Drinkers win Battle of Lewes
A boycott by the locals brought a major brewery to its knees
Sunday, 22 April 2007
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What began as a walkout by regular drinkers, and then turned into a campaign uniting the residents of a rural Sussex town against the might of one of Britain's biggest breweries, has finally ended.
Drinkers at the Lewes Arms were furious when the pub's owners, Greene King Brewery, decided to pull the locally brewed Harveys Best Bitter from the pumps last year in favour of its own beer.
It prompted a boycott that lasted for five months, with the 220-year-old pub's takings decimated. Drinkers formed the Friends of the Lewes Arms and took refuge in the town's Constitutional Club, which became the unofficial headquarters of the campaign. Profits plummeted with the pub left almost deserted.
In a humiliating climbdown, the brewery has now decided to reinstate the award-winning Harveys bitter - promising that it will be back on sale by the end of this week. Greene King's chief executive Rooney Anand admitted the company had underestimated the depth of feeling and said: "The decision to return Harveys to the bar is the right one."
All was forgiven last night, as jubilant campaigners started planning a triumphant return to the Lewes Arms, which will take place this week. Sarah Clowes said: "We'll all be going back to the pub for a 'welcome back' party on Friday night to celebrate. Getting Greene King to do a U-turn has been incredible. I think a combination of the drop in profits and bad publicity has made them change their mind."
MP Norman Baker said: "The campaign has been a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a small group of people campaign on an issue they feel strongly about."
The boycott of the Lewes Arms symbolised the plight of many pubs that are threatened by the attentions of major breweries - which have tended to buy them up and convert them into restaurants or sell them off.
