petition

On Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:06:47 +0100, Poacherman wrote (in message ):

Here's a suggestion for a better one:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to make the 'tie' illegal to give landlords choice in what they sell".

The motion is as follows -

Legislation to give drinker choice.

Pubco's and Breweries with with over >> 120 public houses or licensed premises. Pubs licensees should be able to select at least one guest beer free of >> tie from a Regional Beer List and a National Beer list if their premises sells over

3 barrels of cask beer per week.

I'm curious - what's the purpose of the two (regional & national) lists?

& why the "over 3 barrels of cask beer" bit? - that's a fair amount of beer - equivalent to 12 firkins (1 brewers barrel = 36 gallons).

What I'd like is a right for the pub to buy beer from whoever they wish - rather than paying an inflated price from approved lists of often dull & distantly-brewed beers. MikeMcG

I agree - the wording is strange, and 'if' it were enforced, then it would do nothing to help. Most of the pubs that would benefit from such a freedom are the quieter rural ones, where 3 barrels / 12 firkins a week of cask beer would be some going. And is that annual sales, weekly, or just a snapshot figure? Anyway, shouldn't the whole point about freedom of choice have a benefit to local producers, be they large or small?

I agree with the sentiment, but I don't think this is the way to word it, and so won't sign it. Not that it'll make any difference - look at the success of the road pricing petition in acheiving record levels of being ignored!

Steve Banfield

I've signed a number of these petitions, including "scrap speed cameras", scrap Manchester congestion charging" and "scrap speed humps". I won't be signing this one. Not because I don't agree with it, but because it is a complete waste of time. When the petition closes, the government will just regurgitate existing policy and take no account whatsoever of any of the points made.

I really do think that this e-petition thing is just a means to identify people who can be served up the usual half baked policies. Not to mention a complete waste of the taxpayers' money.

Whilst I disagree on several of these points...

I feel we are in complete agreement here^

If pubcos don't like it they just convert all their pubs to managed status.