‘Fair deal for pubs’ is backed by Otley MP (From Ilkley Gazette)

‘Fair deal for pubs’ is backed by Otley MP

8:00am Friday 18th January 2013 in News

Otley’s MP has hailed a Government decision to introduce a statutory code for pub companies to follow.

Business secretary Vince Cable announced the move, which will see an independent adjudicator appointed to tackle unfair practices within the industry.

MP Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Leeds North West), as chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, has been leading the campaign for regulation for several years.

He said: “I am delighted that Vince Cable and the Government have now decided a statutory code of practice is needed that will, at last, enshrine in law that the tied licensee is no worse off than the free-of-tie licensee.

“This is great news for pubs, pubco publicans and customers.

“It is a great credit to Vince and his team to have reviewed the situation a year on, as Parliament requested, and to have seen clearly that, yet again, the pubcos and their trade association, the BBPA, have carried on in the same vein and attempted to use window dressing and delay tactics to avoid real, much-needed reform.

“The reality is that the big pubcos continue to overcharge their licensees in inflated prices and higher rents and the only way to stop this unfair business practice is for the Government to step in.

“The challenge now during the consultation is for the Government to work out the best way to stop the overcharging, so thousands of licensees up and down the country can at last take a fair share of pub profit to make a living.”

The announcement was made the day before Labour had planned to call for just such a code, to prevent pub companies from abusing their control over publicans.