Tenanted pubcos in premises licence snub

Tenanted pub companies will not be able to register an interest on the premises licence of their pubs under the new Licensing Bill.

The government has overturned an amendment put forward in the House of Lords, which would have allowed a company to register an interest in the premises with the local authority.

Both personal and premises licences will be held by the licensee.

The fear is that pub companies could be kept in the dark if there are any problems with any of their pub sites.

It could mean that a disgruntled licensee could quit unannounced, leaving a pub trading illegally without a premises licence.

The amendment would have ensured that a pub company could take control of a pub in the event of the death or insolvency of one of it tenants.

Mark Hastings, spokesman for the British Beer & Pub Association, said: "Companies want to demonstrate they are responsible for problems that can occur in their pubs.

"It shows that the government does not fully appreciate how this sector operates - over half of pubs are run by tenants and leaseholders who are operating their own businesses.

"But the property is owned by another company which should have the right to declare a clear interest in the way this pub is run."

Simon Townsend, customer services director of Enterprise Inns, has already expressed concerns in a letter to the government. "We feel it is hugely important for us to be able to maintain and manage our interests, not just in order to protect our commercial interests but to play our full part in the accountability of the licence holder to the local community," he said.

Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations, said: "Our concern is that self-employed licensees should hold the premises licence.

"But we support a register of interests for immediate landlords if it does not affect the licensee or cost their businesses."