There are about 60,000 public houses in the UK and more than
half of these operate as small businesses. By 1990 businesses
with less than 200 employees accounted for nearly a third of
total UK employment [6] with the consequential effect that
supply of goods from supplier through producer to customer
using small businesses has become more significant over time.
While the large brewers operate their houses by employing
well trained managers and other staff, most of the proprietors
of the small businesses have little or no formal training
themselves, and have minimal knowledge of effective stock
control. Moreover, they are unaware of any need for such
knowledge. This article uses the comparative case study
approach to illustrate demand management and stock control
in a leased public house run as a small business, and a brewery
managed public house
