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Search forCheap booze is not so cheerful
Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 07:00
A Government report by the Home Affairs Select Committee has suggested the removal of cheap drinks in pubs.
MPs have said that in order to combat drink-fuelled disorder, happy hours and drinks promotions should be banned.
But as beer sales continue to fall, and costs grow, the economic pinch is threatening more pubs in South Wales to serve their last orders.
And with the prospect of happy hour disappearing, pubs might have to find another way to get punters through the door.
This area has already witnessed pubs closing their doors.
Seven pubs in Skewen have shut, while four have gone from Morriston.
Simon Griffiths, who runs the Cross Keys, off Swansea's Wind Street, and used to chair the Welsh region of the British Institute of Inn Keeping, said that smaller communities are suffering because of high prices.
He said: "The utility bill is a huge factor, gas electricity, water — they have gone up a lot over the past couple of years.
"A lot of the pubs were the heart and soul of the community — it is a shame."
Cheryl O'Connor, manageress of The Colliers in Skewen, said despite the credit crunch they are keeping their heads above the water.
She said: "We have seen a dramatic drop in trade since last year.
"I hear everyone saying they are going out less, from a couple times a week to only once a week.
"Prices of everything have gone up, it is escalating."
Mr Griffiths said it was the supermarkets who were now taking the pubs' profits.
He said: "The major winners are the supermarkets. They ave seen their sales increase dramatically."
But although happy hour is in doubt, the Government's report has given pubs hope in competing against the supermarkets.
MPs have called for supermarkets to stop selling alcohol at a loss.
And if MPs get their way Mr Griffiths said it could possibly put everyone on a level playing field.
Following the report, Mark Hastings, a spokesman from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: "There has been broad and growing concern over the role played by supermarkets when it comes to loss leading promotions, and their role in fuelling excessive drinking. It is time this practice ended."
And while pubs are feeling the economic pressure, they are not on their own.
A Gower MP and a cash and carry business, have both pledged to help save the community pubs.
Labour MP Martin Caton has called on the Government to take action to stop Swansea pubs from closing.
While Makro, who have a cash and carry store in Swansea, have launched a Love the Pub campaign to urge pubs to look closely at the prices they pay for key products in order to make crucial savings.
Mr Caton who is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, has said: "When a community loses its local it also, often, loses its social hub.
"When a good pub goes it's not just a drink and food outlet that is lost, it's an employment provider and a contributor to the local economy.
"A good local also encourages responsible alcohol consumption in a supervised environment."
He said from talking to landlords and landladies he has found the main problems they face are over regulation and unfair competition from drinks at cheap prices.
He said: "We are calling for better, simpler, straightforward regulation from Government, drink price differentials between pubs and supermarkets to be tackled, diversification for community pubs to be made easier, so that they can provide more services, funding for business training for licensees and rate relief for community pubs.
"A community local is a valuable resource. We've got to act to save the pub."
As well as producing a 16-page Love the Pub leaflet, Makro is urging pubs to visit www.makrolovethe pub.co.uk to see how much they could save.
Whatever the future is for our pubs lets hope the glass is half full and not half empty.
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