Pub 2311 p06 news 19/11/09 12:04 Page 6
6 Monday 23/11/09 thePublican www.thepublican.com
This Week News
ENTERPRISE RENTS TO
DISREGARD MACHINES
Pubco says licensee’s share of machine take will no longer feature in rent reviews
By Matt Eley increased by 2.5 per cent.
matte@thepublican.com From October 2008 to September MP: ‘It’s not just about the tie ’
2009 the pubco – which does not have
ENTERPRISE INNS has revealed that an upward-only rent clause – has held Pro-pub MP Eric Illsley has urged members of the All-Party Parliamentary Save
a licensee’s share of machine income 766 rent reviews with an average the Pub Group to focus on issues other than the beer tie.
will no longer be taken into account increase of 0.1 per cent. Speaking at the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations annual
in the pub company’s rent reviews. In the same period seven cases general meeting last week, the Labour MP for Barnsley South said the group
The move was revealed by Nick have gone to arbitration, with three had become “obsessed” with the tie.
Light, the pubco’s south coast division more dealt with by independent The group is chaired by Lib Dem MP Greg Mulholland, who is notorious for
director, at the Federation of Licensed experts. his outspoken comments about the pubcos.
Victuallers Associations (FLVA) Light said the number was too low Illsley said: “It seems to be all we debate these days. We’ve got a group of
annual meeting in Blackpool last due to the expense of arbitration and MPs who are supposed to be saving the pub. We are not looking hard enough
week. It came the day after Enterprise that he welcomed the industry’s Pubs at other issues such as taxation.”
announced to the City that its pre-tax Independent Rent Review Scheme Illsley, who is one of the vice-chairmen of the group that was formed earlier
profits were down nearly 21 per cent. (PIRRS), which allows lessees and this year, added that he backed the introduction of a minimum price to tackle
Light said: “If machine income is tenants a cheap way to appeal rent below-cost selling in the off-trade.
being shared, the share that the decisions.
licensee keeps will no longer feature.” Speaking about PIRRS at the FLVA
In a talk designed to help licensees event, the BII’s Phil Dixon said it had up to PIRRS and licensees, who will Dixon added it was “good news”
prepare for rent reviews, Light now been launched and that the first pay between £1,000 and £2,000 to use that Enterprise had dropped machine
revealed that between 2004 and 2009 case would soon be dealt with. the service, would be able to choose income from its rent setting process.
Enterprise conducted 4,690 rent All the British Beer & Pub an independent valuer from a list on For more on Enterprise’s results
reviews and that on average rent Association’s members have signed the PIRRS website. see page 14.
DRINK
PAUL MAIR, VENDING MACHINE SUPPLIER
TALKING
PUB PEOPLE SPEAK THEIR MINDS
‘ The bid to ban vending machines is misguided ’
When will the government leave our persons, but also increases their Why would a government not look
industry – cigarette vending machines employees’ awareness of other age- at a sensible solution that will save
– and others, alone, and tackle the restricted products, namely alcohol. more than 600 jobs and 200 British
real issues? We have been in business Why is it we have to put up with companies? We recently invited all
for more than 35 years and are a government-funded organisations the Scottish MSPs to see the radio
responsible and loyal employer. attacking us from every angle and frequency vending machine in opera-
Cigarette vending is being targeted, quoting flawed and misleading infor- tion. All they had to do was walk
as the government believes it makes it mation? Deborah Arnott, chief execu- down one flight of stairs. Regrettably
look like it is behaving in a responsi- tive of Action on Smoking and Health few MSPs bothered to even turn up
ble manner. (ASH) is blinded by her hatred of to see the demonstration. Nor did the
What a load of rubbish. The govern- tobacco. There are people in the anti- Minister or her officials put in an
ment has taken forward an amend- smoking organisations who are not appearance. This is shameful. Clearly
ment which is not fair, balanced or prepared to look at evidence in case it some MSPs who are fond enough of
proportionate. Rather than a ban on confounds their preconceived ideas. their own opinions did not wish to
cigarette vending machines, why We have put forward a practical have their preconceived ideas chal-
doesn’t it look at real alternatives? We solution that stops underage people lenged by seeing how effective these
have been working with the industry buying tobacco from vending machines are.
and have carried out trials of the radio machines. Yet some MPs are afraid to What next on the government ban
frequency machine – which stops the consider this because they fear they list? Chocolate, fast food, laughing in
machine being used until activated by will be attacked for being pro- pubs?
barstaff. The pubs that have these smoking. The truth is these MPs are
installed are happy with the system not pro-smoking, but want to strike a Paul Mair is marketing director of
and find it not only stops the possibil- balance between restricting access to the Cherwell Group, which supplies
ity of the sale of tobacco to underage tobacco and protecting British jobs. cigarette vending machines
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