Iain Wicks of Essex FSB

THE Federation of Small Businesses in Essex has joined forces with the Campaign for Real Ale to lobby the county’s MPs to back changes to the restrictions on “tied” pub tenants.

Essex FSB chairman Iain Wicks, said: “The publication of the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee report on pubcos recognised the FSB’s concerns that big pub companies are slowly destroying countless valued pubs through excessive rental demands and inflated wholesale beer prices.

“Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris is a member of this Select Committee which received evidence from the FSB and the end result is a series of recommendations which we believe will give licensees more flexibility to run their pub to suit local needs by removing these unnecessary restrictions on the way they trade.

“The FSB has worked closely with CAMRA to achieve this result and is included in CAMRA’s email campaign to MPs asking them to back the Committees recommendations.

“Essex FSB is asking anyone who is interested in supporting the campaign to help keep our local pubs open to also email their MPs as they are the ones who will take the final decision on these recommendations.”

For more details of the campaign, visit www.fsb.org.uk/essex/hot-topics .