FLVA writes to minister Jo Swinson expressing "disappointment" over pubco-tenant deal

22-Oct-2012 - Last updated on 23-Oct-2012 at 18:37 GMT

The Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA) president Nigel Williams has written to the minister in charge of the self-regulation agreement over the pubco-tenant relationship expressing his “disappointment”.

He was responding to news revealed exclusively by the Publican’s Morning Advertiser that the minister Jo Swinson has washed her hands of the self-regulation deal to govern the pubco-tenant relationship, claiming all the commitments made “have now been achieved”.

In the letter, which he has also copied into deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and Business Innovation and Skills Committee chairman (BISC) Adrian Bailey, he said: “My original intention was to write to welcome you to your new parliamentary role in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and to introduce the FLVA as one of the signatories of the Industry Framework Code of Practice but recent announcements in the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) lead me to go further than simple introductions.

“I am disappointed to read in the PMA that you consider the government role in solving the problems in the tied pub sector to be complete.”

He highlighted a meeting held in January between FLVA and her predecessor Ed Davey where the organisation stressed the need for Government to oversee the self-regulation process to a conclusion that would satisfy various demands of the interested parties.

He said: "Our main concern was, and still is, that without government supervision the self regulation process would be railroaded by the powerful pub owning companies and the much needed rebalancing of the tenant/ landlord relationship would not be achieved.

“I believe this rebalancing within the sector was a key recommendation of the BISC enquiry last year and has been an issue your department has been concerned with for many years.”

He also said that some progress has been made towards self-regulation but the “process is in no way complete” and he warned that it is danger of stalling completely if the industry giants no longer have government set targets to work to. He said he believes a conclusion is in sight but not without continued interest from government.

Williams urged Swinson to reconsider her position and to take up offers from the pub trade and other interested parties to meet and discuss the issues.

He also confirmed that the FLVA is working hard to help achieve a meaningful version 6 of the Code of Practice, a Pubs Advisory Service (PAS) body and a governance structure, which would oversee PAS, PICAS and PIRRS.