GMB Pub Revolution Branch Investigating The Legality Of Brulines Behaviour

24 Nov 2009

Members have told GMB that staff of this Company seems to act as they please and punishes licencees on behalf of the big Pub Companies:

*They enter premises as they please and often the cellars.
*They use beer in the pubs and promise a credit note which rarely if ever materialises.
*They issue inaccurate information often from uncertified equipment resulting in random fines from Pubcos.
*These fines can result in Bailiffs entering the pub and removing goods or taking money from tills.
*Licensees are charged an admin fee as much as £345 plus VAT in addition to the fines.
*Brulines does not seem to be accountable to anybody, and please themselves how they choose to treat any Publican.

These new guidelines have been issued as GMB and Pub Revolution make arrangements to ballot members who are tied pub tenants in the UK to secure better wholesale prices from the major pubcos and resolve a range of outstanding grievances experienced at the hands of pubco middle managers and their agents such as Brulines as set out above.

Paul Maloney GMB National Officer for members in tied pubs said “GMB Pub Revolution Organisers met to consider the issue of bullying by Brulines and agreed to issue all GMB members with clear guidelines to safeguard their rights and confront the bullying ahead of the industrial action ballot. The guidelines makes clear to pub licensees that whoever owns the Pub, be it Punch, Enterprise or any other Pub Company, the Publican is the ‘king of the castle’ on a daily basis. You decide who drinks in your pub, who enters your pub and who remains in your pub. If anybody from Brulines comes in they must first take their place for service, do not allow them behind your bar or in your cellar without your permission. Should they wish to draw any beer for whatever purpose, be it on the promise of a credit note or not, remember it is not lawful to give credit in a pub”.

The guidelines advise them that if the Bruline Representative wishes to use, consume or dispose of any alcohol, charge them; make them pay cash up front, this way you will be guaranteed your money and not have to rely on a credit note that may never turn up. If they refuse to pay, you refuse to serve. If they then begin to challenge or threaten, ask them to leave in the first instance, should they refuse, you have the right to call the Police as you would with any other awkward customer.

If your Pubco issues you with a Brulines fine, challenge them immediately in writing to justify in full, the purpose of their action and retain copies of all letters.

Should anybody attempt to remove goods or money from the pub without a proper Court Order, you should call the Police immediately and have them arrested and make a statement accordingly.

GMB Pub Revolution Branch is currently investigating the legality of Brulines behavoiur and whether they are merely a ‘bully boy’ Company used by Pub Companies to intimidate Licensees.

Any GMB member issued with a legal letter should forward a copy, for the attention of Bob Stokes; GMB, 6 Gloster Court, Whittle Avenue, Segensworth, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 5SH.”

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