CAMRA Nonsense

[Rex_Rattus]

I don't really "get" this discount business.(I'm not a CAMRA member,though could pass for one.)Do people really think that a landlord should subsidise the drinking habits of a small percentage of his customer base out of his pocket, or out of the pockets of his/hers non Camra regulars? I suppose in the case of a chain/pubco the organisation could finance this, but I'd be suprised if this was the case.

I guess the short answer is that a landlord doesn't have to subsidise the drinking habits of CAMRA members unless he wants to. Presumably they do it for business reasons - i.e. to generate more business. Perhaps it works - I'm not sure. My experience of CAMRA members (of which I'm one) is that the amount we drink is unaffected by any discount, and that it has only a very minimal effect, if any, on where we drink. Quality and ale choice seems to be the main driving force rather than whether there's a discount. But that's just the people I know, and possibly in some areas it is an important factor.

[london calling]

I don't like to see only Camra members getting a discount although I am one.Just reduce the price for everyone is better.The Bree Louise gives 50p off for Camra members which reduces the price of a pint from £4.30 to £3.80 so the general public are subsidising me.This is the only pub I use my card in as the beers I choose are pretty manky and I rarely finish a half.May I take this opportunity to thank Joe Public. cheers

[rpadam]

I guess the short answer is that a landlord doesn't have to subsidise the drinking habits of CAMRA members unless he wants to. Presumably they do it for business reasons - i.e. to generate more business. Perhaps it works - I'm not sure. My experience of CAMRA members (of which I'm one) is that the amount we drink is unaffected by any discount, and that it has only a very minimal effect, if any, on where we drink. Quality and ale choice seems to be the main driving force rather than whether there's a discount. But that's just the people I know, and possibly in some areas it is an important factor.

A discount for Camra members is just one of many possible marketing options (including doing nothing). Every chain or freehouse can choose their stance on this, and offer discounts - or not - as they feel fit. What would understandably annoy any publican what be some errant Camra member trying to pressure bar-staff to offer a discount where the pub (or chain) has not chosen to adopt this strategy.

NB - As far as a know from my knowledge of Camra members (in general), no branch would be remotely daft enough to take this approach as a matter of local policy.

[Quinno]

NB - As far as a know from my knowledge of Camra members (in general), no branch would be remotely daft enough to take this approach as a matter of local policy.

Agreed - assuming it's a true story then it's a random tosspost almost certainly, No way any Berks CAMRA branches would do that. We do occasionally hear of someone taking our name in vain doing similar (sadly) and we go to great lengths to reassure licensees that it's "not in our name" so to speak.

[ETA]

All those posts pretty much confirm my own thoughts. I still haven't had a reply from Deathstar - er, I mean CAMRA Head Office - but if anyone from Maidstone CAMRA wants to PM me, I'll tell you the pub concerned so you can investigate.