HOTEL COUNTER LUNCHES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 9

HOTEL COUNTER LUNCHES

ABOLISHED IN VICTORIA

By virtue of a. coercive agreement between hotelkeepors and the Brewers' ; Association counter lunches will not he j obtainable in any hotel, in Victoria j after March 1. Under 'this new ari rangemmit it is estimated by prominent members of the Trade that the publicans will save over £50,000 _ annually, while on the other hand it is thought restaurants and other caterers will benefit correspondingly through tiio divergence of trade in j light refreshments. On several occasions attempts have been made, to u)>- ! rnot the system of counter lunches, but tho movement has failed through lack of unity on the part of the hotcl- |, keepers. Now, however, the Licensed Victuallers' Association has enlisted the aid of the Brewers' Association, the latter body agreeing not to supply hecr to hotelkei'pers who do not.strict•ly adhere to the new rule. With this j potential coercive pressure behind the ! movement a confident feeling is enteri tnined that.no hotelkeeper will dare to I place even a crust on his counter.

Uγ. A. D. Grant, organising secretary of tho Licensed Victuallers' Association, said recently that the new -movement meant total abolition of the counter lunch—not-even a biscuit would bo obtainable. He had convened meetings in tho suburbs amongst hotelkcepers for a long time, and those meetings had been unanimous for the oliango. But although the great majority of hotolkaepers were in favour it was found impossible to enforce action without the aid of tho brewers. The resolution at the suburban meetings and a petition signed by hotelkeepers had been forwarded to the Brewers' Association, with the result that it was agreed that beer should not be- supplied to hotelkcepers who refused to abolish counter luncho? Up to tho time of the war counter lum.hes had been a distinct "draw," but since the G o'clock closing one city publican had lost £3000 per annum, while a score of others had been £2000 out of pocket.