CAMRA News
All of the latest news direct from CAMRA HQ. Click on the headlines for more details.
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Parliament hears concerns over âindependenceâ of new pubs dispute panel
02/02/2012
Greg Mulholland MP (pictured right) today challenged Business Minister Ed Davey MP over the appointment of a surveyor employed on various cases by Punch Taverns as Chairman of a new pubs dispute panel. This new pubs dispute panel (PICAS) was formed as part of the self regulation deal between the Government and the pub companies last year and is an integral part of Ed Davey’s plan to curb the excesses of the large pub companies. Greg Mulholland MP said in Parliament: “The one seemingly hopeful part of the Government’s otherwise dreadful response on pub companies was the unfortunately named PICAS—the pub independent conciliation and arbitration service. However, hope soon faded when it was revealed that it was to be pubco-funded, and this week it has been announced that it will be chaired by a Punch Taverns surveyor. Does the Minister think that licensees will want to use that supposedly independent body?” Jonathan Mail, CAMRA’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs said: “A properly constituted and independent arbitration service would represent a big step forward in eliminating unfair business practices relating to the treatment of tied lessees by large pub companies. The success of this new pubs dispute panel however depends on its ability to guarantee impartiality and the best way of doing this would be to seek qualified arbitration experts without links to either large pub companies or individual lessees.”
CAMRA toasts National Winter Ales Festival success
26/01/2012
Last week’s Manchester festival smashes attendance record by almost 1,000 punters! CAMRA is delighted to announce that its National Winter Ales Festival, which took place last week at Manchester’s Sheridan Suite (January 18th-21st), surpassed all expectations and smashed its previous attendance record by almost 1,000 people! The Festival’s hard working volunteers experienced huge demand for the extensive range of winter beer styles at the bar, and with a confirmed attendance figure of 9,378 people, the event became the busiest Winter Ales Festival ever held in Manchester. Meanwhile, the CAMRA membership stand at the Festival signed up 200 new members, a sizeable increase on last year’s recruitment figure. Graham Donning, National Winter Ales Festival organiser, said: ‘We were delighted to see such a diverse mix of people coming through the doors to sample our range of winter warmers, and the outstanding attendance figure is a testament to the hard work of the volunteers organising the event. We are already kick-starting arrangements for next year’s event, and the success of this year gives us a fantastic platform for such preparations!’ In other news at the Festival, Driftwood brewery of St Agnes, Cornwall walked away from the event as Champion Winter Beer of Britain winners for ‘Alfie’s Revenge’, a 6.5% ABV old ale praised for its outstanding quality.
23/01/2012
Pubs hoping to host live music received a boost last week after MPs gave the final green light to a Bill aimed at increasing small gigs. The Live Music Bill passed its Report Stage in the House of Commons on Friday and faces final amendments in the Lords - but is almost certain to become law. Under the change pubs will be allowed to host gigs attracting 200 people of fewer, without needing a separate condition on their licence. The Bill’s success is notable as it is a private members Bill - a type which rarely become law. It was first tabled by Lib Dem peer Lord Clement-Jones in July 2010 and recieved backing in the Commons from another Lib Dem, Don Foster. The government also backed the Bill as it fufils a Coalition commitment to cut red tape around small scale live music. Jonathan Mail, CAMRA’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, said: “We are delighted by the success of this Bill and hope struggling pubs wanting to introduce live music will be encouraged to add an extra string to their bow.” “Pubs need to be able to specialise in this way to help them retain their place at the heart of local communities which they have successfully served for many generations.” Contributed by James Wilmore.
NEW VACANCY!- CAMRA HQ in search for Website & Social Media Officer
20/01/2012
CAMRA is looking for a self-motivated and dynamic Website & Social Media Officer to manage the development and content of CAMRA’s new national website, which was launched this month. The organisation’s national website, e-marketing and social media activities play an important role in CAMRA’s communication to its 135,000 members and external parties. The successful candidate will have experience and skills in web content management, and will be responsible for producing e-marketing mail shots and other mailouts to CAMRA’s vast membership. The successful candidate will also work with an external web development company to produce a new Volunteer Website in 2012 that will offer support and training to CAMRA’s volunteers. Social media is an important part of CAMRA’s Marketing Strategy and this position will be responsible for growing and maintaining CAMRA’s social media presence. The full Job Specification can be downloaded as a PDF via this link. To apply for this position please send CVs, covering letters and a completed Equal Opportunities Form to tony.jerome@camra.org.uk - the closing date for entries in 1st February 2012.
