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Pint-row landlords in vow to fight on
Reporter: Beatriz Ayala
Date online: 06 January 2012
Relief manager running pub
THE landlords of a Royton pub have vowed to take their alleged fight over “too full” pints to the top.
Staff and customers were left stunned after one of the owners of Samuel Smith’s brewery shut down the Junction Inn pub at 8.30pm on New Year’s Eve.
This follows a long-running row over the size of the head served on pints in the pub.
It is claimed the couple were told by the brewery they must pour drinks which are 95 per cent liquid and 5 per cent head.
But licensee Debbie Gibson (47) and her husband Pete (48) serve pints with the size of head customers want.
They were suspended on full pay on New Year’s Eve and remain so.
It is alleged they were threatened with being locked in at the pub, which also serves as their home, but have instead agreed to open up every day for a relief manager as long as they do not enter the trading area.
The couple’s daughter Lisa Hunt said solicitors have been brought in to resolve the matter with a meeting set to take place on January 17.
She said Trading Standards told her it was illegal to demand that pubs serve a 5 per cent head.
She said: “It’s ridiculous, if you went to a shop for a pint of milk and it was half empty, you’d shout about it.
“If you pay for a gallon of petrol you should get a gallon of petrol, so why is it any different with a pint?
“My parents are standing their ground and are determined to fight it.
“They have Trading Standards on their side and their solicitor is meeting the brewery later this month to resolve the matter.”
The Junction Inn has a letter from Trading Standards North West stating that it may be an offence to refuse a customer’s request for a pint of more than 95 per cent liquid.
Lisa said the stress of the long-running row is affecting her parents and could see them lose their home as well as their livelihood.
She said: “At the end of the day, the law says you can give up to 5 per cent head on a pint.
“But what the brewery isn’t saying is if the customer wants it topping up, you have to.”
No one from Samuel Smith Brewery, based in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, was available for comment.
Comments
Well done that couple. The size of the head should be up to the customer not dictated by anyone. Personally I prefer a good sized head of an inch or so and yes, that means when I am in a pub that only has glasses that hold no more than a pint it means I am short-changing myself - but it's my pint, I'm paying for it and I'll have it how a damn well like.
Why doesnt Humphrey close all his pubs, no music, no pool, gods waiting rooms...sorry
Where do you get no pool from, the Junction had a pool table and other Sam Smiths' pubs have pool tables in them, their is more than meets the eye to this story.
Have Your Say
I'm surprised any brewery would choose to close their business down at such a busy time of year and in the economic climate businesses are facing. The pub has always appeared lively and welcoming when I have visited and obviously accommodating to the customer some like head on their beer and others choose more beer for their money personal preference surely. Sounds like more to this than meets the eye if I were the landlord/ lady I would be thinking about changing brewery loyalty will follow you
By Tickletum @ 07/01/2012 13:34:17