News: March 2011

Punch Taverns has become the latest pub company to sign up to the Direct Delivery Scheme operated by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA).

Following a trial in some 80 pubs in the North-East, Punch intends to roll out the scheme across its estate from June. To qualify, a pub will need to be Cask Marque accredited and already sell 50 brewers’ barrels of cask beer a year.

Once the scheme is implemented, these pubs will be able to complement their existing cask beer offering, that comes through Punch head office, by sourcing beers through SIBA from breweries within a 30-mile radius.

The SIBA scheme, established in 2002, saves on paper work and road miles. Administration and invoicing are handled by the SIBA office on behalf of individual breweries and the breweries deliver straight to the pub, rather than shipping beer to a warehouse for onward distribution.

Punch Taverns currently operates 6,770 leased and managed pubs across the UK.