CAMRA holds Parliamentary reception for Conservative staff
20/01/2012
The Real Ale was flowing this week as CAMRA hosted a reception in Parliament to raise support for our campaigns and voice the action needed from Government to save our pubs. A range of Real Ales were presented from East London Brewing Company, Hook Norton Brewery and Woodforde’s – there wasn’t a drop left in the house. CAMRA events always prove to be the most popular in Parliament and this event was no exception with over 100 researchers of Conservative and Lib Dem MPs in attendance. Researchers provide the gateway to MPs – they control the diary and filter the emails – and are therefore a vital target in order for CAMRA to join forces with the MPs needed to lobby government. CAMRA’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs Jonathan Mail spoke to ensure all guests were fully aware of the work of their hosts. He praised some of the pro-pub policies the Coalition has put forward to date but emphasised that work still needed to be done to curb the current closure rate of 14 pubs a week. Beer tax, large pubco regulation and the gap between on- and off-licence alcohol prices all need reforming, and events like this provide a small step towards achieving this.
Fair Deal on Pubs Motion Success
13/01/2012
The government is under pressure from MPs, including dozens of government MPs, over its "inadequate" response to the BIS committee report. MPs yesterday unamiously passed a motion criticising the government's response to BIS' latest report. The motion also calls on the coalition to commission an independent review of self-regulation this autumn. The motion was passed following a lively three-hour House of Commons debate, which saw MPs from all main parties attack the government's inaction, the pubcos, and highlight the difficulties tied publicans face. BIS chairman Adrian Bailey MP pointed out that four select committees inquiries had been conducted and the latest government response was "totally inadequate". The response, he said, "failed to meet the aspirations of all sectors of the industry, apart from the pubcos." CAMRA has been at the forefront of the campaign to force the government to tackle the pubcos' unfair practices of the pubcos and many MPs highlighted the group's efforts. Ian Lucas, Labour MP for Wrexham, said the campaign had done "some superb work in this area" and quoted CAMRA's comment that the government had broken its commitment to act. In response to the motion, Business minister Ed Davey, defended the government's actions and said it had come up with the "toughest self-regulatory regime imaginable" but it seems MPs of all parties were unconvinced. Read how it all happened in our live blog following the debate.
05/01/2012
We have a fantastic opportunity on Thursday 12th January: MPs are going to debate and vote on the possibility of finally securing a fair deal for the licensees of large pub companies. To make the most of this opportunity, we need your help to persuade your MP to participate in the debate. Please take 2 minutes to email your MP. The pre-written email asks your MP to VOTE FOR a Parliamentary Motion asking the Government to introduce meaningful reform of the large pub companies. This debate follows years of campaigning by CAMRA, MPs, small business groups and many others which have led the Government to recognise the existence of "unfair practices" in the relationship between the large pub companies and their licensees, along with the failure of the pub companies to deliver effective self regulation. However, the proposals set out by the Business Minister last November have been widely castigated as naive, unenforceable and insubstantial. We now need to use this debate to persuade the Government to toughen up its approach. Thank you for your support.
Minimum pricing to be introduced in Scotland
14/12/2011
CAMRA has responded recently to a consultation by the Scottish Government on minimum pricing of alcohol. CAMRA has welcomed the move as it will end the below cost selling of alcohol by supermarkets and begin to address the disparity of price between the on and off trade and encourage consumers to drink in the regulated safe environment of their local community pubs. CAMRA believes that the minimum price should be set at a level that covers all production costs including excise duty and VAT. At current duty levels and using costs worked out from the 2010 British Beer and Pub Association Budget submission, the full production costs for a unit of alcohol of beer are approximately 41.3p. With barley and hop prices expected to rise before the introduction of any such minimum alcohol pricing, and with excise duty scheduled to rise at 2% above the rate of inflation at the next Budget, 45p would seem to be a fair figure to ensure the end of below cost selling of alcohol. Any subsequent rise in the minimum price should be based solely on productions costs plus duty and VAT.
