Society of Licensees launched

A new trade body has been formed to give licensees a voice, the Society of Licensees has been organised by award-winning publican Ed Davies of Kilverts, Hay-on-Wye, who also runs the annual Hay Ale and Literature Festival.

Speaking to the Publican, Ed said, ""All too often trade bodies speak on behalf of the on-trade, but leaving those they speak for in the dark.

“This society aims to change that, providing a genuine voice for licensees"
“Our primary focus will be to counter the way pubs are portrayed in the media - often lumped in under the 'alcohol' banner.

“We want the media to highlight that well-run pubs are an asset to a community, selling responsibly and encouraging community spirits.

“We'll work with other trade groups where appropriate, but we won't resort to slagging them off when we don't agree.

“The trade needs to unite in order to benefit as a whole. As disparate on-trade proves easy pickings, and bickering within the trade doesn't help either.”

Currently there are a range of groups licensees can join, from single-issue causes to the broad spectrum covered by the BII. The aims of the group are simple:

To promote and support the benefits of a well-run pub

To provide a voice for licensees directly and independently

To correct mis-representation of alcohol in the public domain

To support British beer, promoting the benefits of supporting a domestic industry

For more information go to the Society of Licensees website