"My local publicans – tied and free of tie – reckon that free houses run around one-third cheaper than pubs leased from pubcos. The tie is a restraint of trade; at a time when the small/craft brewing sector is going from strength to strength, the pubco tied model is restrictive and anti-competitive. The excessive take of publicans’ earnings punishes those working for the pubcos and stifles enterprise." Gareth Epps, writing on Liberal Democrat Voice, calls for the government to act on the findings of the Commons business, innovation and skills select committee.
"Her speech ranged across a mass of topics, from the fall of communism and the peace dividend to the Arab Spring, the banking crisis, the expenses scandal, Occupy Wall Street, mobile technology, the rise of social networking, the loss of trust in politicians, poverty reduction in Lula’s Brazil and George Clooney’s new film ‘The Ides of March’ ('brilliantly made … and as cynical as anything I’ve seen')." Cultural Playing Field listens to Shirley Williams give the NCVO Hinton Lecture.
Disgruntled Radical (aka David Grace) is not impressed by David Norgrove and his Family Justice Review.
Talking of the Grace family, there is encouraging news from the Plymouth Herald.
"While I was watching it I found myself thinking 'this is the first new film I have seen which really speaks to the new political situation, makes the others look out of date'. And then I'm thinking 'what am I talking about, this script isn't new at all'. I know that sounds like I'm bullshitting, to praise Shakespeare ('oh he's so modern'), but you may well feel the same if you see this." The Ex-Communicator attends the UK premiere of Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus.
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