Pub operator fights for local beer
Raise a mug to honor Dave Jaques, a UK pub landlord so determined to seve local beer he faces a fine from the chain that owns his pub.
Jaques, who runs The Cock in Henham, stocks Saffron Brewery’s Essex Pale Ale although that violates his tenancy agreement, which states all beer, lager and cider purchases must go through the pub’s owner, Punch Taverns.
Jaques said that since he had introduced the beer it has outsold the others by two to one. He said, “It’s wrong that I have this award-winning brewery on my doorstep and I can’t buy its beer.”
Although Punch could fine Jaques a compromise is also possible. A spokesman for Punch said: “His lease agreement stipulates Mr Jaques must purchase all beer for The Cock from Punch Taverns. This ‘beer tie’ is standard practice for all companies operating leased and tenanted pubs.
“We know Mr Jaques is eager to stock locally brewed beer from the Saffron Brewery and are currently investigating the possibility of getting these particular products listed through Punch.”
[Via the Herts and Essex Newspapers.]
