Pub pinching

There was a really interesting debate on Good Morning Britain yesterday, which I would love to get your perspective on. The topic of conversation was ‘pub pinching’ and more specifically, the pinching of pint glasses from British pubs.

So apparently, 35% of Brits have admitted to taking a pint glass home from the pub in the last twelve months. The question up for debate: is this a victimless crime? Now, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t personally done this, I don’t know many who haven’t. I have a couple of pint glasses in my kitchen cabinet at home which have come from pubs (outside of our own). It’s easily done. The night is drawing to a close, last orders are called, you still have half a pint left in your glass, so you take it with you – what’s the harm? An estimated 38.1-million-pint glasses are stolen from pubs every year and at £4/£5 a glass, this can certainly add up.

 It was something I had never really put much thought into but then, I didn’t realise quite how often it happened. This issue is costing pub landlords millions of pounds every year and yet, it can seem so harmless.

So, what do you think? Victimless crime? Yes, or no? I would love to hear your reasons why.

Also on Good Morning Britain, was the wonderful Tom Kerridge. He is someone I follow closely and have a lot of admiration for. He has a great voice, and he is spreading such an important message at the moment. I don’t want to get too political, but hospitality itself is in crisis. As Tom Kerridge said, there isn’t one sole reason for this, it is a multitude of things which have built up over the last five or six years. Food inflation, utility bills, minimum wage, national insurance, business rates –all of these things have had a profound effect on the pub industry. I’d be lying if I said things aren’t tough right now – business is hard. Hospitality has such small margins anyway and the impact of the above has been huge. We run our businesses with passion and great people who come into the industry because they love it.

All I ask if that you continue to support local, independent businesses as much as you can. Times are tough right now and I understand that going out for dinner/nights away is a luxury lots of people are choosing to forego at the moment. We want to support our local communities, offer memorable experineces and bring people together. That is the essence of what we do! We are all in this together and hopefully, there is still so much love and support for the British pub. 

Big Love 

Mark