Tuesday 18 August 2009

Useful idiots

As usual, the Filthy Smoker tells it as it really is, and completely destroys the very weak argument that minimum alcohol pricing might in some way help pubs (strong language alert).

And do you know what? Even if they make the minimum price £2.50 per unit, I will still not be returning to the pub. Why? Because I am not standing in the f*****g street to drink a pint of beer...

The SLTA and CAMRA are making a big mistake co-operating with latter-day temperance groups on this minimum pricing issue. They are not people who can be reasoned with because they are not reasonable people. They cannot be appeased. They cannot be compromised with. The government has no right - no right at all - to decide how much a drink should cost. That should be the only message the politicians hear on this issue. And for anyone in the pub industry to collaborate with these puritans in a selfish attempt to undo the damage that occurred last time they got tricked by them is nothing short of pathetic.
If you're wondering why I've used a few asterisks, it's because I want my posting at least to be readable in offices and other places where Internet filters are in operation.

4 comments:

  1. Minimum pricing, or price rationing as I call it, is a contentious issue within CAMRA. There was a fairly ineffectual for and against 'debate' in a CAMRA publication. It was ineffectual as neither side put up a credible argument. On my own blog, I (a CAMRA member) have come down firmly against price rationing. If you're interested, go to: http://rednev-rearm.blogspot.com/2009/08/price-of-booze.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Excellent post, RedNev - I've added your blog to my links :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Regarding the poll, shouldn't where kids are allowed be up to the pub owner?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Of course it is up to the licensee when and where children are admitted, but licensees also have to take customer preferences into account, otherwise they will lose business. The poll is simply to determine what kind of policy people prefer.

    ReplyDelete

Comments, especially on older posts, may require prior approval by the blog owner. See here for details of my comment policy.

Please register an account to comment. Unregistered comments will generally be rejected unless I recognise the author. If you want to comment using an unregistered ID, you will need to tell me something about yourself.