BEERWOLF - Wolverhampton Campaign for Real Ale

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28 Name That Pub Here are six pictures of unique architectural features of some of our local pubs. Do you recognise them? No prizes for this one it’s just for fun. The answers will be published in the next issue. 1 2 3 4 5 Struggling? You’ll just have to visit more of our city’s historic pubs until you fi nd them . 6
Hi..... I’m Jason Matthews. the Public affairs offi cer on the Wolverhampton Camra branch committee. My role on the committee is to liaise with and lobby local councillors and our local MPs, and also to keep our members updated with issues and legislation which affects us at both a local and national level. January was quite an exciting time for us. On the 12th there was a House of Commons discussion regarding the future of our beloved pubs. This debate followed years of campaigning by CAMRA, MPs, small business groups and many others which have led the Government to recognise the existence of “unfair practices” in the relationship between the large pub companies and their licensees, along with the failure of the pub companies to deliver effective self regulation. However, the proposals set out by the Business Minister and the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) committee last November have been widely castigated as naive, unenforceable and insubstantial. MPs unamiously passed a motion criticising the government’s response to BIS’s latest report. The motion also called on the coalition to commission an independent review of self-regulation this autumn. The motion was passed following a lively threehour House of Commons debate, which saw MPs from all main parties attack the government’s inaction, the pubcos, and highlight the diffi culties tied publicans face. BIS chairman Adrian Bailey MP pointed out that four select committees inquiries had been conducted and the latest government Public Affairs response was “totally inadequate”. The response, he said, “failed to meet the aspirations of all sectors of the industry, apart from the pubcos.” CAMRA has been at the forefront of the campaign to force the government to tackle the unfair practices of the pubcos and many MPs highlighted the group’s efforts. Ian Lucas, Labour MP for Wrexham, said the campaign had done “some superb work in this area” and quoted CAMRA’s comment that the government had broken its commitment to act. In response to the motion, Business minister Ed Davey, defended the government’s actions and said it had come up with the “toughest self-regulatory regime imaginable” but it seems MPs of all parties were unconvinced. On 22nd February Mr Bailey again challenged the government.Speaking during Prime Ministers’ Questions, Mr Bailey said: “The Government response to the unfair relationship between pub companies and their licensees so far has been self regulation, not statutory regulation. On January 12th of this year, this House voted unanimously to set up a review panel to be agreed by the Business select committee to review the implementation of self regulation. To date there has been absolutely no response from the Government. Can the Prime Minister tell me: is he backing the will of Parliament or the will of pub companies?” In response, the Prime Minister reaffi rmed his support for Britain’s pubs and promised to write to Mr Bailey and “get him a good answer”. We hope that Mr Bailey will be able to persuade the Prime Minister that the Government cannot ignore the clear will of Parliament! Beer wolf Spring 2012 29
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Page 17 and 18: many pubs perform. Recommended meas
Page 19 and 20: Wolverhampton’s Young Members You
Page 21 and 22: gentleman rather than “this bloke
Page 23 and 24: I have warmed to The Fox and Anchor
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Page 31 and 32: Welsh rarebit Here’s one for supp
Page 33: Available now... THE GOOD BEER GUID
Page 36 and 37: Branch Meetings Thursday 5th April
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BEERWOLF - Wolverhampton Campaign for Real Ale

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