James Armitage to leave Ei Group as part of restructure
Ei Group (EiG) has confirmed that group services director James Armitage is leaving the business at the end of the year.
In a statement, the pubco said Armitage has played an "instrumental role" in developing EiG’s communications, marketing and commercial services functions, since joining the company more than four years ago.
In an email sent to The Morning Advertiser, group commercial director Paul Harbottle said: "As we continue to make good progress with the implementation of our group strategy, I have decided that now is the time to restructure the group services team and as a consequence James Armitage will be leaving the business at the end of December.
"Over the past four and a half years, James has been a very valued member of the team, the driving force behind a number of key initiatives and he has made a significant contribution to Ei Group."
According to Harbottle, Armitage’s responsibilities will be absorbed among his remaining team.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank James for the significant contribution he has made to both the group and the commercial team over the past four and half years and on a personal note thank him for his dedicated and valuable input and support," Harbottle said in a statement.
"We wish James the very best for the future."
Initiatives launched
Last month, EiG launched two new agreements into its leased and tenanted division. The first is an Investment Lease, which utilises the clause in the pubs code that waives the market-rent-only (MRO) option and the second is agreement is EiG’s Incentive Lease, which includes two payments at the end of the term if barrelage targets have been met.
Other new initiatives being introduced to the Ei Publican Partnership estate are subject to two filters – the regional manager council and the publican council – the latter comprising 30 licensees representing the range of different trading models across the portfolio.
Nick Light, Ei Publican Partnerships managing director, told The Morning Advertiser's sister title MCA, it is one of his key tasks to highlight the support tools as well as adding in others that have gained the support of the two councils, including video guides and a potential food academy.
