Confusion over advisory service caused by lack of governing body, claims FLVA

He was responding after claims by BII chairman Bernard Brindley last week that a Pubs Advisory Service (PAS), set up by trade experts last year, does not go far enough and does not meet the standards expected by the industry. 

He said the BII envisages a scheme where new entrants to the trade should get advice from a number of solicitors, accountants and surveyors, who will have been accredited under the advisory service. The setting up of an advisory service to help new publicans coming into the trade was part of the self-regulation deal between the Government and the industry last year.

Williams said: “The PAS service as envisaged under industry governance has yet to be formally established. Until that time various bodies which assist and represent tenant publicans will continue to offer support and representation.

“The establishment of a PAS service is key to the commitment made by the industry to Government and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. The delay and subsequent confusion surrounding PAS has been caused by the absence of an overall governance body which should ultimately determine the shape and scope of PAS.

"This governance body needs to be truly representative of all tenanted pub industry stakeholders rather than continuing to allow the BBPA and BII to dominate the process of self regulation.”

“As with the Code of Practice there will be other different interpretations of how this PAS style body can be fashioned and what its remit should be.”

“Self regulation has gone so far but before it can go further the governance of this critical process has to be put in the hands of a proper representative body with a genuinely independent chairperson who will not allow the process to be driven by the BBPA and the BII."

Meanwhile,  the existing PAS has defended itself against the accusations that it does not go far enough in helping new people into the trade.

Chris Wright of PAS explained that it has a referral system in place to direct potential licensees to a range of advisors.

He said: “We have got several solicitors and lawyers on board. In the majority of pub leases licensees already have to have their P&L signed off by an accountant. We don’t need to provide that service but we can refer them to a relevant accountant.”

He also questioned why qualified professionals need to be accredited by such a scheme and said he believed access to stocktakers was more important for potential licensees.