Guest beer

In 1989, licensing legislation passed by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government made it possible for a tied pub to stock at least one guest beer from a different brewery.

The Monopolies and Mergers Commission was concerned that the market concentration of the big six brewers at 75% represented a monopoly situation. The Supply of Beer (Tied Estate) order of 1989 (better known as the "Beer Orders") allowed publicans freedom to buy non-beer drinks from any source (not just the controlling brewery) and to sell at least one draught beer from a different brewery.