Pints of View the Bi-Monthly Publication for the Discerning Real Ale Drinker
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www.hertsale.org.uk www.nherts-camr a.org.uk HERTFORDSHIRE’S Pints of View The bi-monthly publication for the discerning real ale drinker February/March 2007 Circulation 7000 No. 221 New Year New Newsletter We are pleased to announce that our newsletter from now on represents all the CAMRA Branches in Hertfordshire, for the first time since 1992. Beer Goggles, the newsletter produced specifically for the North Hertfordshire reader published its last edition in 2006, and they have now amalgamated with “Pints of View”. The Tapler, newsletter of CAMRA Mid Chilterns branch, covering the westerly part of Hertfordshire from Hemel Hempstead, continues its successful run unchanged. See also page 6 - Action Needed Against Supermarkets Also In This Issue: - A Festival Tour of Hitchin - Focus on Herts Community Pubs Increase your business profits for as little as £17.99 per week with RBS~StoreVision With over 10,000 installations world wide, at Retail Business Solutions, we are adding to our existing customer base every day. Public houses have reaped considerable advantages since converting from basic cash registers to an automated electronic, touch-screen EPoS till system. These businesses are enjoying the following benefits:- • Kitchen Printing. The order proc ess is streamlined as your customers’ orders are relayed automatically to the kitchen from the dining area, which gives accuracy and reduc es user error. • Increased Profits. RBS~StoreV ision ensures that every item on your menu is sold for the correct price. Your staff will never mis-key or guess prices again, and you can change thes e prices from your Back Office system. • Various Logon Methods. 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Please Call John Morrison on 01908 226226 for an informal discussion and to arrange a no obligation demonstration. www.rbsretail.com Email: [email protected] McMullen Slams Action Needed as Supermarkets Government Over Lack of Sell Lager for Just Pennies More Support for Pub Trade Than Water eter Furness-Smith, managing director of he Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is Hertford brewer McMullen & Sons, has calling for a stop to irresponsible alcohol Pwri tten to Home Secretary John Reid, Tpromotion as supermarkets sell lager for just slamming the police and enforcement 5p more than a pint of bottled water. agencies for failing in their duty to the pub A survey by CAMRA revealed that in some trade. supermarkets Fosters and Carlsberg was available In a strongly worded letter, he has asked the for the equivalent of just 54p a pint — or 16p minister to explain the objectives of law before tax. CAMRA, members of parliament, trade enforcement agencies following two incidents press and pub industry chiefs are calling for urgent in two McMullen pubs. action to prevent promotions that serve to The company along with the Designated exacerbate the problem of binge drinking. Premises Licence holder of the Lord Kitchener Before Christmas 2006 CAMRA carried out a in Barnet, North London, were acquitted in survey of drinks promotions in major court after one of the bar staff mistakenly supermarkets. served alcohol to a 17- EXAMPLES: year-old. The case saw • Sainsbury’s selling Carling for 54p a pint (£9.99 the barman receive an on- for 24x440ml cans). The excise duty on a 4% the-spot fine of £80 and beer is around 30p, and VAT is 8p. hefty court costs to both • Morrison’s: Selling Grolsch £16 for 40x300ml. the company and the (76p a pint). taxpayer, he added. • Tesco: Selling Budweiser £9.98 for 20x300ml Furness-Smith is outraged (95p a pint). Peter Furness- that a group who CAMRA Chief Executive Mike Benner (below) Smith assaulted three members said: “The ridiculous practice of the major of staff and smashed glasswear and wine supermarkets selling below cost for alcohol to out- bottles at the Fishery in Elstree, on December price each other is reckless, irresponsible and 9, 2006 were let off with a caution. dangerous. To put it in In the letter he said: “I find it incredible that perspective some bottled you encourage your police force to commit water in the supermarket resources to entrapping and fining honest hard costs 49p a pint and water working pub employees who make an error of is not subject to judgement but take no action against a person excise duty as alcohol is”. who admits to assault and criminal damage”. CAMRA believes that irresponsible drinks He has asked Mr Reid to explain how the promotions in the off trade are a major cause of industry can be expected to retain quality staff binge-drinking incidents, yet it is licensed premises when “we are constantly undermined by both that suffer the