Fuller's launches an enhanced agreement for tenants

The so-called Service Charge agreement is offered as a bolt-on feature to the brewer’s traditional tenancy agreements and sees licensees given expert help to deal with industry legislation and bureaucracy.

Fuller’s said: “This offers complete property compliance, at a group purchasing price and removes a large administrative burden, freeing up busy tenants to focus on running their business.

“Early feedback has been very positive and a number of tenants have already signed up.”

The package could be seen as Fuller’s response to the wider trend among tenanted operators of taking stronger control over trading during the downturn. It follows moves into franchising from major operators, including Marston’s and Greene King, plus the Beacon ‘managed tenancy’ agreement rollout from Enterprise Inns.

Fuller’s chairman Michael Turner said: “We can make sure all of these pubs comply with legislation. We are, to a degree, taking control.

“We were looking at what is difficult for the tenant and one of the things is the huge amount of red tape that they have to comply with. It’s an enhancement for existing and new tenants.”

There’s no compulsion on tenants to sign up to the scheme and Turner said: “There’s a fixed cost [for the tenant], but it also has other benefits: they get discounts on beer to off-set it.”

The deal was first introduced in March although there are currently no details on the total number of pubs already on the scheme.

Fuller’s also revealed that it is in the “first phase” of launching an extranet for tenants. The firm said its ultimate aim is to provide tenants with a “one-stop shop for all interaction with Fuller’s, as well as online access to our discounts, promotions, help and advice”.