CAMRA has long been campaigning for the introduction of Pub Company reforms in Scotland and a new consultation launched by Neil Bibby MSP could make this happen. For too long, large pub companies in Scotland have been taking more than is fair or sustainable from pub profits by forcing tenants to buy their beer from them at inflated prices rather than on the open market. This has led to higher prices for the consumer and less choice in pubs.

A consultation has now been launched by Neil Bibby MSP which assesses the need for the Scottish Government to introduce a Statutory Code and Adjudicator to govern the relationship between tied tenants and their pub company. This would regulate the relationship between tied tenants and their pub companies, ensuring that tied tenants in Scotland are no worse off than those who are free of tie.

A Statutory Pubs Code and Adjudicator is already in place in England and Wales and it’s important that licensees in Scotland are not left behind. The new system in England and Wales allows for investigations to be conducted into the practices of large pub companies.

The Consultation in Scotland:

The consultation document was launched by Neil Bibby MSP in February and closes on June 19th 2017. It is important that we gather as much evidence as possible so the views of licensees are heard. Without sufficient evidence, the consultation will not progress any further and will fall at this early stage in the process.

You can read the consultation in full here: http://www.parliament.scot/S5MembersBills/tied_pubs_consultation.pdf

How you can get involved:

There are a number of ways CAMRA Branches and individual members can support this campaign. We have outlined some of these ideas below – but if you have any further ideas or suggestions on how branches could support this campaign, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

•  Meet with your MSP to discuss the consultation and urge them to support it. For a full briefing, please email ku.gro.armac@amirg.eyaf

•  Write to your MSP and encourage them to support the campaign. For a template email ku.gro.armac@amirg.eyaf

•  Do you have a beer festival coming up? Why not invite your MSP and licensees along to hear more about the campaign and how they can support it.

•  Visit a pub in your branch area and encourage the licensee to respond to the consultation using the survey.

•  Consultation Survey:

CAMRA has created a survey to form part of the Government consultation process which we kindly ask you to share amongst your contacts in your branch area.

Contact Us:

If you have any further comments or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact CAMRA’s Campaigns Manger Faye Grima on ku.gro.armac@amirg.eyaf or by phoning 01727 798 449.

Background to this survey:

Last year a Pubs Code and Adjudicator was written into law in England and Wales. The Pubs Code regulates the relationship between tied pub tenants and their pub company, to make sure that tied pub tenants are no worse off than tenants who are free of tie. The Pubs Code Adjudicator enforces the Pubs Code and makes rulings on disputes between tied tenants and pub companies.

Neil Bibby MSP has launched a consultation on introducing a Pubs Code and Adjudicator in Scotland. This is the first stage to introducing a ‘Private Member’s Bill’, which could become law if passed by the Scottish Parliament.

More information on Neil’s campaign and the proposed Bill can be found on his website: http://www.protectourpubs.scot

The full consultation paper can be downloaded from: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/102454.aspx

CAMRA is conducting this survey to inform our response to the Tied Pubs (Code and Adjudicator) (Scotland) Bill consultation. The identities of individual respondents will not be disclosed. We will not pass on your contact details unless you confirm that you are happy for us to do so - you will be asked whether you are happy for us to share your contact details at the end of the survey.

How to respond:

Please fill out this survey and return it to:

Faye Grima

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale

230 Hatfield Road

St Albans

Hertfordshire

AL1 4LW

Or by emailing it to ku.gro.armac@amirg.eyaf