My lesson for the new year: it’s good to talk

What does it bring to our industry? Well, seemingly more chaos similar to 2011. We’ve had a Business, Innovation & Skills Committee pubco inquiry and a minister that has failed to deliver an acceptable outcome to any party, together with a number of MPs who have added to the uncertainty.

However, we have an opportunity to make 2012 a truly special year. This is the year when all parties in the debate could really make a difference that would be far-reaching for our wonderful industry.

This could be the year when all sides sit down together and formulate a plan to create an inclusive, independent structure that will allow tenants and landlords to settle issues in a positive and fair manner.

More importantly, it has the potential to stop Government intervention that has gone on for years.

It is not easy. It seems that a code of practice is the accepted method of delivering changes. Tenant and landlord representative groups need to get in the same room, with baggage left outside, in order to make sure that all sides accept and agree the key terms, otherwise this will not work. It needs to be open to all parties and all need to grasp the opportunity.

This is no place for those that refuse to engage — they will rightly be excluded and it would seem silly for anyone representing others’ interests not to make their views known.

It is said that the sign of a good deal is that neither party is satisfied — and I am sure that this will be no different — but I do hear much agreement on the issues from both operators and landlords.

We have a fantastic opportunity here to create something really special. It is the chance to start with a blank sheet of paper and
create a controlling and reviewing structure over our industry.

It is no threat to the individual representatives — each part of the industry has to contend with its own requirements
and challenges.

But if you let your mind go wild, you could see it as the first step for other cohesive initiatives that show the world we can speak and act as one on the important things.

We just need to talk…

• Paul Wigham is chief executive of All Our Bars​