OFT back PubCos

Those clever people at the Office of Fair Trading see nothing wrong in PubCo Tennants being compelled to buy only from PubCo sources ( SKY TV News this morning ) at inflated prices. One wonders why as everyone else, apart from the PubCos, thinks it stinks of an unfair monopoly. Could it be a back door attempt to keep prices high ? I would not put it past that meddling lot at Westminster.
I wonder if the pubcos were called Tesco,Asda or Sainsbury would the attitude would be quite so for giving.

Signed ...Arwkrite...and Disgusted of Stoke Newington.

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Originally Posted by arwkrite

Those clever people at the Office of Fair Trading see nothing wrong in PubCo Tennants being compelled to buy only from PubCo sources ( SKY TV News this morning ) at inflated prices. One wonders why as everyone else, apart from the PubCos, thinks it stinks of an unfair monopoly. Could it be a back door attempt to keep prices high ? I would not put it past that meddling lot at Westminster.
I wonder if the pubcos were called Tesco,Asda or Sainsbury would the attitude would be quite so for giving.

Signed ...Arwkrite...and Disgusted of Stoke Newington.

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Indeed, Mr A - the tennants of Ember Inns even have to buy their objects d'art from the same Ember Inn warehouse, i mean art gallery.... sorry, and their piles of mood creating chopped wood from Ember Inn Coppice Ltd

A swizzzzzzz?

I don't know much about it myself, but just glancing at it, presumably the pubco's are raising their prizes to try and make their bottom line look good, particularly with their property losses over the last couple of years.

I would of thought that prices going up at Pubco pubs makes them less competitive with their independant counterparts, which suits me. Far better than the alternative where they undercut the independants to the point where they can't compete and we get lumbered with just what the pubco's want to sell us.

On the surface I think the OFT got this one right.

Not so sure. The OFT's reasoning that 'if they overprice they will lose market share' is exactly what is happening; sadly the net effect is that the pubs close as there aren't enough independents in most places to provide competition. 'Market share' switches to supermarket-supplied cheap booze, not other pubs.

At least the OFT has shown unhappiness with the restrictive covenants preventing sale of closed pubs as licensed premises. Shame they are relying on vague undertakings though, instead of banning them outright.

I visited 'Spoons at Hereford fo a quick pint. Everything fine no problems. Next drink the Curry night had kicked in, knee deep at the bar and I fancied a quick scotch. Went next door where the bar was almost empty apart from four drunk 30 somethings making idiots of themsevles and a nuisance to everyone else. The scotch was twice the price ( Bells £ 4.60p per double).Guess what it was a PubCo place. This time the clientelle in 'Spoons won hands down and so did the price. Must say the food at The Kings Fee is far away the best I have had at a 'Spoons.

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Originally Posted by Pangolin

At least the OFT has shown unhappiness with the restrictive covenants preventing sale of closed pubs as licensed premises. Shame they are relying on vague undertakings though, instead of banning them outright.

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With you on that, it is insane that a pubco can be spiteful when it gives up on a pub. Effectively saying we can't make it work so no one else can try. I am not sure how it would be regulated in that a corner of my brain thinks they will just wriggle out of it in some dodgy fashion, but at the least they can try.

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Originally Posted by arwkrite

This time the clientelle in 'Spoons won hands down and so did the price.

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Spoons didn't get caught out with the dodgy land banks that some of the other Pubco's did so they are making hay while the sun shines at the moment and successfully keeping their prices down. At least they do stock the occasional guest beer, would still rather see more independants myself.