I have to say we were overwhelmed with the response. It seems many of you have a whole host of grievances that you wish to share with a wider audience.
We’re continuing the theme for today’s show and are particularly keen to talk to publicans who’ve been kicked out of their pubs.
So, if you’ve found yourself out on the street with nowhere to live then give us a ring. We’d love to hear from you.
“Ros; who’s our first caller?”
“We have Jeremy on the line. He used to run the Artful Dodger in Basingstoke.”
“Hello Jeremy. I’m listening.”
“Hi doc. I’ve recently handed back the keys on my leased pub. It just got to the point where we were losing too much. Continuing was no longer an option.”
“Was the split amicable?”
“No doc, far from it.”
“Why was that?”
“They trousered my f and f doc.”
“I’m sorry?”
“The took my fixtures and fittings! I didn’t get a penny back.”
“How could they possibly justify that?”
“Loss of earnings they said. The only reason I had to leave is because they got greedy and kept hiking the rent. But the thing is doc; they weren’t content with just keeping my f and f. My partner wanted more.”
“How come?”
“They argued inadequate compensation for loss of earnings. You see we carried out a refurb about five years ago. The BDM reckoned that based on depreciation of 20% per annum my f and f is now worth buggar all. Of course that didn’t stop him selling it on to the new tenant for a tidy profit!”
“So how did your retail partner address this particular issue?”
“They pocketed my deposit as well, 12,500 quid! The only thing I’ve got left is the shirt on my back, although not for too much longer it seems. The pubco called me this morning; my BDM is popping in later today to pick that up as well.”
“Did they hit you for dilapidations?”
“Not yet. I’m still waiting to hear from them on that. To be honest doc, I’ve heard some real horror stories. Do you think I have cause for concern?”
“Well stay on the line Jeremy because that’s exactly what our next caller wants to talk about.”
“Ros, who do we have on the line?”
“Brian. He used to run the Fagin Arms in Aldershot.”
“Hello Brian. I’m listening.”
“I got evicted from my pub six weeks ago doc. The pubco have just clobbered me with dilaps.”
“Did they inflate the costs?”
“Inflate the costs? I should say so. Two thousand five hundred quid for a toilet seat! Does that sound inflated enough for you?”
“Yes, it does seem a tad high I must admit.”
“But that’s not all doc. I went back to the pub when it reopened and guess what? There’s still no toilet seat. They didn’t replace it.”
“Are you suggesting that the pubco made no effort to carry out the work and were merely content to pocket the cash?”
“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting doc.”
“If you’re right then it’s not a bad little earner, is it? Makes you wonder if there’s anything else they’re charging for but not actually delivering?”
“Who’s our next caller Ros?”
“A lady called Brigid. She seems very keen to talk about government taxation.”
“Well she might be, unfortunately for her I’m not. Do we have anybody else on the line?”
“Yes, Sally. She used to run the Uriah Heep, a pub in Nottingham.”
“Hello Sally; I’m listening.”
“Hi doc. I left my pub in 2006 after assigning my lease to another tenant.”
“Sounds to me like you got out just in time.”
“That’s what I thought, but apparently not.”
“What’s your problem?”
“The pubco have just taken the pub back from the guy I assigned it to.”
“How could that possibly be of relevance to you?”
“Well they’re saying there’s a clause in my lease which makes me responsible. The pubco are now trying to get possession of my house to compensate them for loss of revenue.”
“They can’t do that, can they?”
“They seem to think they can. They’re sending an agent around to value the property tomorrow morning. I’m facing the prospect of being made homeless doc. All because the pubcos squeezed every last penny out of my successor; secure in the knowledge that if he went under they could come after me. That can’t be right, can it doc?”
“You’re right Sally, it most certainly isn’t. Is it any wonder so many tenants conclude pubcos are morally bankrupt when they are subjected to treatment such as this? Many have to contend with losing their business and in many instances their home, a highly traumatic experience I’m sure you’ll agree.
In contrast, it would appear as though the churn can be quite a lucrative little earner for the pubcos.
After all they get the keep the fixtures and fittings which they then sell on for a tidy profit. On top of that they retain deposits.
Not content with this, they then hit departing tenants with a grossly inflated dilaps bill for work which they don’t actually carry out.
Then, once they’ve exhausted that particular resource, they go after the tenant who assigned the lease seeking additional compensation.
All this would appear to explain why pubcos aren’t too concerned when pubs are churned. After all, why bother trying to retain tenants when there are such rich pickings to be made by kicking them out onto the street?
Is it not a sad state of affairs that a once noble industry has been reduced to this?
How much more heartache and misery will tenants be forced to endure before pubcos are compelled to treat them as genuine partners, not something more akin to inhabitants of a Dickensian workhouse?
What I find particularly sad is that those with a vested interest in perpetuating this obscene business model continue to turn a blind eye to many of the unsavoury practices that go on behind the scenes.
It is a fact that the genuine concerns of publicans continue to be met with a wall of silence by many of the supposed leaders of this industry.
Do they not understand that their failure to speak out merely condones such actions, making them as guilty as the perpetrators in the eyes of many?
Is it not time someone had the courage and conviction to take a stand, to make it clear to certain pubcos that such appalling behaviour is completely unacceptable in a supposed civilised society?
We can but hope. Well until next time, this is Frasier Crane wishing you good mental health, wherever you may be.”
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