Lewes Arms boycott after Harveys Best removed
Last December Greene King removed our locally brewed beer (Harvey’s Best) from one of its pubs The Lewes Arms. Along with many other locals who used to frequent the pub, I now drink elsewhere now, but miss the pub’s features and clientele. I miss the friendly atmosphere and familiar surroundings.
Greene King took over this pub along with several others back in 1998 and initially left the Harvey’s in, but this all changed in December 2006 when they decided to remove it and replace it with their own beers. This comes as a bit of a shock considering that Greene King is currently running an advertising campaign urging people to support local pubs.
Support for a boycott of The Lewes Arms and indeed Greene King has been growing in recent moths. Take a look at the web site “Friends of The Lewes Arms”, or indeed have a stroll around town and you’ll see a number of people sporting the boycott badges.
Perhaps more sinister is the fact that our comments on the Greene King forum pages have recently been censored. Whilst these comments were against Greene King's decision making and decision makers, they were not obscene, personal or prejudiced other than against their decision to withdraw Harvey’s A decision that seems more out of spite than for profit since 3 out of 4 pints beer drawn in the pub were of local brew rather than Greene King’s own ales.
Currently I have been banned from the discussion forums on the Greene King’s web site unless I obtain a different IP address.
We know we will most likely lose this fight, but we want to highlight the fact that whilst Greene King is advertising full support for the ‘local pub’, they appear to be doing the exact opposite. If you want to keep tradition and the irreplaceable British pub then be concerned now.
If you feel strongly about this or there are any more of you out there suffering corporate style bullying then and take a look at the sites below, join in the discussion and get involved. British pubs and drinking do not need influencing by a corporate board interested in only making money and doing so with total disregard to traditions!
By: Shy Vera
Further information about the boycott
Friends of the Lewes Arms - The Death of the English Pub? The Friends of the Lewes Arms are campaigning to have Harveys beer, brewed in Lewes, restored to their local pub. Lot's of information, discussion and history etc.
The Lewes Arms - A blog celebrating a very special pub and supporting the 'Hands off our Harveys' campaign being run by the Friends of the Lewes Arms. We support local beers and local and community pubs.
Comments from visitors
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Can't afford beer - 24-Sep-08 11:32
Hopefully one day it may become the establishment it once was, certainly with GK out of it there is an excellent chance of it happening.
My condolences to all drinkers reading this if your local is a GK house. I am sure some are probably good establishments but our experience of the LA and other pubs in the town determine otherwise.
Cheers.
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Why do the suits, and in this case those some 150 miles away think they know better than the 'landlord' what the pub needs and how it should be run. Jumped up marketing oyks is all they are and soon they will be the only types able to afford a pint or two as well.
Well they ruined the Lewes Arms and I guess many more previously good establishments too. Pillocks.
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Yes the regulars did well in making GK reverse their strategy with the Harveys. Sadly due to the time it took and we all drank elswhere and most still do, GK lost the soul of a good ale house with an excellent atmosphere and as yet it is nowhere as good as it used to be.
I dont know what it is but these corporates have dumbed down the landlords role. they are there just to fleece you now and to do that they dont need to get to know who you are!
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Real Ale Lad - 29-Aug-07 15:20
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Thank you for your input and support. I am sure GK beers taste just fine where they are brewed, just as Harveys does here in Sussex. Its all down to the water and how the recipe has been tweaked over the centuries. Thank goodnesss for regional beers, something to look forward too on those trips away in the UK. So why do GK insist on closing them all down and brewing them in BSE? Bad move in my opinion. Too little variation maybe, that sounds a little odd from someone who has just helped a campaign for its local ale doesnt it!
Thanks again to everyone who had input here.
Cheers
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Incidentally, their beers are not all crap. IPA is actually a very pleasent drop if drunk in suffolk/essex border region.
Hope you all enjoy your celebratory p*ss-up.
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Fantastic news for the little guy who in numbers can achieve the opposite of what the selfish bulldozing bully boys press to want. that includes at government level to if you want it bad enough.
All we need to do know is keep GK aware that thier crap bitters need to step up to the mark.
a good weekend to you all and enjoy your choice of poison, whatever it may be.
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We all have the freedom to drink what we want where we want and we continue to do so. My worry is the corporation dont want us to do that, they only want us to drink their beer in their establishments. Well thats fine but serve decent stuff to do it competitively and not force us by removing the options.
And what is behind the idea of selling their own beers, brewed in their own brewery still carrying the name of the beer it was that they bought out and subsequently closed! Plus they dont mention anything about its new owners, new birthplace on the badge pump. Are they trying to pull the woolover the experienced drinkers eyes? Answer: Yes though failing with the experienced drinker I think.
You could substitute Greene Kings name many other of todays corpoations, I am sure you know them, as well as some old ones that some of us may recognise before thier ultimate demise, thank goodness. Watneys, Whitbreads to name just a couple.
I dontcare whether your poison is lager or even bloody water! I have drunk some very nice lagers in my time. What I do care about is the ever diminishing choice being offered in the name of profit as well as not being allowed the very thing that is making the money for them.
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Im in my 30's and have tried many an ale and have to be honest I much prefer a czech beer anytime. The poster below was right. Ale snobs believe they are better than those that drink lager, why is this?
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Really frak's me off these kids that think they know it all.
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I Prefer Arveys - 27-Mar-07 22:30
What makes you think that you have the right to criticise those that like commercial lagers and alco-pops. You have the right to enjoy whatever ale you want to just as others have the right to enjoy asti spumanti.
You are no better than them. I all the time from real ale drinkers that non-ale drinkers are lily livered pansies or similarnames. All this because they do not find real ales palitable! Not everybody has the same tastes as you.
You are the pub-drinkers equivalent of a wine snob!
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