Pub Sector – England & Wales TENANTED Code of Practice (1-499 Tied Pubs)
Pub Sector – England & Wales LEASED Code of Practice (1-499 Tied Pubs)
The Pub Governing Body has today published its annual audit of companies covered by either of the above codes of practice, operating up to 499 leased and tenanted pubs and covers the period 1st August 2021– 31st July 2022.
This is the sixth audit to take place since the new codes of practice came into effect for those companies operating 1-499 tied leased or tenanted pubs. A full list of those companies covered by each code can be found in Annex A of the report.
The Board is pleased to see that the data in report once again shows there is a high level of compliance with the Tenanted and Lease codes governing signatory companies in England & Wales.
Commenting on the sixth annual audit report, Pub Governing Body Chairman Sir Peter Luff said:
“Perhaps the most significant statistic in this report is zero – the number of referrals to both the Pubs Independent Conciliation & Arbitration Service and to the Pubs Independent Rent Review Scheme. The fact that no tenant has had to resort to these dispute resolution services over this twelve-month period is the clearest proof that the Codes overseen by the PGB are working.
“Indeed, the sixth report of the board of the Pub Governing Body shows the highest level of compliance with those codes yet, and this after five very encouraging years of reports.
Times remain immensely difficult for all involved in the hospitality sector, with labour shortages and rising fuel bills following hard on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year we expressed the hope that the previous five years of progress would not be reversed in such difficult conditions, but in fact the opposite has happened and compliance has improved still further.
“With self-regulation working so effectively, I have concluded this is the right time for me to stand down as Chairman of the PGB, and I will do so at the end of the year. I am delighted that my last annual audit report clearly demonstrates how the industry has embraced self-regulation. This is important because, as I said in last year’s report, ‘… we believe the work of the PGB remains a vital component in continuing confidence among tenants, commentators and politicians in the effectiveness of self-regulation of smaller pub companies.’
“My one specific hope is that the coming year will see greater use by companies of the PGB ‘kitemark’. A risk to continuing self-regulation of the sector is the small number of pub companies who have not yet signed up to the codes. Wider use of the ‘kitemark’ would help prospective tenants both to be clear whether or not their pub company supports the codes and to reach informed decisions about doing business with them.
“The sixth annual audit report is the product of the work of many people, and I would like to congratulate all involved in this success – pub companies, tenants, my colleagues on the board of the PGB and those who support the board. The spirit that you have brought to the work of the PGB has made my role both enjoyable and rewarding. I am sure that spirit means the seventh report next year will demonstrate your continuing success.”
The Board would like to take the opportunity to thank Sir Peter for Chairing the Pub Governing Body for the past eight years during which time there has been a strengthening of the Codes and excellent compliance.
The Board also wishes to announce that they have appointed James Anderson a Partner of the Licensing Solicitors Poppleston Allen to the position of Chair commencing 1st January 2023. James is already Chair of PICA Services and has attended the Board in that position which places him in the best possible position to take over the full Chair’s role.
About the Pub Governing Body
The Pub Governing Body is the organisation responsible for promoting the advancement and improvement of Landlord (Pub Owning Companies) and tied tenant relationships in the licensed retail sector. It covers signatory companies that own between 1 – 499 tied pubs in England and Wales. The PGB achieves this through the publication of Codes of Practice which set the minimum standard for landlords and enhances their business relationship with tenants and lessees subject to a contractual purchasing obligation.
Visit http://www.thepubgoverningbody.co.uk/ for more information.
For any queries relating to the PGB, please contact Fiona Moran on info@thepubgoverningbody.co.uk or call 01276 417806.
The report can be downloaded here.
Press release from the BII.
For further information, please contact Molly Davis via molly.davis@bii.org.