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 February/March 2010 Circulation 8000 No. 239 Bottling it up — but it’s what is in the inside that counts Page 21 Ringing in the changes with St Albans’ latest free house Page 8 West He rts Sports Club is awarded East Anglia Club of the year Page 13 Chequers Inn at Woolmer Green is North Hertfordshire’s Community Pub of the Year Page 10 Plus: The First Chappel Winter1 Beer Festival Page 14 Office of Fair Trading Faces Legal Challenge From CAMRA and Consumers AMRA is continuing to fight back against appeal. Discussing the reversal of the OFT’s anti-competitive practices in the UK pub decision, he said: Cmarket by issuing a legal challenge to the “We’ve seen the consumer watchdog scrutinised Office of Fair Trading’s decision to reject its super- in previous years with the success of the complaint submitted in July 2009. Association of Convenience Stores’ appeal in 2005 To appeal the decision, CAMRA has used its in overturning the OFT’s decision at Tribunal level. power under the Enterprise Act 2002 to take the Pending the success of our appeal, CAMRA OFT’s decision to the Competition Appeals remains optimistic of Government intervention or a Tribunal for the equivalent of a judicial review. referral to the Competition Commission for a full In October, the OFT rejected CAMRA’s super- investigation into the UK pub market”. complaint on the grounds that consumers benefit "I am delighted that CAMRA have appealed the from a good deal of competition and choice in the deeply flawed decision by the OFT not to pubs sector, although the consumer group investigate the current operation of the beer tie by submitted contrary evidence. some companies and the way that is clearly harming trade and closing pubs.” “CAMRA has shown great leadership and courage on CAMRA’s super-complaint centred on the need to this issue and I hope reform beer tie arrangements to prevent large CAMRA members and all companies exploiting tie arrangements that prevent supporters of the British pub tied publicans from buying beer on the open will rally round and give market at fair prices. CAMRA’s complaint generously to the legal highlighted that the total cost to consumers as a fund. I will be making a result of inadequate competition could be as high donation and will be asking as £2.5 billion every year without even taking into other members of the Save the Pub group to account the restricted choice of beers available consider doing the same.” Greg Mulholland: MP, and the closure of many valued community pubs. Leeds North West & Chair of the All Party More widely, the complaint hoped to secure a fair Parliamentary 'Save The Pub' Group deal for the pub-goer, and build a sustainable future for Britain’s pubs. Please consider making a The beer tie, as currently operated by large pub donation to: companies, forces publicans to buy beer at around 50 pence a pint more than they would pay on the ‘Consumers v. OFT Pub Market open market. These inflated costs are passed onto pub goers through higher prices, cause poor Ruling’ facilities in pubs and the closure of 7 pubs a day. Campaign Fund at: Reform of the beer tie to allow effective competition between pubs is long overdue. www.camraappeal.org.uk With the inability of the OFT to recognise the problems highlighted by CAMRA, the consumer Hertfordshire’s Pints of View is produced group has issued a legal challenge using its own by the North, South Hertfordshire, campaigning funds, but is depending on Watford & District, and consumers to back the appeal via donation to give it the best chance of success. Hertfordshire/Essex Borders Branches of On submitting the appeal, Mike Benner, CAMRA the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Chief Executive, urged consumers and trade bodies Views expressed are not necessarily those to get behind the Campaign Fund and support the of the editor, CAMRA Ltd or its branches. 2 Pubgoers Set to Benefit from Abolition of Land Agreements Exclusion Order AMRA has welcomed the Government's recent decision to revoke the Land CAgreements Exclusion Order 2004. The consumer group has been campaigning for its revocation since last summer as part of its campaign to reform the beer tie to address a lack of competition in the pub sector in order to deliver a fair deal to the pub goer. Large pub operating companies, principally those with 500 or more 39 High Street, Harpenden AL5 2SD pubs will now need to work to prove that their beer tie agreements are fully compliant with Tel: 01582 763989 competition law. Open all day, every day Currently tied landlords are unable to buy beer from brewers of their own choice and are forced to pay prices inflated by around 50 pence a pint. The Visit us for Government consultation response states that A warm welcome revocation of the Order will promote fairer and Beautiful beer more open markets and a better deal for consumers through improved prices, wider choice, Garden greater investment and higher standards of Great “pub grub” (midday – 2pm) customer service. www.cross-keys-harpenden.co.uk Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said: “This is very positive news for pubgoers, small brewers and struggling lessees. The Order is an anomaly which has for too long given legal cover to companies which are party to potentially anti- competitive agreements. The large pub owning companies will now have to review their existing beer tie arrangements in the full knowledge that they will be liable to severe penalties if it is subsequently proven that they have breached Competition Law. CAMRA remains supportive of the beer tie model provided that it offers a fair share of benefits to consumers through greater choice, price competition and quality. We now urge the large pub owning companies to publicly commit to delivering on the basic principle that a tied tenant should be no worse off than they would be if free of tie”. Ed Says: Reading this article one may think all our problems are over, but this again is a governmental good intention. The legislation is laid out but would not be passed and come into effect until early 2011. We are certainly due an election before then and a whole new agenda may be in place. 3 ranking police officer in the Midlands suggested Price per Alcohol Unit back on that the price per unit should be set at 90pence - I Government Agenda am sure this would not apply to the constabulary es the election is on its way and the political social club bar. parties are already trying to win the hearts Was it Elvis that sang “let’s have a little less talk and minds of the electorate. The next and a little more action”? Y Steve Bury, Editor edition of the newsletter will no doubt have some comments on the proposed policies of the candidates with the date of the General election Brewery and Pub Industry most likely to be in May. News The Labour Party is saying that they are now considering minimum pricing per alcohol unit at National Brewing Museum to 40 or 50 pence. On the other hand the Conservatives say they intend to bring in a new re-open measure that will have been better researched and e are pleased to announce the re- therefore more meaningful and acceptable. In the opening in 2010 of the National interim we are stuck with the present system, WBrewery Centre in Burton-upon-Trent , which if introduced at the level suggested above Staffordshire, closed June 2008, after brewer 50 pence could mean that the price of cider, for Molson Coors UK reversed its decision to close the example, could treble in the supermarkets. brewery site. So what didn’t the papers say? The first thing is that The Coors Visitor alcoholic drinks have 17.5% VAT levied, so as Centre, formerly well as the minimum price hike the government the Bass will be adding their bit as well. But when you have Museum, closed got to fund a £200 billion public deficit this may its doors due to seem like a good idea. falling visitor Next is that the brewers and pub chains will be numbers, despite laughing all the way to the bank, as they will be opposition by able to increase the price to the supermarkets CAMRA, Janet Dean MP, local and county without having to reduce the price to the pubs. As councils, Burton Civic Society and Chamber of we all know brewers are charging artificially high Commerce, and the local media. pub prices in pubs to subsidize the cheap However, through the work of a Local Action supermarket off sales. Group, CAMRA is pleased that the Brewing Centre To counter this it was suggested that a windfall tax will now become a reality, and will retain key should be levied but following the failure of the elements of the existing facilities to ensure the same suggestion on bankers’ bonuses, this is also building’s historic aspects remain. now to be withdrawn. Nik Antona, CAMRA Director, and Burton branch The next suggestion, which still stands, is that a spokesperson, said: voluntary code of practice will be put forward that ‘It’s fantastic news that we will again have a supermarkets will not sell below cost - which is brewing museum in this country, and a centre what all the lobbyists wanted in the first place.