Publican Awards Best Partnership Pub Company (501+ sites) winner, sponsored by CMBC: Punch Pubs & Co

The partnership category, previously known as the tenanted and leased category, is a hotly contested award and Punch fought off extremely strong competition from fellow finalists Admiral Taverns and Marston’s Pubs, both of which impressed the judges during the panel sessions.

However, Punch edged ahead of the field, showcasing some great initiatives and schemes which puts its partners, the pub operators, in a strong position for success.

Engaging initiatives

Some of those initiatives involve engaging with partners to help partners, including a mentorship scheme within the estate, getting experienced operators to help others, as well as prize funds for the sharing of great ideas within the business which is helping to spread innovation and reward strong business ideas.

It’s work on energy, which has seen the company set up an energy buying collective to support operators. The scheme is free for operators to buy into, or leave, and offers extremely competitive rates vs what’s on the open market, and it’s an initiative its partners have been quick to embrace.

There’s a strong willingness to try new ideas out within the business, including things like psychometric testing for potential applicants, which helps to ensure the right people are being selected before they even set foot in a pub.

Company flexibility

Flexibility was also something judges noted, with Punch willing to adapt to suit the needs of operators, giving new operators into its managed partnership model enhance fees to help them during recruitment and set up periods.

A special “kickstarter” initiative has also been created - this has seen the creation of an expert support group that helps struggling pubs and giving them a meaningful turnaround and get the pub back into growth. The initiative has seen a large number of pubs transformed.

A strong focus on culture has also seen it transform the business internally, with head office staff embracing the opportunities to engage with a range of issues, ranging from mental health training through to a Menovist programme.

Overall, Punch’s ambition is to create a “five star pub co”, and with its success at the Publican awards, building on previous wins, its well on its way to achieving its ambition.