Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 12, 1978, Winnipeg, Manitoba Win per Fife mess essay july Bevel be room business recoup Vendor Sale loss no crisis brewing for Rural hotels due to Beer strike a Survey of some Rural hotels in different areas of Manitoba shows that although Many of them Are loosing Vendor sales Money As a result of the Beer strike they Are not in a financial crisis yet. In at least two cases Bever age room sales have even improved. Hard liquor and . Imported Beer Are being sold. Norm Tessier manager of the Arbour hotel in Arbour man., Miles North of Winnipeg with the St. Pierre hotel about 20 Miles South of Winni Peg and imported a Semi trailer Load of Beer from the United r states a week ago. The usual 80 cent bottle of Beer in Arbour and St. Pierre has risen to in the beverage room. There Are no Vendor sales. Our beverage room sales have gone up slightly because of the Novelty of drinking Beer Tessier said. He added that his hotel bought a four month Supply of hard liquor prior to the strike and have enough hard liquor. You can get american Beer. It s just a matter of getting that big Money like or to buy it in the states through the Manitoba liquor he said. George Prost president of the 300-member Manitoba hotel association said in an interview tuesday Many Small hotels Are suffering because of the strike. Off sales through vendors Are the Back Bone of the Rural hotel and a Good percentage of the hotels Are he said. The hotel owners agreed a Lack of Beer for Vendor sales has Hurt profits. But most Rural hotel owners and managers interviewed said they Haven t had to Lay anyone off yet. Rather than Lay off staff most Rural hotels and some in Winni Peg have reduced beverage room employees hours. A hotel association spokesman claims hotel employees Are out of work As a result of the brewery strike and lockout. With american Beer trickling into the hotels Many beverage rooms Are enjoying increased numbers of patrons and More working hours for staff. Boris hypo Ron a Beausejour hotel owner said he has had to Lay off three of his eight Bever age room staff. He said if he had originally been in a poor financial Posi Tion the Beer strike might have threatened his business. A hotel manager in Carman said the Beer strike is not too much of a As the halt of Vendor sales has drawn More people into the beverage room for a taste of imported american Beer. Al Mccullough assistant Man Ager of the Churchill hotel said business has improved with the Beer we re Selling More liquor. Our Over All sales have gone he said. A hotel manager in Glenboro said the Beer strike has also made his beverage room sales improve. A spokesman for the Peters Field hotel said the strike has increased bar sales a Little but Over All business has suffered from no Vendor sales and a reduced profit on the imported Beer. The Central hotel manager in Treherne said things Are All right with american Beer Tak ing up the however he said there is thousand dollars we won t recover As the result of a Lack of Beer earlier in the strike. In the City spokesmen for larger hotels said a Good Busi Ness in restaurants and other areas of the hotels have in most cases allowed them to absorb any staff left Idle by the Beer strike. But one City hotel claims to have lost about in Vendor sales. Ferguson manager of the Westminster hotel said the hotel has lost at least in Vendor sales. Michael Kuz manager of the Rennie hotel in Rennie man., near the White Shell provincial Park said he has lost about in Vendor sales he says All the campers Are heading into Ontario. He claimed that he in t getting his share of american Beer either and that he has received Only 29 cases. Some smaller hotels that Laid off staff last month have reduced their operating hours and with the influx of american Beer have been Able to rehire some staff on occasion. Wiebe s a Mart foods 300 Edison ave. North Kildonan we Rusf ref the right to limit quantities special prices effective wednesday. July 12, to saturday july 15. 1978 More Houri open f very until 9pm crept saturday 9 m in to 6 Phonet 33s-1252 ;