Pub trade ‘faces 4000 closures’

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Title – Pub trade ‘faces 4000 closures’
Source – www.ft.com
Date – 2nd November 2008

With Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) the well respected auditors latest report we can see yet more evidence of the real crisis which the ‘pub sector’ faces.

We know there is a serious economic downturn or ‘Credit Crunch’ for those that like tabloid headlines, it is affecting everyone and few can hide from it. With all the other burdens that the pub sector has had to deal with, this latest report is hardly news; but that such a high profile company is now predicting 4000 pub closures this year, we must really be aware of the grave difficulties faced by the Licensed Retail Sector and call on the government to provide help, where it is reasonable to do so.

It is natural that in any downturn there will be an increase in businesses folding and poorly run businesses are usually the first to go. But there are so many factors affecting the pub sector that it is not simply poor businesses going under, but good ones as well.

We have covered this story closely over the last 2 years and commented on it repeatedly. Our message is still the same, the time has come to stop sanctioning all those involved in the Licensed Retail Sector with additional cost and legislation. With 4000 closures this year there will be many more unemployed and also less revenue for a government to meet the costs of the unemployed. By rewarding Responsible Alcohol Retailers and not punishing the sector as a whole for the fault of the few, we can regain the vibrancy of the pub sector in this country without focussing on the excesses of the binge drinking minority.

Those retailers that will ride out the storm the country currently faces, are those who provide excellent service, quality product and good value. Good value does not mean ‘£5 all you can drink’ promotions, it means a reasonable price for an excellent product.

Training is one of the cornerstones of excellent service and through our portfolio of training courses and our Consultancy Service we can help you to survive and thrive. At Beyond The Blue we run the portfolio of BIIAB courses as well as bespoke courses for our corporate clients. These include; The National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH); the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR); the National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS); the Professional Barpersons Qualification (PBQ); the National Certificate for Licensees – Drug Awareness (NCLDA); the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS); and Conflict Management and Resolution Courses (CMR). Our Consultancy Service can help to revive your business, provide you with the information and systems you need to rejuvenate it and give you the solutions that are easily missed when you are too involved from inside your business to see the wood for the trees, an all too common problem that often only very proactive employers are aware of.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk