CAMRA response to Ei pub sale story

In reponse to the news that Ei group are considering putting a number of pubs up for sale, please find the below quote:

CAMRA’s National Director, Ben Wilkinson, said: “It’ll be important to consider the details of what is currently only a rumoured sale of some of Ei Group’s pubs. But if a number of pubs are to be put on the market, it’s essential that other operators are given the opportunity to acquire these as going concerns.

“Too many times in the past we’ve seen owners dispose of pubs directly to developers, robbing communities of their locals and licensees of their livelihoods. If Ei chooses to dispose of some its estate, we call on it to do the morally decent thing and sell these sites as licensed premises.”

Ends