A group of female licensees and pubs campaigners has written to Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) urging her to condemn for Small Business Minister, Andrew Griffiths’, actions in sending texts of a sexual nature to two female bar staff.
The MP is a former chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and resigned as a Minister at the weekend after admitting sending the series of texts over a three-week period.
In a letter sent to Brigid Simmonds, the group — members of the British Pub Confederation, Justice for Licensees, Licensees Supporting Licensees and the Fair Pint Campaign — called upon her to condemn Andrew Griffiths’ “appalling” attitude towards female pub workers.
However, in a response seen by the Morning Advertiser, Ms Simmonds said Mr Griffiths had rightly resigned his ministerial position and referred himself to the Conservative party’s internal procedures. “I consider this a personal matter and would not wish to comment further.”
She said that in her time at the BBPA she had been supportive of initiatives to combat harrassment in the pub workplace, seeing the safety and welfare of staff as of “paramount importance”.
