Fair Pint says pub tenants need separate representation

The Fair Pint Campaign has stressed the need for an independent representative body to stand up for the interests of pub tenants.

Fair Pint argues that the appointment of Martin Caffrey as chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA) and the suggestion for Enterprise Inns' chief executive Ted Tuppen to fund a tenants' support group underlines a "fundamental problem" within the industry.

"The financial power of the brewers and the ‘pubcos' means that most of the representative bodies in the sector are compromised through links with brewers or pubcos," said Steve Corbett, a founder member of Fair Pint.

He added that the lack of a powerful representative voice for tenants is widely recognised and explains why problems currently facing the sector have gone unchecked.

"Fair Pint believes that there is a need for a body which can act solely in the interests of tenants. The shape of such a body is something which will be discussed during discussions on the next steps for the Fair Pint campaign over the coming months," he said.

Enterprise Inns (ETI) wrote to Lord Mandelson in June setting out 13 commitments to the pub sector including the suggestion of setting up a national independent body to "provide advice, support and representation to all licensees, including individual tenants and lessees".

Mixed response to CAMRA's beer-tie super-complaint >>

Pub groups meet to discuss beer-tie probe >>

The beer tie: close to breaking point? >>

By Emma White

E-mail your comments to Emma White here.

Caterersearch.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next pub job here with Caterersearch.com jobs