Sir, - A feature of modern business expansion is the use of merger and acquisition methods to achieve growth. This is true of the pub trade as of any other, with reference being constantly made to a house being a member of a group or chain of pubs.
Yet, with the exception of newly constructed hotels, no new licences are issued. Clearly, therefore, there exists the ideal conditions for mongpolistic conduct on the part of the proprietors, viz, the same number of licences and fewer owners. It is therefore time to encourage more competition by removing the barriers to enter the trade (which are imposed by pre-1922 statute) and by issuing more licences.
Yours, etc.,
The Drive, Boden Park, Dublin 16.