Trader pessimistic about future of independent pubs in Fife
Small pubs in Fife will be calling last orders for good shortly as supermarkets and chain pubs tighten their grip on alcohol sales, according to a member of the region's licensed trade association.
Top O' The Toun succumbed early.
- By Jonathan Watson
- Published in the Courier : 16.09.10
- Published online : 16.09.10 @ 03.09pm
John Barclay said independent pubs are doomed in a world where discounts are king.
Mr Barclay spoke to The Courier in light of a union report that described Britain's pubs as being on a "life support machine."
With many public houses and nightspots throughout Fife having closed in recent years, Mr Barclay fears traditional local pubs in the region will soon be consigned to history as landlords succumb to economic pressures.
Targeting the financial muscle of supermarkets in particular, Mr Barclay said, "There's been absolutely no help for the trade.
"All of the changes such as the smoking ban have had a negative impact, although minimum pricing might help.
"If you go to the supermarket you can just look at the price structure — 15 years ago the price of a can of beer has been 75p and it's the same today.
"A pint of milk, a loaf of bread or a pound of butter have all gone up but the price of beer is still the same."
In Kirkcaldy alone, nightspots such as the Top O' the Toun, Templehall Tavern, The Buccaneer, McSquintys/Candlerooms and Ocean have all closed in the past year.
It's a similar picture in communities across Fife with some taverns calling time after decades of successful trading.
With many customers now finding themselves with less money in their pocket due to the economic slump, Mr Barclay believes large retailers will continue to use their bargaining power to discount alcohol.
"Supermarkets, because of their size, can offer discount deals," he said. "Big chain pubs will go on but small private pubs will go under. If they do then you will lose a local centre and a way of life.
"Small pubs can't expand and so the nice wee places that people come across will struggle to go on."
The GMB union said on Wednesday that the amount of alcohol sold in pubs was a third higher in 2002 than now, while consumption of alcohol supplied by supermarkets and off-licences grew every year to 2008.
The union blamed the decline in sales on artificially high prices "tied" pub tenants have to charge to pay rents demanded by the so-called pubcos which own the freehold of the pub properties.
General secretary Paul Kenny said, "Britain's community pubs are on a life support machine and if the poison of high rents and artificially inflated prices is not removed it is not an exaggeration to say that they will disappear, along with thousands of jobs."
Discussing the picture in Fife, licensing board chairman Andrew Rodger, said, "This week we recorded a 12% reduction in the number of licensed premises. That is a huge change without any doubt."
11.31am - 17.09.2010 Tom Miscaivage - KIRKCALDY, UK Report This
"If they do then you will lose a local centre and a way of life" As a child who grew up with a father into that "way of life" who spent all our money on one of the Templehall pubs mentioned, I'm delighted that these 'legal' drug dealers are going out of business. They wreak misery in their wake.
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