As the Home Office consultation on proposals for the code draw to a close, there is a growing groundswell of opposition to the plans, according to the BBPA. The BBPA has submitted its own response, which claims the code will cost the pub industry £58m.
In the document it also labels the proposed code as ‘untargeted' and ‘ill conceived' and has asked the Government to think again about the need for the measure, which will result in more bureaucracy and costs for the trade which is witnessing the closure of 52 pubs now every week.
The BBPA has called on the government to reconsider the need for a code. Implementation costs, it claims, are far in excess of government estimates, at an estimated £58 million, for the pub sector alone in the first year, with ongoing annual costs of £38 million.
Martin Rawlings, BBPA director of pubs, said: ‘With public and political concern centred mainly on irresponsible promotions, the Government could quite easily focus on legislating to ban these through a simple amendment to the Licensing Act and would have the full support from the industry, police, local authorities and the public were it to do so. However, the rest of these proposals should be ditched as being unnecessary, excessive and disproportionate.'
The consultation closes on 5th August.
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