Duncan Garrood: how Punch is helping licensees with the pubs code

Punch chief executive Duncan Garrood explained how the company is trying to help licensees understand the code​.

The pubco has run seminars on the code at each of its eight roadshows in a bid to help licensees understand it and to give them the opportunity to ask any questions.

Garrood said: “We have invited senior representatives to the seminars [such as Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers chief executive Kate Nicholls] for the publicans to hear, free of charge and to talk about what options they have, what it means and so on.”

Education is important

Punch has made sure any members of its staff who may be involved in implementing the code, sit an exam to ensure they fully understand it.

Garrood added: “We are spending a lot of time making sure that people are understanding the code and how the processes work within it.

“Discussion and education play an important role for people to understand the pubs code and how things are going to work."

He also said the feedback he has received following the information the pubco is providing to its licensees has been positive.

He added: “Publicans have been very pleased that we have been helping them and there has been a consistent turnout at the roadshows.”

MRO concerns

Garrood explained what has happened with the market rent-only option (MRO) since the code came into play earlier this year​: “We have had around two dozen people taking the MRO quotation but we will only know for sure at the end of November.”

However, Garrood added that he believes it is too early to say that people do understand the code completely and that Punch encourages its licensees to seek independent advice from a qualified person as to what route to take.