Originally Posted by Bucking Fastard
CAMRA vouchers are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. There's a free house out in Epping Forest where the owner told me that he was stocking Abbot because the sales rep had offered him such a low price. He didn't need to explain why Doom Bore was on sale as I had spotted the branded garden umbrellas on the way in. The big brewers have always worked this way.
I wonder if there are stats on voucher usage. We have one JDW and a couple of Stonegates in town. I have still banned myself from JDWs thanks to its odoius leader, and the Stonegates are both rubbish. So my vouchers remain untouched. But that's just me, I'm sure I'm not in the majority.
Maybe there should be a charitable scheme where those who don't use the vouchers can donate them to those who couldn't otherwise enjoy an occasional pint? Perhaps disability charities or care homes which organise occasional pub trips?
I've come across many people who only use some or none of the vouchers. I've also come across people who refuse to go in JDWs, partly foe your reason but is working in a Hungry Horse or whatever really any better? I suspect it depends a lot more on the management than anything else. It's certainly the most important factor for customer experience.
It is reckoned (on Camra Discourse) that about 25% of vouchers are used.
The new version of the voucher is non-transferable and theoretically a valid membership card should be shown when presenting the voucher - I've never been asked to but a friend says he has once.
I met Mr Saltonstall once and found him a bit anti-Camra, like quite a few small brewery owners and their beer writer pals. For obvious reasons many small brewers are desperate to "premiumise" cask beer so they can charge the same prices as they currently do for craft keg. As Pub Curmudgeon and others have said, that is doomed to fail due to the quality lottery you take part in every time you order a cask beer. No-one is going to be keen to pay £5 or £6 pounds for a pint of 4% Sarsons and then face some schoolboy telling you "it's real ale it's meant to taste like that".
I agree Camra vouchers have very little effect on the beer market.
Pretty much my take on it.
'And where he supped the past lived still. And where he sipped the glass brimmed full' John Barleycorn, Carol Ann Duffy.
My take too. Although sadly in an increasing number of cases the price charged for a random ale is as much a lottery as the taste.
On leaving the bar, I felt a strong blow to the back of my head. Turning round, I discovered it was the pavement
Can't remember ever using one, the applicable venues are not my normal choice of pub, but when I do find myself in a Spoons, the beer is so relatively cheap anyway I don't think of vouchers, have given some away in the past to a worthy cause (Brian down the pub) but most end up in the bin.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
I usually use mine down the Wanstead George in the first few weeks of the period. My next batch will be the new ones but I can't see me going to any Stonegate pubs. Castle Rock maybe but they are not valid in tenanted houses like the Derby Alex.
Back of fag packet: 25% of 200,000 members is 50,000. Thus 50,000 times £30 worth of vouchers are used. Assuming 50,000 pubs that's £30 each they'd get if by some miracle the usage was evenly spread. Reality is different. A JDW might get £3000 worth of trade at the expense of 100 pubs who miss out on £30; but then many will use the JDW anyway*. It's below the noise level at either end.
In other words, the scheme is nice for those who take part, but claims that it distorts the market are fanciful.
*Which raises another question. How many JDW punters join Camra just to get the vouchers? I'm not being critical, fine if they do, more money for the Campaign.
Last edited by NickDavies; 02-03-2020 at 20:29.
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