Revenge of the Blood Tub

Taking umbrage at my view of the Cains situation, Alan Hastings of Ormskirk has contacted me with his opinion.

Mr Hastings has been fighting a campaign to reinstate Moorhouse’s Pendle Witches Brew to the Ship at Lathom, known locally as the Blood Tub. The Ship became a Cains pub following the Liverpool Brewery’s takeover of Honeycombe’s pubs in 2007.

Although he has been offered money-off vouchers and recommendations that he tries Cains brilliant Dark Mild, he is sticking to his guns.

He goes on to say that perhaps the reason why Cains is in such a mess is bloody-mindedness over the refusal to allow guest ales.

Ironically, Cains were in a similar position themselves at the beginning, trying to get their beers into tied pubs, relying on brave and cash-wise landlords prepared to do deals

I’m in the Cains-lovers camp and was delighted to be offered the Liverpool brewer’s range on a recent visit to the Ship. But I appreciate Mr Hastings’ frustration. It’s horrible when your favourite pint is banned.

Pubs and breweries are in less of a mess because of things like the smoking ban and more because of the unfair and monopolising business practises of the big pubcos.

These companies care little for beer and everything about property, they bully their tenants into paying huge rents and maintenance while restricting the choice of beer they can serve and the profits they can make.

The pubco system – a legacy of a Thatcher era – needs to be smashed.