Here’s a bit of news that puts another perspective on the argument that supermarkets are undercutting the on-trade and keeping people at home drinking their bargain booze.
What about supermarkets selling pints of draught beer and letting you sit in their cafe drinking instead of down the pub?
But you can’t get pints of beer in a supermarket can you?
Well, you can now because Morrisons supermarket at Guiseley near Leeds have put a hand pull on their cafe counter dispensing Saltaire Blonde. I haven’t been and I haven’t spoken with anyone who has, so there’s no photos at the minute. Like many other pub tickers, I reckon I’ll be popping over to sample a pint, if only for the novelty value.
Leeds City Council Licensing Committee granted a variation on the existing off-licence, transforming it to an on-licence on Tuesday 19th September, which means the café and barista area can supply alcohol for consumption on the premises between 0600 and mid-night. Committee members were told that this was a trial store for this type of licence, which if successful would be rolled out across the country.
I only heard at our local CAMRA branch meeting on Tuesday, but the venue has already been entered onto WhatPub so you can already submit your NBSS scores. I wonder how long it will take before a supermarket café gets in the Good Beer Guide?