Health lobbyists are campaigning for a landmark bylaw that will allow councils across the North West to bring in minimum pricing.

In a document, seen by The Publican, the Manchester-based health body, Our Life, has outlined the “strongest legal approach” for getting a minimum price of 50p in the region’s pubs and supermarkets.

The move has been welcomed by a Manchester-based trade body, representing more than 600 on-trade venues in the city, and tallies with The Publican’s own Make it the Minimum campaign.

Councils are being asked by Our Life to force the government into giving local authorities the power to introduce a minimum price.

The group has taken legal advice which shows that under the Local Government Act 1972, a bylaw can be introduced for the “prevention” and “suppression” of nuisance in an area.

It also highlights that under the Local Government Act 2000, councils have the power to do anything “likely to promote the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of their area”.

The group says the strategy would avoid falling foul of competition law, which is the major stumbling block around minimum pricing.

Reports emerged last year that councils and National Health Service leaders were pushing for a minimum price due to concerns about alcohol-related problems in the North West.

But the new document shows the health community is determined to make a noise about the issue, as the government seems reluctant to act on minimum pricing on a national scale.

Andy Walker, head of corporate affairs at Our Life, said the bylaw proposal was currently “just an idea up for discussion”.

But he added: “For a lot of councils and health bodies around the region the bill for alcohol problems is becoming unaffordable.

“The supermarkets are very much part of this and it’s something that needs to be addressed.”

The group admits that even if the bylaw bid fails it would still “send a message to government that real and tangible action on alcohol pricing is now required”.

Phil Burke, a spokesman for the Manchester Pub and Club Network, said the group “fully supported” any scheme that would bring in minimum pricing.

“It will give us a fair playing field and it’s what we’ve been asking for for a long, long time,” he said.

“It’s really affecting people’s livelihoods.”

But Lee Le Clercq, regional secretary for the British Beer & Pub Association North, questioned the idea of a bylaw.

“I cannot begin to imagine how UK competition laws would allow such an anti-competitive bylaw no matter how well intentioned it might be,” he said.

“If we are to have minimum pricing it must be national not local.

“What is even more surprising is that in times of public sector cutbacks and anticipated job losses, there are those who consider this an effort worthy of the investment of public money.”

Taken from:  The Publican

By James Wilmore

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A government minister has admitted he is “pleased” the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is re-examining the beer tie, arguing there is a lack of a “consistent” approach by pubcos.

In an exclusive face-to-face interview with The Publican, Licensing Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said he knew of licensees in his constituency that had been “put in a difficult position” by pubcos.

“The OFT have re-opened the CAMRA appeal and I’m pleased about that… but obviously it’s a matter for the competition auhtorities,” he said.

Sutcliffe revealed that in a meeting with the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), he rejected the group’s argument the tie was not an issue.

“I spoke to Brigid Simmonds (chief executive of the BBPA) who was trying to argue that the tie wasn’t a problem,” he said.

“But I said to her Brigid, it is, because different companies are operating in different ways… what the solutions are a competition issue and that’s why it’s right the OFT are going to take a look at it.”

To view the full article go to:  The Publican

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John Healey’s new ministerial responsibility for pubs has been welcomed by the BBPA: “It is a clear sign of the strong public desire to see British pubs supported and the success of our campaign over the last year.  We hope that this means that pubs will now have a strategic place in Government policy making, and we are pleased that the agenda echoes so many of the priorities we have identified.”

BBPA news 18th Feb

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The price of cider could soar after next month’s Budget as fears mount the government will single out the category for a major tax hike.

All alcohol trade groups are bracing themselves for another wave of duty increases, on top of the two per cent duty escalator.

But cider makers are particularly fearful of the treatment they will receive – despite arguing their case at a meeting with Treasury officials this week.

These fears are based on last December’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR), when the government announced it would review duty on cider after pressure to realign rates with beer tax.

The results of the review are due to be announced at the Budget in a month’s time.

Henry Chevallier Guild, chairman of the National Association of Cider Makers and partner at premium cider producer Aspall, who attended last week’s meeting, said the group had to be realistic.

To read the full article, go to:  The Publican

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Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has hailed real ale and real cider as “part of the solution’ to Britain’s alcohol problems.

Speaking at a parliamentary reception organised by CAMRA last night Bradshaw said: “The people who enjoy real ales and cider do so for the taste and do so in pubs.

“I support real ale and real cider culture as part of the solution, not part of the problem of Britain’s drinking culture.”

The news will be welcomed by CAMRA, who used the event to launch its Beer Drinkers and Pub Goers Charter.

Aims of the charter include supporting well run community pubs, reforming the beer tie and securing tax breaks for brewers.

Bradshaw also presented John Grogan MP with a CAMRA lifetime achievement award at the event, which was attended by MPs including former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith; Business, Innovations and Skills chairman Peter Luff and former cabinet minister Peter Hain.

Taken from:  The Publican

By Matt Eley

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The OFT has re-opened its examination of the beer tie - and has invited further comments from the industry on its response to CAMRA’s super-complaint.

In a statement, the organisation said it had made the move in an attempt to head off the costly appeal against its October ruling that no action was required on the tie - even though it still believes it has a firm basis to defend its case.

“The OFT is mindful of the substantial resource that both it and CAMRA would need to invest in litigation,” it said. “The OFT has therefore decided that it would be a more constructive use of resources to allow CAMRA and any other interested persons or groups the opportunity to make representations about the findings it reached in its response to the super-complaint.”

To view the full article go to:  The Publican

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Parliamentary candidates standing at the forthcoming General Election are being urged to pledge their support for the “I’m backing the pub” campaign – as the number of members of the public signed up passes 100,000.

The campaign – backed by the British Beer & Pub Association and SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers – will publish the full list of candidates and their respective positions on its website, www.backthepub.com, in March.

The scheme was launched to promote British pubs as an essential part of British community life - and to mobilise the public in favour of action to support them.

Emails are being sent out to all candidates of the three main national political parties, and of the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.  The 100,000 public supporters will also be urged to contact candidates in their particular constituencies.

Launching the scheme, Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “The British people value British pubs. More than eight out of ten believe their local is an important part of community life, yet dozens of pubs are closing every week.

“More needs to be done to support this essential British institution and the General Election is a unique opportunity for candidates of all parties to tell voters how they will do so.”

Julian Grocock, chief executive of SIBA, added: “Pubs are an integral part of Britain’s rich culture, our national heritage, and community life - and beer has always been a key part of what makes pubs so special.”

Taken from:  eat out magazine

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The minimum pricing of alcohol in Scotland should be set at 50p per unit — 10p more than that proposed by the SNP government, according to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The society, whose members include experts in health, public policy, economics and law, said that a minimum price of 40p would be insufficient to reduce consumption.

To read the full article go to:  The Times Online

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The preliminary hearing into the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) appeal of the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) dismissal of its “super-complaint” has been postponed until 8 February.

The hearing, called a case management conference, was scheduled to take place this Friday at the Competition Appeal Tribunal building in Holborn, London.

The time for the rescheduled hearing has not yet been decided.

A spokesman for the Tribunal said it will be used to discuss how the appeal is set to proceed, which could include discussions about a timetable.

Members of the appeal panel are set to be present, along with lawyers from CAMRA and the OFT.

CAMRA’s head of public affairs and policy Jonathan Mail said he expects “early discussions about some of the issues and defining some of the areas of dispute that need to be resolved at the hearing”.

CAMRA has called for the OFT’s decision that the beer tie is fair to consumers to be “quashed and referred back to the OFT”.

Taken from:  Morning Advertiser

By John Harrington

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