooked food is also served. More on page 25 Also in this issue: The Woodman The Third Annual The Liberty Hops to it Bucks the Trend Sawbridgeworth Beer Festival 1 Pub Sector 'ties' Cleared by OFT he Office of Fair Trading (OFT) says it has pubs, said that the beer tie had, for decades, found no evidence that ties between pub "provided a low cost of entry to the pub industry Tcompanies and landlords are harming for committed, entrepreneurial licensees who are competition in the pub sector. unable to afford to buy a pub of their own". Its inquiry followed a super-complaint from the BBC News 22 October 2009 Campaign for Real Ed Says: Obviously Ale (CAMRA) over the enquiry team so-called "beer ties" were completely - landlords having hoodwinked by the to buy beer from brewers and pub pub owners. companies’ submissions. If you buy a lease or The OFT said there was "generally effective" tenancy there is no security attached, and the competition between pubs. terms such as rent are reviewed (usually upwards). CAMRA said it would now be urging Business You only have to look at cases such as those Secretary Lord Mandelson to overturn the OFT's recently highlighted in Pints of View ; where decision. incoming licensees are certain that they have been "We do not accept that there is sufficient set up to fail. No support has been given to the competition between pubs or adequate consumer licensees when in financial trouble, and they have benefit from competition and choice within this ended up losing very large amounts of money. sector," said CAMRA chief executive Mike Benner. Let’s not fool ourselves - the price of a pint is one "Urgent action is now required by Government to of the major factors keeping customers out of pubs. stem the flow of pub closures, build a sustainable The tie in many cases is forcing hard pushed future and ensure that consumers get a fair share of licensees to charge prices that are, in effect, the benefit from tied agreements as demanded by keeping trade away. competition law." CAMRA Good Beer Guide 1997 - 2010 Consumer Benefit Cask Marque Certification The OFT said it did not consider that supply ties contributed to higher prices. "Any strategy by a pub-owning company which compromises the competitive position of its tied pubs would not be sustainable, as this would result in a loss of sales," said Simon Williams, senior director of the OFT's goods group. "Pub-owning companies are not therefore protected from competition by virtue of the supply ties agreed with their lessees. The "We understand that our response to Camra comes at a difficult time for the industry, but the evidence ELEPHANT & CASTLE indicates that consumers benefit from a good deal of competition and choice within this sector." AMWELL LANE, AMWELL, The OFT added that the issues raised in the super- WHEATHAMPSTEAD, HERTS. complaint "do not warrant further assessment", and Tel: 01582 832175 that it would be taking no further action. News of the OFT's findings sent shares in pub QUALITY FOOD companies soaring on the London Stock Exchange. Shares in Enterprise Inns jumped 23.4% while Greene King IPA, Abbot Ale Punch Taverns climbed 14.8%. Punch, which with 7,600 pubs is Britain's biggest operator, said it Hardy and Hanson Bitter hoped the industry could forward constructively". Guest Beer Meanwhile Enterprise, which has about 7500 2 Brewery and Pub Industry News Greene King Head Brewer's Highgate Brewery goes into Club Awards in Herts Administration uffolk brewer Greene King has hand-picked alsall-based Highgate Brewery has been 300 of its best real ale houses for entry into its sold in late September for £80,000 by SHead Brewer's Club and the first 10 were Wadministrators to two property officially inaugurated at a developers. The company, renamed Highgate & ceremony at the Davenport’s Brewery Limited, got into financial brewery in Bury St difficulties, Edmunds on 6 th including October. unpaid excise The pubs will be duty of more entitled to a than £1m. promotional package In its previous and possibly a house guise Highgate produced its own beers, including beer brewed in their brands such as Davenport’s IPA , as well as name. contract brewing for Coors and Smiles Brewery. John Bexon, Greene King head brewer, said: When the on-trade contracted the brewery focused “When served in great condition, cask ale is the more on bottled beers, producing up to 15 best drink in the world and I want to pay tribute to different varieties. these licensees that do it really well. Pubs in the Bob Norton, the existing managing director of Head Brewer’s Club guarantee a great pint and