CAMRA urges pub goers to donate to its 'Consumers v. OFT' campaign fund

6th January 2010, 11:21am

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, is calling on pub goers to donate to its 'Consumers v. OFT Pub Market Ruling' Campaign Fund to assist in campaigning for a sustainable future for UK pubs.

The beer tie, as currently operated by large pub companies, forces publicans to buy beer at around 50 pence a pint more than they would pay on the open market. These inflated costs are passed onto pub goers through higher prices, poor facilities in pubs and the closure of seven pubs a day. Reform of the beer tie to allow effective competition between pubs is long overdue.

On December 22nd 2009, CAMRA issued a legal challenge to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) via the Competition Appeals Tribunal after the OFT rejected CAMRA's super-complaint in October, which focused on high prices, pub closures and restricted choice. 

Having lodged the appeal, CAMRA is relying on donations from pub goers to fund its ongoing campaign, and has set up a new website to receive donations at www.camraappeal.org.uk 

CAMRA will be supported in its appeal by Edwin Coe LLP, and Europe Economics.   

Mike Benner, CAMRA chief executive, said: "CAMRA has found that a lack of competition in the UK pub market is costing consumers £2.5 billion a year, as well as harming the pub-going experience through reduced quality and choice. The lack of effective competition is also a key reason why 7 pubs a day are closing, causing irreparable damage to local communities. 

"Regrettably the OFT did not examine competition in local pub markets which is why we have taken the decision to appeal. The OFT's assertion that consumers benefit from a good deal of competition and choice in the pub sector is in our view not supported by the available evidence."

Related Articles:

• 26 Nov 2009 - CAMRA announces National Pub of the Year finalists
• 16 Nov 2009 - CAMRA backs celebrity London pub
• 10 Nov 2009 - CAMRA reveals dates for Winter Ales Festival
• 22 Oct 2009 - Office of Fair Trading gives beer ties the all-clear
• 04 Aug 2009 - CAMRA reaches 100,000 members
• 29 Jul 2009 - CAMRA hosts coeliac-friendly beers next week at festival
• 28 Jul 2009 - CAMRA launches petition to save historic pub

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molly phelan

06 January 2010 at 10:59pm

Many are donating, we licensee need Camra to act on our behalf. The OFT'S did not fully understand all the complexe facts within the tie. One main issues is the enormous right up pubcos put on the beer they purchase from the brewer, bearing in mind that the pubco are the third party, they do not have to handle this transaction in any way. For the pubcos to operate in this way puts the licensees at a huge disadvantage to the free trader, and in very many cases as been the reason for tied pubs to close.

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