Save the crown! That's the message from some of Britain's biggest brewers who last week pleaded with Tony Blair to save the 300 year-old Crown symbol on beer glasses from extinction at the hands of Brussels-based bureaucrats. Not that our Prime Minister can do much about the matter; it is alas far too late.
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The Crown symbol was first used in 1699 as a guarantee of the size of pints and half pints. But this year it is due to be removed and will be replaced by the an EU-wide CE mark guaranteeing the accuracy of measures.The UK has already signed up to the EU's measuring instruments directive, which came into force last October, triggering the phasing out of the Crown mark in favour of the Conformité Européenne logo.
In their letter to Tony Blair the nine brewing and pub companies wrote protesting at the EU's interference by the removal of the Crown is a “needless” intrusion'' into a system which has worked well for centuries. “We feel that it has been imposed on our industry without consultation and against the wishes of our consumers. This directive is yet another in a long line of examples of excessive interference from Brussels which only serve to undermine support for the EU among business leaders and the wider public.”
In their letter to Tony Blair the nine brewing and pub companies wrote protesting at the EU's interference by the removal of the Crown is a “needless” intrusion'' into a system which has worked well for centuries. “We feel that it has been imposed on our industry without consultation and against the wishes of our consumers. This directive is yet another in a long line of examples of excessive interference from Brussels which only serve to undermine support for the EU among business leaders and the wider public.”
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Well the beer bosses are quite right. But EU intrusion is nothing new and the phasing out of the Crown mark has been a very long time comming.
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Where one must ask have the leaders of beer industry been over the last 35 years. Have they not been listening to the many debates in Pubs through out the land on the 'interference' from the EU? As the old saying goes ''if you do not take an interest in politics then politics will sooner or later take an interest in you''.
Where one must ask have the leaders of beer industry been over the last 35 years. Have they not been listening to the many debates in Pubs through out the land on the 'interference' from the EU? As the old saying goes ''if you do not take an interest in politics then politics will sooner or later take an interest in you''.
1 comment:
Dear Sir,
With the separation of church and state,many fell into the rift..they have no allegiance to either deity.These lost souls have lost faith in their Higher Powers and I fear they have lost their voice as well...a vote for saving the crown will require a prayer.. the old ways should be held sacred,and I fear there is nothing sacred anymore...curious that the crown always assured a man's glass full,it's unnecessary change that will make it less so.
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