top Highgate Brewery, said he would remain in the notch service”. role until a consultation process with the brewery’s Pubs in Hertfordshire receiving the award are: - staff was completed. Amwell - Elephant & Castle *, Ashwell - Rose & “The company was taken over two years ago [by Crown , Three Tuns , Baldock - Cock, Hen & Birmingham-based pub group Global Star] but Chickens , Buntingford - Brewery Tap . Chapmore with the turn in the economy, it was decided to End — Woodman *, Chorleywood - White Horse , restructure the business, but the banks, both our Hertford - Black Horse , Hertford Heath - Silver own and others, were unwilling to support us and Fox , Hinxworth - Three Horseshoes , Hitchin - Bird there was no option but to go into administration,” in Hand , Pig & Whistle , Victoria , Little he added. Wymondley - Plume of Feathers , Hermit of Redcoats . Rickmansworth - White Bear . Royston — Pubs Must Improve Customer Boar’s Head , Chequers, Old Bull . Standon - Star. Stevenage - Bell . Walkern - White Lion , Ware — Service Nag’s Head , White Horse , Worppell *, Watford - he “Retail Eyes” company surveyed 6,523 Nascot Arms. Watton-at-Stone ,- George & consumers on which sector delivers the best Dragon . * = Good Beer Guide 2010 listed Tcustomer service – just 6% said the pub and Ed Says: It should be noted that only three of the bar sector delivered good service. pubs listed are in the CAMRA 2010 Good Beer Customer service at hotels was rated top with 52% Guide . Any comments readers have about any of of votes with restaurants receiving 23% and the Brewers Club pubs will be gratefully received. supermarkets 11%. “Some of the things we found that turn off customers the most about drinking in pubs and Hertfordshire’s Pints of View is produced bars are tables with empty glasses or dirty plates by the North, South Hertfordshire, Watford left out, having to wait long at the bar and bar staff & District, and Hertfordshire/Essex Borders that aren’t interested or engaging," said Tim Ogle, Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale chief executive of Retail Eyes. (CAMRA). Views expressed are not "What’s worse is that those sectors that are necessarily those of the editor, CAMRA Ltd delivering bad customer service could be missing or its branch es. out on potential revenue streams while 3 Beer News and Features establishments delivering excellent customer name, I think The Pursuit of Hoppiness perfectly service are at an advantage; attracting and describes my pint.” retaining customers from the competition." As part of his prize, Mike visited the Greene King Over half (56%) of respondents claim to have left brewery in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, to work an establishment before making an intended alongside head brewer John Bexon. purchase due to poor service and 7 out of 10 are Mr Bexon said: “Interest in beer has never been so prepared to pay more for a product or service if it high, and the response to this competition has means they receive better service. really reflected this nationwide enthusiasm. Ed Says: I would have thought most of the above “There were many great entries but we think we’ve was pretty obvious except the bit about paying chosen a real winner. The Pursuit of Hoppiness is more for good service. Service like beer quality soft, reddish-brown ale with a nutty, malty palate, should be excellent all the time. The idea of a background sweetness and a smooth, herbal paying ten or twenty pence more for the privilege finish with a grassy hop nose. of a perfect pint served immediately in a spotlessly “It was a real pleasure to brew and hearty clean glass, is quite ludicrous. congratulations to Mike”. From an original article posted on www.kentnews.co.uk , 17/10/2009 Special Brew inspired from the Woodman, Chapmore End Cask Ale: Zero to Hero in Five drinker will see his face on beer taps Years throughout the country after winning a ask ale has gone from zero to hero in the A national competition to design a new ale. space of five years with volumes up once Mike Kingston, 22, from Dartford, beat hundreds Cagain in a declining beer market. of other drinkers with his creation called The The Cask Report , a Pursuit of Hoppiness (4.2% ABV), which will be definitive analysis of the on sale at Greene King venues across the UK. The state of Britain’s cask beer environmental scientist came up with the beer market - shows that cask while visiting the Woodman at Chapmore End ale attracted 400,000 new near Ware, which is one of many to receive drinkers in 2008, was delivery of the ale, launched Tuesday, October 20.