Britain's biggest showcase of winter beers returns!
14/12/2011
If you're looking for any excuse in January to shake off the cold and damp of winter, pay a visit to CAMRA's National Ales Festival from 18th – 21st at Manchester's Sheridan Suite. With a whopping selection of over 300 winter warmers, as well as foreign beer and real cider/perry options, the Festival is the biggest showcase of its kind in Britain. During the 4-day festival, thousands of stout, porter, strong mild and old ale drinkers are expected to come through the doors, and with recent research showing that 52% of alcohol drinkers in Britain have now tried real ale, the festival is welcoming newcomers to see what all the fuss is about. To complement the beer, the Festival promises an unbeatable food buffet including English and Indian dishes, as well as live music on the Saturday. The National Winter Ales Festival is also home to the Champion Winter Beer of Britain competition, and on the opening day (January 18th), all eyes will be on who wins the top prize after Hop Back brewery of Downton, Wiltshire took the overall title in 2011 for their Entire Stout. Graham Donning, NWAF Festival organiser, speaking in anticipation of the 2012 Festival, said: 'Considering the positive growth we’ve seen over the last couple of years in terms of the number of brewers opening up across Britain, let alone those producing winter beers, we’re gearing up for another great year and welcome drinkers old and new to come along and enjoy a pint. I can’t remember the last time there was so much choice available to drinkers in terms of stouts, porters, old ales and other winter beer styles on the market, so it’s an exciting time to be organising this festival.' END For more information, please visit www.alefestival.org.uk
Government reforms are too weak to save Britain's Pubs
24/11/2011
This morning the Government responded to the Business select committee's report on pub companies, announcing a deal between the Government and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) involving a package of reforms. While this package promises some small steps forward including a new arbitration service, a requirement to follow rental guidelines and to publish national wholesale price lists, the package will do little to stop pub closures. The Government's response has failed to address the key issues of providing lessees with a genuine free of tie and guest beer option, and so will not rebalance the relationship between struggling licensees and large pub companies. CAMRA is also concerned that even the limited package that has been announced may not be delivered given pub companies' history of broken promises and abandoned commitments. Mike Benner, CAMRA's Chief Executive said: 'The Government has been cavalier in rejecting the recommendations of the Business Select Committee and instead putting its faith in the ability of the very companies accused of malpractice to finally put their house in order. The lack of any formal public consultation on this package of measures is truly remarkable and suggests a failure of Government to listen to all interested parties including the consumer. 'Pubs are vitally important not just to the millions of regular pub goers but also to the health of communities and the overall economy. The failure of the Government to secure a more substantial reform package is a massive blow to the Prime Minister's aspirations to lead a "pub friendly Government".' Brian Binley MP, a member of the Business select committee, has been reported in the Morning Advertiser as saying: "The Government has sold out to the devil on the question of publicans rights. The Government needs to recognise that publicans are amongst the leading opinion formers in this country and to renege on promises of this kind will harm the Government enormously in a wider sense way beyond the issues of our pubs network. It will impact upon people's perception of the honesty of the Government itself." Greg Mulholland MP, Parliamentary Save the Pub Group Chair, said: "Ministers and officials have either taken the easy way out or have had the wool pulled over their eyes by the very people so criticised by the Select Committee. The response does nothing to address the fundamental point about the unfair share of turnover pubcos take from pubs, which makes it impossible for many tenants to make a living, even when their takings are at a decent level."
All material on www.nnottscamra.co.uk, Copyright 2006 - 2012, Stephen Watkins and North Notts CAMRA
The views expressed herein are those of individual contributors and not necessarily those of CAMRA or the local Branch.