fallout while supermarkets continue our politicians and their law enforcement with impunity. agencies”. By Michelle Perrett Mike Benner continued: “Pubs often come under unjustified attack for encouraging binge-drinking, H ertfordshire’s Pints of View is produced by yet the industry has committed itself to curb the North, South Hertfordshire and Watford irresponsible drinking and cheap alcohol & District Branches of the Campaign for Real promotions in recent years. This hard work is Ale (CAMRA). Views expressed are not undermined by supermarkets selling enormous necessarily those of the editor, CAMRA Ltd or quantities of alcohol at prices that simply cannot its branches. be justified. Send any comments to us at [email protected] 3 An 18-year-old is free to take advantage of THE LORDSHIP ARMS these ludicrous beer prices, walk out the Herts. Pub of the Year 2002 supermarket door and then drink in a The Inn In The Sticks completely unsupervised and unsafe Benington, Nr Stevenage environment. Beer can be given by them to under-age drinkers who do not know their limits but pour premium-strength lager down their throats all night. This is in stark contrast to adults enjoying a drink in a pub which is regulated by law as to who they can and cannot serve. Something has to be done now to make supermarkets stop the damage these promotions can cause”. REAL ALE OASIS FOR THE DISCERNING MP John Grogan of the All Party DRINKER Parliamentary Beer Group has tabled an Early Fuller’s London Pride, Crouch Vale Brewer’s Gold Day Motion urging supermarkets and off- Plus 6 ever changing guest beers from licenses to follow the example of pubs, act to Independent and Micro Breweries end irresponsible drinks promotions, and not Also Traditional Cider A fantastic array of fine ales as usual to use alcohol as a loss leader on their - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - premises. CAMRA is urging consumers to Lunchtime Snacks lobby their MP to sign Early Day Motion 495 Curry Night every Wednesday £6.00 and make supermarkets take their social Two Course Sunday Roast £11.00 responsibilities more seriously. 41 MPs have - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Telephone 01438 869665 signed the motion so far. Carlsberg Speculation ccording to several financial pages on January 1st papers, Carlsberg is looking Ato strengthen its position within the UK. Speculation is that it may bid for Scotco but if it is fact then any brewery factory producing lager is a likely target. Woodman, Wildhill Carlsberg’s chief executive says there is a lot of room for consolidation in the UK. Carlsberg’s position within the UK market has slipped and accounts for just 15% profit margin. Carlsberg's makeover strategy is expected to take place before October when the company’s lucrative contact with Punch expires. Punch provides 10% of Carlsberg’s income. DH Have you got any news or opinions? Email us at [email protected] 4 Greene King Beers Are Over-Priced - Official! “We invest in quality ale brands that trade at over quality and poorly kept beer can soon create a premium to their categories” says Rooney a bad reputation. Anand, chief executive of Greene King in their For the rugby followers; for the next four years interim report 2006/07. “Greene King IPA will be the Official Beer of There are many other snippets in the report England Rugby, Greene King pubs will also that give an insight into how become Official Supporters’ Pubs of executives view our locals. For England Rugby”. That should put the instance pubs are referred to as fear of God into the other nations. ‘units’ and Belhaven brewery and Then of course there is the acquisition of pubs which were taken over in Hardy and Hanson of Kimberley, 83 2005 are ‘At the forefront of managed and 185 tenanted pubs and a Scottish pub development, and brewery. Well the brewery has gone and Champion of the Independent’ — with it 3% of the Nottingham jobs. All independent they are no more. the beer production has been switched to Bury, so Morland of Abingdon were taken over by we can all look forward to some more food miles Greene King in 2000 and they have been as they shift what is mainly water around the brewing Old Speckled Hen (OG 1050, ABV country. 5.2%) at Bury St Edmunds since they closed Rooney also comments on the change to opening the Abingdon brewery, Rooney (below) now hours, he thinks that both pubs and the towns they admits that since August the ABV has been occupy are more pleasant places as a result of a reduced to 4.5%. Has reduced culture of rushed ‘drinking up’. On there been a average the managed houses are open an extra corresponding four hours a week, and any increase in sales is reduction in price? counter balanced by the increase in cost of being Greene King’s takeover open longer.