PUB landlords in York are being urged to speak out over a minimum price for alcohol.

Clubs and pubs in the city were asked earlier this year, about how they were coping with the recession in a survey by city of York MP Hugh Bayley who then called for the Government to involve licensees in talks about imposing new pricing rules.

Treasury Minister Chloe Smith, a University of York graduate, has now confirmed a consultation will be published later this year, and Mr Bayley is encouraging local landlords, bar owners and managers to have their say.

He lobbied Chancellor George Osborne to ensure licensees’ views are reflected after his poll showed most felt cheap supermarket alcohol was the biggest cause of falling pub profits, and 93 per cent did not want stores to be able to sell cut-price booze.

Mr Bayley said: “I am pleased the Government has agreed to listen to licensees about what would be a fair minimum retail price for alcohol. Pubs and clubs are in real difficulty because they cannot compete with supermarkets who sell beer and wine cheaply, and sometimes below cost price.”

York landlords also said the increased popularity of drinking at home, due to cheap alcohol being available in stores, could be a factor in city-centre antisocial behaviour.

Jason Hawkins, leaseholder at the Three Tuns in Coppergate, said: “I firmly believe a minimum price should be set, because it does have an impact on pub trade. People also ‘pre-load’ on alcohol before coming into town when they are already drunk, and that is a big issue for most of the night-time economy. Unfortunately, supermarkets can sell alcohol cheaper than licensees can buy it.”

Linford Gardener, who runs the Spread Eagle in Walmgate, said: “Cheap supermarket alcohol massively affects pubs in terms of trade, so licensees have to be consulted about this.

“A lot of people, particularly in the 18-24 age group, tend to head for the clubs and bars after drinking at home, which means traditional pubs lose out.”

Mr Bayley said he had also raised the “unfair relationship” between pub companies and landlords with the Government and criticised its refusal to bring in statutory rules over issues such as rent and the price of goods.

He said: “Pub companies, who have a monopoly and force landlords to buy everything from them, cannot be trusted to self-regulate and the Government should step in.”