Historic England - Letter

@HistoricEngland

Dear Historic London

I’ve been in the licensed trade for over 30 years.  I have successfully operated restaurant, bar, nightclub and pub groups.  I’m a founder member of the Fair Pint Campaign, a founder Member of the Independent Pub Confederation, a member of the Fair Deal for Your Local Campaign and a current member of the recently launched British Pub Confederation.

I’m concerned at the position that you and the have chosen to adopt in relation to community pubs and the pub sector in general and perhaps some of the naivety you have shown in your online document The Public House in England. You can find the document here:

(https://historicengland.org.uk/research/current-research/assessing-significance/urban-public-realm/the-english-pub/)

The BBPA does not champion pubs or publicans as you suggest.  It is paid for by property companies - such as Enterprise Inns and Punch Taverns - and the major brewers.  Sadly, the pub sector is dominated by large companies and trade representatives like the BBPA, behaving as a cartel and suppressing real information about the real problems faced by publicans. The BBPA falsely claim to represent publicans but clients of that organisation have penetrated, with ample financial lubrication, every area of influence that was needed to promote and perpetuate a very damaging ‘tied public house’ business model

In the section of your document “Why are pubs closing?” You list five reasons why this may be the case but fail to highlight the fundamental reason we have lost and are still losing so many pubs. To consider that the beer supply tie and the activities of the ‘pubcos,’ are not principle reasons for pub failures is to be so far from the truth as to identify those promoting such a notion as inexpert in relation to the sector. 

There are many real publicans who are seeking to draw attention to the structural failings in the pub sector caused by rapacious property companies and I’m happy to report that Government have recognised this point and are soon to introduce much needed legislation. That said, it does not help with the real issues, and nor does it confer credit on Historic England, when you seem so ready to be part of the smokescreen being thrown up by the BBPA and the large pub companies who, by exploiting the beer tie, have heaped so much damage on part of Britain’s cultural heritage.

On the upside it is a very welcome development that more people are starting to take an interest in our sector.

Best Regards

Steve Corbett

The Fair Pint Campaign