99p pint is a 'disappointment'

23rd January 2009, 12:53pm

The chief executive of Enterprise Inns has described Wetherspoon's decision to start selling a 99p pint “…a disappointing development.”

Ted Tuppen argued that organisations which have spent months campaigning to show the government that the root of binge drinking is low-cost alcohol available in supermarkets, have now had their work reversed.

Tuppen's comments come just as Enterprise Inns announced that overall net pub income is down 8%.

The company's interim management statement said that there had been considerable success in the reducing the number of pubs temporarily closed.

Enterprise Inns said "These are time of great challenge for the UK economy and for consumer facing businesses in particular. Licensees across the pub industry, whether in free houses or leased and tenanted pubs are battling with substantial cost increases, led not least by the government's ill conceived policy of increasing alcohol duties materially above the rate of inflation."

The company added that spending in pubs is under real pressure and that despite calling the 99p pint a disappointment says it understood that pubs must compete on price where they can.

"We should not however lose sight of the fact that unlike supermarkets, which have little else to offer except price, a good pub offers so much more to its customers, providing a safe, sociable environment at the heart of its community," concluded Enterprise Inns.

Related Articles:

• 18 Nov 2009 - Enterprise Inns profits fall by 22% during “very testing year” for pubs
• 07 May 2009 - Best of both worlds at Wetherspoon pubs
• 06 May 2009 - JD Wetherspoon announces positive trading
• 01 May 2009 - Wetherspoon only pub listed in Britain's Top Employers
• 16 Mar 2009 - Minimum alcohol price plans to be unveiled
• 03 Mar 2009 - Tackling Scotland's alcohol misuse problems

Click here to submit a comment!

Have your say!

To comment on this article, simply enter your name and email and send us your views. Please note that your comment will appear publicly below this article once it has been processed. For enquiries please email info@eatoutmagazine.co.uk.