Let's keep it positive

The top brass at CAMRA are a well-intentioned bunch and certainly know how to write a press release that hits the headlines. I refer to a recent press release detailing four out of five people in the UK have experienced a local pub closure in the past five years.

In the notoriously “no-news” month of August, a story like that will without doubt pique the interest of news organisations and fill an hour of any half-decent radio phone-in. The trouble is the headline writers and phone-in presenters tend to put an even more negative spin on what is already a negative story, reframing it to “the end of the pub is nigh” or “shock horror as one pub closes every nanosecond”. 

I know CAMRA is only trying to do its best for us and its aim is to highlight high beer duty, high business rates and VAT inequality. That’s all commendable but a press release like that can unfortunately have a double-whammy when the “law of unintended consequences” comes into play.

Let me give you an example. I ran an event earlier this week designed to give something back to an area Remarkable Pubs trades in. In tandem with a local charity that supports young people, I spent the day with four Hackney teenagers highlighting – via a hands-on workshop with other industry colleagues – what a brilliant, opportunity-filled industry the pub and hospitality sector is and how it can make an excellent career choice. The event coincided with the CAMRA press release and subsequent, mainly negative press coverage about pub closures. This resulted in one of the young people asking me in a coffee break if the industry we were discussing held a secure future as he had heard a lot of negative messages recently. It was a terrific question from a bright chap, which I guess illustrates what I am trying to get at. Let’s inspire young people with good, strong, positive messages about our industry and, while we’re at it, let’s also send strong, positive messages to tourists visiting our wonderful country that pubs are alive and definitely worth a visit. 

In summary, with a pint of Siren Brewery Broken Dream Breakfast Stout in hand (to prove I read all its press releases) I raise a glass and thank CAMRA for all it does to highlight the issues our industry faces. Perhaps, though, a more positive spin would still get the message across, inspire more people to make a career in our industry, and reinforce in people’s minds that pubs are simply a brilliant, thriving institution.