Pubs face tough new laws after MPs' broadside
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An influential committee of MPs has urged the Government to introduce statutory legislation to regulate big pub companies, following years of abuse.
In a blistering attack that referred to "bullying and intimidation" of lessees across the industry, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' (BIS) committee concluded that self-regulation had "failed" to deliver meaningful reform. It urged the Government to table proposals for an "adjudicator armed with a full suite of sanctions" to police the behaviour of pub companies.
A key target is the "beer tie" – where the landlord is forced to buy most of their beer from the company from which the premises are leased – following little progress, with pub companies offering only 16 per cent of new lessees and just 9 per cent of existing lessees a lease free of the tie.
The committee said this and other failings were contributing to pubs closing at an "alarming rate", at a time when a downturn in consumer spending continues to squeeze pubs further.
The group of MPs said they had run out of patience with progress made by the "impotent" British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) – whose members account for nearly two-thirds of Britain's 52,500 pubs – to implement reform and show it was working successfully within a voluntary code of practice.
However, the BBPA hit back, citing the "significant progress" it had made, adding it was "deeply disappointed" by the report. Those BBPA members who are likely to be most worried are the UK's biggest operators of the beer tie for leased and tenanted landlords, Punch and Enterprise Inns.
Adrian Bailey, an MP on the BIS committee, said this was its fourth report in seven years and the industry had for "too long failed to put its own house in order" following a "final ultimatum" 18 months ago.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments