What Just Happened? MPs have been debating the details of a new bill in parliament called the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill. The bill is wide ranging and includes details such as measures to help small and medium businesses, guidelines for public sector procurement, and crucially a section titled "The Pubs Code Adjudicator and the Pubs Code". These are the headline points of the original proposal for the pubs section of the bill: Campaigners believed these changes didn't go far enough to help tenants of the big PubCo companies and Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West Greg Mulholland tabled an amendment to the bill that tightened controls on the PubCos and would free up the tenants. MPs voted for the amendment by a majority of 25, including members of government defying the three line whip that had been issued by Michael Gove. What Does it Mean? Traditionally a beer tie for a pub could be a good thing, essentially the cost of entry for the tenant would be low and the rent would be kept artificially low, in return the pub would only be able to sell beer bought from the PubCo who would add on a percentage to regain their losses from the rent. Unfortunately as the PubCos massive debts forced them to squeeze every last drop of income out of their assets, many of the successful pubs in their portfolios were seeing their rents skyrocket to unaffordable levels during rent reviews and the price of their beer could be double what the pub could purchase it for on the open market forcing many publicans at seemingly successful pubs out of business. The new Market Rent Option in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill has a twofold effect. The tenant can ask to pay a fair rent at the market rate This will then break any beer tie, allowing the pub to source its beer from the open market This won't all happen straight away, it is triggered at certain points for example at the rent review (usually every 5 years) or if market conditions change (a new Wetherspoon's pub opens up next door) or the freehold is sold. Is There a Downside? As I see it there is a possibility that this will make...
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Sunday Lunch - Brigantes Served from 12noon to 8pm the Brigantes Sunday Lunch can be found at the top of Micklegate, a street known more for 'trebles for singles' than for traditional pubs, but Brigantes is breaking the mould and waving the banner for real ales and decent pub food. I ventured up in my search for York's Best Sunday Lunch. What's on offer? The Sunday Lunch at Brigantes has three price points for either one (£8.95), two (£11.95), or three courses (£14.95), taking the other dishes from the full menu which is still available on Sundays. The choice was simple: Sunday Lunch Lamb or Beef with a Yorkshire Pudding and mixed veg We got one of each. What worked? I'm a big supporter of the Yorkshire pudding and was overjoyed to see a large Yorkshire acting as a bowl to hold a fair portion of meat rolled into its centre. The lamb was delicious and surprisingly plentiful, the Yorkshire could accommodate quite a bit in its core with space for plenty of gravy to ooze out onto the piping hot plate. My highlight was the sweet baby parsnips that were roasted to perfection alongside a portion of cauliflower cheese, a much ignored Sunday Lunch accompaniment in pubs. What didn't work? I like a crispy shell on my roast potatoes which was nowhere to be seen here. The spuds were tasty enough, but disappointingly soggy. Although the lamb was superb the beef appeared to be a collection of fatty scraps which had been stuffed into the Yorkshire pud to hide their shame, just one nice slice of pink roast beef would have lifted the whole dish but it was nowhere to be seen. Although the Yorkshire pudding looked fantastic and dominated the plate I couldn't help notice the twang of carbonated batter from the burnt rim which unfortunately couldn't be disguised even after a long soak in the gravy. Is it York's Best Sunday Lunch? I'd certainly recommend Brigantes as a venue for Sunday Lunch, the meal was very nice and I like the pub and the staff. There was nothing bad here and I'd be happy to return, but surely I can find...
Read MoreA Fair Deal For Your Local A long running and hard fought campaign to help stop the plague of local pub closures caused by the large PubCos such as Enterprise and Punch is a week away from a crucial vote in parliament, and you can help. Greg Mulholland, Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West, has tabled an amendment to the Small Business Bill that would enshrine in law the right for PubCo tenants to choose a market rent-only option. What this essentially means is that tenants of the large pub companies can buy beer on the open market rather than being forced to buy through their PubCo landlords who inflate the brewery price by around 70%, driving up prices for customers and forcing tenants out of business. The vote is on Tuesday 18th November 2014 and you can email your MP to ask them to back the amendment via the CAMRA website. Email your MP Your (editable) email will read as follows: I am writing as your constituent and as one of 167,000 CAMRA members to ask that you support a cross party amendment to the Small Business Bill (NC2: Pubs Code: Market Rent Only Option) to introduce a market rent only option for tenants of the large pub companies. The Small Business Bill introduces a Pubs Code and Adjudicator which I very much welcome. However I am seriously concerned that the Bill as it stands does not go far enough, and may prove unworkable unless accompanied by a right for tied tenants to choose between a tied agreement and a market rent only option. Please therefore support a cross-party attempt to amend the Small Business Bill to introduce a new clause which will, over time, allow tied tenants of large pub companies to choose between remaining on a tied agreement or opting for a non tied agreement at an open market rent (the market rent only option). Allowing tenants to choose a market rent only option will deliver a fair and sustainable future for Britain’s pubs by increasing licensee profitability, investment in pubs, greater consumer choice and will ultimately result in fewer pub closures. Please support your local publicans, breweries and consumers by: - Adding your name to the market rent only...
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