Darby: we must raise tenants' calibre

The pub industry has to move away from allowing under-qualified people to take tenanted pubs, Marston's tenanted division boss Alastair Darby has stated.

Darby told the Future of Pub Retailing Conferece: "I'm not someone who enjoys closing a pub but there are pubs where the demographics have changed permanently.

"We as pubcos are prepared to discuss how we improve the way we operate.

"There's a responsibility to raise the calibre of peope running pubs. It's not a one-person tango.

"Pubcos have got to raise their game, but also force licensees to up their game. There needs to be a mutual desire to raise games. But people have to acknowledge there will be an acceleration of pub closures in the short term.

"In some places we're not going to find the right qualified person to run a pub."

Lease agreements should incentivise growth​

Punch Taverns tenanted boss Roger Whiteside said there was a need for lease agreements to incentivise growth. He said: "Some pubs are not able to provide a substantial living for licensees.

"Some pubs are going to have to be left alone to die."

The solution for tenanted pubs is supporting independent operators in finding a retail solution for their micro-market, he added.

Culture is changing​

Hamish Stoddart, chairman of Peach Pub Company, said that some pubcos had had "a culture of taking too much money out of tenants".

"In the past it was get it at all costs," he said. "It was take from good tenants and bad tenants in any way they could."

He added that he thought the culture was changing, particularly at Punch.

The tie works​

Anthony Wallis, managing director of Charles Wells Pub Company, said some pubcos have an excellent relationships with their tenants. Controversy had surrounded the tie because of the failure to deal with the small number of genuine concerns.

He argued: "The tie works - it's a good way of getting into a high capital business at a low cost."

Wallis said that some people had over-valued the lease they had acquired in the good times.

"Pubcos have a limited ability to influence the assignment process."

The recession has brought the over-payment issue to a head, he added.