Drink Talking: John McNamara

Don't be caught out by rogue training companies - we are here to help, says John McNamara, chief executive of the BII.

The recent investigation by The Publican regarding training companies makes for worrying reading. There are some great companies to work for in our industry and I would strongly recommend that anyone with aspirations to join it or looking to run a pub should seriously shop around. Good licensees or people with the "right stuff" are in high demand, so do your homework and find the right company for you.

When looking at various companies, if possible try to talk to licensees or managers who are with that company - so that you can get an idea of what it is like to work with them.

If you are looking at a particular pub for a lease, tenancy or freehold, talk to the police about the property. The local licensing officer won't tell you anything confidential, but they will usually indicate if a pub frequently comes to their attention.

Both the BII website and thePublican.com are highly informative and have many links to pub company websites. thePublican.com also has information on available tenancies, leases and freeholds - click here to find out more.

Nobody wanting to join our industry, or wanting to take over a new pub, needs to part with large sums of money to find the business of their dreams.

If anyone has any doubt about the process of buying a pub or looking to join a pub company, then please contact us via www.bii.org or by phone on 01276 684449. Our website also lists all of our approved training centres, which deliver a range of accredited qualifications and undergo rigorous quality assurance procedures.

We have produced an informative booklet with everything you need to know about running your own pub. If you would like a copy please email qualifications@bii.org