Licensees fined £13k for breach of Sky contract
10-May-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
A pair of licensees have been ordered to pay £13,000 for screening Sky without a commercial contract. Vincent Mark and Gary Smith, of the Plough...
22-Apr-2010 By The PMA Team
Punch Taverns is to trial new leases in September that offer licensees free-of-tie prices and a free-of-tie option on cask ale produced by smaller...
16-Apr-2010 By Lesley Foottit
A licensee has been released from an onerous six-year telephone contract after involving her local MP. Maria Jessney found her original 2006...
29-Jan-2010 By Gemma McKenna
Punch has warned licensees of rogue traders who guarantee large reductions in rateable values and offer to carry out business rates appeals.
Licensee faces £6,000 pay-out over cancelled Sky
27-Jan-2010 By James Wilmore
A distraught licensee is facing an upcoming pay-out of around £6,000 to Sky, despite quitting her pub last year. Julie Crane, who ran Bar 44, in...
26-Jan-2010 By The PMA Team
The PMA Team questions Carlsberg chief executive Isaac Sheps on the company's progress since his brief to improve profitability in the UK.
11-Jan-2010 By Gemma McKenna
The GMB plans at least 14 roadshows across the country to inform tied licensees of industrial action before balloting starts in mid-February....
Trade bodies warn licensees over industrial action
03-Dec-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
The GMB union is encouraging licensees to take industrial action against the pubcos before Christmas - but trade leaders have warned publicans to...
05-Nov-2009 By Brigid Simmonds
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, answers 14 questions on how its new code of practice will change the...
27-Oct-2009 By The PMA Team
Trying to broker an agreement with the parties involved in mediation talks between pub tenants and their landlords was described by one observer as "like herding cats", says The PMA Team.
06-Oct-2009 By Peter Coulson
Scams against licensees never really go away, or alter that much but can be avoided, says Peter Coulson.
Pubco reforms still to be finalised
23-Sep-2009 By James Wilmore
The pub industry mediation process, designed to tackle issues around the pubco model, is set to drag on as the parties involved have to consult with...
Coercion in disguise
27-Aug-2009 By Peter Coulson
The idea of "voluntary" agreements has been around for a long time in the licensed trade, and has not improved with age. The latest, in Rotherham,...
20-Aug-2009 By The PMA Team
Great tenants are the life's blood of the pubcos and tough market conditions mean they can now push hard for terms in their favour, says The PMA Team.
03-Aug-2009 By The PMA Team
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has held a series of meetings with pub company chiefs in the wake of the Campaign for Real Ale submitting a super-complaint.
Enterprise Inns claims trade is "stabilising
16-Jul-2009 By Hamish Champ
Enterprise Inns said today the underlying trading performance of its 7,000-plus pubs "appears to be stabilising", despite financial support for...
Equipment focus: CESA on second hand equipment
10-Jul-2009
In the current economic conditions it's more tempting than ever to consider buying second-hand equipment. Cost is obviously the main advantage...
Energy brokers targeting "vulnerable" licensees
02-Jun-2009
New tenants have been warned to be on guard against energy brokers targeting them with 'special offers' on their first days in the job. According to...
30-Apr-2009 By Peter Coulson
There have been a number of successful claims made by restaurateurs in recent years against no-showers, says Peter Coulson.
Globe Pub Co sees rise in number of keys being returned
30-Mar-2009 By Hamish Champ
Globe Pub Company has admitted seeing a rise in the number of its operators handing back the keys to their pubs.In a trading update published today...
16-Mar-2009 By John Harrington
Brakspear Pub Company plans to move most of its tenants onto its new longer six-year agreements that offer new discounts. Barrelage discounts of up...
30-Oct-2008 By Ewan Turney
Full details of JD Wetherspoon's claim against its former property advisor Van De Berg have been revealed in the High Court — Wetherspoon claims Van de Berg breached a contract of exclusivity and helped third parties profit at its expense.
British Gas Business chosen by Ofgem as E4B replacement supplier
30-Oct-2008 By The PMA Team
British Gas Business have asked us to publish the following statement in relation to E4B: Following E4B going into Administration, Ofgem, the gas...
Gas bills rise in fixed-rate tariff
03-Jul-2008 By John Harrington john.harrington@william-reed.co.u
Npower tried to raise pub's rate four times A licensee is furious after hearing his gas bill would increase, despite being told he was on a...
Don't fall prey to the scammers
12-Jun-2008
You will know that some topics have a habit of recurring time and again. From my point of view, scams against licensees never really go away, or...
Don't sign council's 'contracts'
29-May-2008 By John Harrington john.harrington@william-reed.co.u
It's legislation by the back door, say experts Trade experts have slammed "threatening" moves to get licensees to sign "contracts" committing them to...
07-May-2008 By Ewan Turney
Former Punch licensee locks himself in pub over F&F dispute with pubco
Innventive Pubs & Restaurants buys Massive Pub Co sites
23-Apr-2008 By Hamish Champ
Administrators to Massive Pub Company have exchanged contracts to sell 33 sites to Birmingham-based Innventive Pubs & Restaurants (IPR).David...
Npower grants contract reprieve to licensee
14-Feb-2008
A licensee who faced soaring electricity bills because he did not contact Npower three months before his contract ended has been granted a reprieve....
LETTERs
17-Jan-2008
The changing face of Opus It is difficult to make an effective comeback from bad publicity. Some say that no publicity is bad publicity, but I...
SABMiller to buy Dutch brewer Grolsch for £580m
19-Nov-2007 By Hamish Champ
SABMiller, the London and Johannesburg-listed brewer, is set to buy Dutch brewer Koninklijke Grolsch for €816m (£580m).In a statement issued today...
Marston's launches new 'turnover' leases
01-Nov-2007 By The PMA Team
Pubco responds to calls for flexible contracts to suit individual needs Marston's Pub Company, the company's tenanted division, is introducing...
LETTERs
25-Oct-2007
Energy pressures for licensees A recent trend in the energy market puts further pressure on newcomers and those on the move between pubs - a more...
01-Aug-2007 By John Harrington
Ofgem proposals could mean pubs avoid charges when switching energy supplier.
Legal advice: Buying outside the tie?
20-Jul-2007
Many tenants are required by a contractual obligation under their tenancy agreement to purchase beer and other products from their landlord or from...
Newcomers: it's good to talk
17-Jul-2007
As far as we were concerned the only stumbling block so far in advancing with our application was the level of rent asked by the pubco. The pub has...
Newcomers: Confused
15-Jul-2007
We met with the area pubco's estates manager and representative and spent quite a considerable amount of time touring the pub and cellar to get some...
12-Jul-2007 By Peter Coulson
Licensees are a sociable lot - that's their trade. They also do most of their business by word of mouth, over the bar. So I suppose it isn't...
05-Jul-2007 By John Harrington
Opus backs down and offers a refund to victim licensees
Back to Basics: electricity supplies - how not to get ripped off
18-Jun-2007
The list of things you have to do on your first day in a new pub is daunting. You are in a race to get everything done and be prepared for your first...
13-Jun-2007
Licensees and operators are urged to be careful to avoid paying penalty fees while agreeing to energy contracts. Energywatch said they increasingly...
Opus releases another host
17-May-2007 By John Harrington john.harrington@william-reed.co.u
Another licensee has been allowed to leave her contract with electricity supplier Opus early after convincing the firm that she was mis-sold. Last...
Carlsberg draymen get double digit pay rise
29-Mar-2007 By Hamish Champ
Carlsberg has awarded its UK draymen a ten per cent pay rise.The deal was announced today by the Transport & General Workers Union, which acted...
13-Feb-2007
Licensee gets 100 hours for showing on a domestic card.
Tec Rentals' deals may prove illegal
25-Jan-2007 By Ewan Turney ewan.turney@william-reed.co.uk
Up to 100 customers of Smartbox sister company Tec Rentals may be able to keep their equipment without forking out another penny. The Morning...
25-Jan-2007 By Ewan Turney
Up to 100 customers of Smartbox sister company Tec Rentals may be able to keep their equipment without forking out another penny. The Morning...
Smartbox collapse leaves licensees locked in
30-Nov-2006
Hundreds of licensees have been left tied to hire purchase deals on equipment they cannot use following the collapse of controversial interactive TV...
09-Aug-2006 By John Harrington
A multiple operator that faced massive gas bill hikes after changing supplier following a "cold call" from a utilities agent is set to save around...
Legal advice: Ongoing concerns
27-Jul-2006
A recent case before a London Tax Tribunal will be of interest to those entering into new business opportunities in the licensed trade. The premises...
20-Jul-2006 By Peter Coulson
To paraphrase the immortal quote attributed to movie producer Sam Goldwyn: "A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's not written on". But I...
