Lewes at Arms

In message , eastender writes

For a local (to me) perspective on related matters:

thanks Eastender for the Guardian piece - seemed heart-felt, plus well- written & researched. I hope they end up selling the pub to an independent landlord or Harvey's, or at least bow to pressure & bring back their beer. They could sell the GK stuff at a cheaper price to encourage people to drink it? (I'd happily pay a few p more for the Harvey's tho)

Cheers too, Dave for the ShropsStar piece - the sad story of pub co.s jacking up rent/bills seems repeated all over - a GBG-listed NW pub landlady I know recently paid their pub co. a fortune to refurb recently & now seems to have had to reduce staffing & work ridiculous hours to pay for it. Very sad & short-sighted.

cheers MikeMcG

The irony is in the GK spokesperson saying "All over the country, brewers sell their own beer in their own pubs - it's a practice as old as the pub itself."

So buying a pub in John O'Groats when you brew in Land's End makes perfect sense, and is also just great for the environment.

E.

& there are many others that sell (truly) guest beers & the wise pubco./breweries listen to their landlords & customers & decide based on local wishes, whilst also ensuring their company's profitability.

I totally agree, although GK aren't the only ones doing that - the other 'super-regionals' do it as do the smaller regionals plus many micros also send beer way outside of their local area.

Did you spot the news that the GK chap you quoted has lost his job in their recent restructuring? Though he does probably take with him a 6-figure pay-off!

Thanks to Peter on free.beer.tomorrow for the link (in the thread 'Couldn't happen to a nicer fellow') -

cheers MikeMcG

No - thanks. i think they should give him the Lewes Arms as his settlement.

E.