In light of 26 pubs closing across the UK each week the Government is consulting on proposals to deliver a fair deal for local pubs.

Their campaign, Fair Deal for Your Local, aims to ensure a fair share of pub profits are retained by the licensees rather than large pub companies.

Around a third of pubs in the UK are owned by large pub companies (pubcos) which lease pubs out to tenants to run as their own businesses.

Pubs leased out in this manner are contractually obliged to buy their beer from the pubco, preventing the licensees buying on the open market – known as the beer-tie.

Campaigners say pubdo licensees can pay at least 50 per cent more for beer than others.

Campaign For Real Ale Chief Executive Mike Benner said: “CAMRA warmly welcomes the Government plans to stop large pub companies damaging Britain’s pubs by charging pub licensees high rents alongside inflated beer prices.

“As a consumer group we are delighted to throw our weight behind the Fair Deal for Your Local campaign.”

Fair Deal for Your Local calls for market rent costs and guest beer options for licensees of large pubcos, as well as a code and adjudicator to monitor pubcos.

A Federation of Small Businesses spokesman said: “The Federation of Small Businesses supports the Fair Deal for Your Local campaign.

“We welcome the action being taken by the Government to introduce a statutory code of practice for pub companies.

“To make sure that our local pubs get a fair deal, publicans of the large companies should be given the option of purchasing beer from other sources and rents to the pub owning company should be in line with market prices and independently assessed.

“Pubs are important small businesses and a fair deal for our local pubs will help the economy.”
A survey can be filled out and ideas can be submitted to the Government’s consultation at www.fairdealforyourlocal.com.