Comments on: Lewes Arms Boycott Reaches 100 Days, Greene King Still Clueless

By: Stonch

Stonch — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 11:11:28 +0000

Good news. They've definitely won. Harveys restored to the Lewes Arms

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 11:40:11 +0000

As a point of fact, Ruddles wasn’t closed by Greene King.

Ruddles hadn’t been independant since the mid 1980s, when it was bought by Grand Met. They then sold it to Grolsch who, in turn, sold it to Morland in 1997. Morland closed the Rutland brewery and moved production to their own site in Abingdon.

By: Valmai Goodyear

Valmai Goodyear — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:17:35 +0000

Your analysis of Greene King’s statement is masterly.

The Guardian newspaper’s article about the Lewes Arms row appeared last Friday. On Monday Greene King announced that the director who made the statement, Mark Angela, was leaving the company following restructuring (of the business, not of him personally) but that this was nothing to do with the public relations disaster that the Lewes Arms has become.

There was also a large picture of disgruntled Lewesians in front of the Lewes Arms with a banner saying BRING BACK HARVEYS in the Financial Times yesterday (page 24).

By: Manek

Manek — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:17:00 +0000

I think you’ve put your finger on it precisely – very nicely said.

What form of arrogance is it from a corporation which on the one hand talks about community values and promises to service local communities, and on the other absolutely refuses to give its customers what they want?

Apart from the eye-popping hypocrisy, it makes no business sense in a capitalist economy. It makes you wonder if the words ‘real’ and ‘world’ have any meaning for these people. And if any of their shareholders are listening and wondering too.

If I were GK’s PR company, I’d be giving GK some advice it probably doesn’t want to hear right now.

I’d echo Fran’s comment – all the way from sunny Lewes, thank you for your insightful comments.

By: Fran

Fran — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 08:39:52 +0000

Thank you for your most insightful and pithy comments!

Here in Lewes we have achieved some great publicity over the last few days – a 4-page spread in a national daily broadsheet, a piece in a national Sunday paper, a piece in the London Evening Standard and yesterday a reference with a huge picture of campaigners outside the pub in the Financial Times, which every investor of any size will have seen.

Other UK readers might want to sign the online petition seeking legislation that will prevent this sort of bullying business practice at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Beerchoice. Hopefully it will get enough signatures to land in Tony Blair’s in tray!

It’s nice to know we have support from so far afield.