The Beer Orders Emerge

The principal recommendations of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) Report had been set out in the first chapter of the Report, under six broad headings, which, to reiterate, were: (1) no brewer to own more than 2000 on-licensed outlets; (2) covenants on premises being sold either specifying a product tie or precluding future use as a pub to be prohibited; (3) no new free trade loans to be made; (4) all tenants to be allowed to stock at least one guest draught beer and to be free from tie in respect of all beverages except beer above 1.2 per cent alcohol by volume; (5) all tenants to be given the protection of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Part II, and a revised and binding Code of Practice to be negotiated with the Director General of Fair Trading and incorporated into all tenancy agreements containing a beer tie; and (6) all brewers to publish wholesale price lists, including details of quantity discounts and further discounts available for collection from the brewery by independent wholesalers.1