Statutory Code

Harveys to convert half its pubs to managed model in response to statutory code

01-Sep-2014 By Rob Willock

Sussex brewer and tenanted pub company Harveys is to develop a directly managed pub business that will eventually run as many as half of its 48 pubs.

What now for self-regulation of the pub sector?

26-Jun-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

In introducing its plans for a pubco statutory code the Government insisted self-regulation had failed. However, with legislation still a distant target how does this ‘discredited’ system fill the gap and will it still have a role to play alongside  a...

Statutory code plans 'will increase risk for landlords', says McMullen MD

24-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

The managing director of McMullen’s has criticised the Government’s statutory code plans for “interfering” in the pubco/tenant relationship and heaping further burden on landlords.

Pubs minister says Government is expecting amendments to statutory code

16-Jun-2014 By James Wallin

Community pubs minister Brandon Lewis has said attempts to amend the pubco statutory code are inevitable but insisted the Government had made very clear its opposition to a mandatory free-of-tie option.

Statutory code: A score draw heading into extra time and maybe penalties

11-Jun-2014 By Rob Willock

Now that the dust has settled a little, how do we assess the Government’s plans for a statutory code and adjudicator for the tenanted pub sector?

Statutory code: What happens next?

11-Jun-2014 By James Wallin

Free-of-tie campaigners have made it clear their statutory code fight is far from over, so where does last week’s announcement leave the industry?

Vince Cable: Why we are acting on pubcos

03-Jun-2014 By Vince Cable

Vince Cable, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, talks about the reasoning behind the Government’s intervention in the pub sector, the consultation process, new policy and its proposed benefits.

Statutory code: Trade responds to Government proposals

03-Jun-2014 By James Wallin

Leading figures in the pub trade have responded to the Government's plans to introduce a statutory code governing the pubco/tenant relationship.

Statutory code: Shadow pubs minister predicts no action this Parliament

01-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The Government will not introduce a statutory code on the pubco-tenant relationship this Parliament, Labour’s shadow pubs minister has predicted.

Frustration builds as one year passes with no Government response on statutory code

22-Apr-2014 By James Wallin

Publicans have been left “clinging on” by the year-long wait for a Government response on pubco reform, industry figures have told the PMA.

10 key issues for pubs in 2014

03-Mar-2014 By Phil Mellows

Phil Mellows picks out 10 key issues that could help determine the fortunes of Britain’s pubs this year, including the proposed statutory code, turmoil at Punch Taverns and the impact of the recent storms on trade.

Labour holding Parliamentary debate on pub statutory code

20-Jan-2014 By Lewis Brown

Labour is holding an opposition debate today calling for legislation to introduce a statutory code on the relationship between pubcos and tenants.

Statutory Code: Former pubs minister calls for free-of-tie option

17-Jan-2014 By John Harrington

A former Government minister for pubs has urged Business Secretary Vince Cable to go further under the proposed statutory code of pub companies and give tenants the right to have a free-of-tie option combined with an open market rent review.

Statutory Code: Labour to hold debate on 21 January

09-Jan-2014 By Michelle Perrett

Labour is set to hold an Opposition Day Debate in Parliament on the new statutory code for pubcos on the afternoon of 21 January.

Statutory Code: Pubco critic MP to oversee decision

19-Dec-2013 By John Harrington

The new Government minister charged with overseeing proposals for a statutory code in the pubco/tenant relationship is an outspoken critic of pub companies.

Statutory Code: Spirit may be forced to reintroduce upward-only rent reviews

18-Dec-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Spirit Pub Company has told the Government that it may be forced to introduce upward-only rent review (UORR) clauses to leases if a free-of-tie option is made mandatory.

Statutory Code: Trust Inns would re-think £4m investment if code was introduced

18-Dec-2013 By Lewis Brown

Trust Inns, the tenanted and leased pub operator, plans to spend £4m per year on its c500-strong estate but would rethink the investment if the statutory code on pubco companies is introduced.

Vianet results suffer over pub industry statutory code uncertainty

09-Oct-2013 By Rob Willock

Uncertainty surrounding the Government’s proposed Statutory Code for pub companies is casting a shadow over beer flow monitoring firm Vianet, the company reported in a trading update today - warning that full-year profits will be down circa 10%.

A statutory code could see a new beginning for the trade

07-Aug-2013 By Simon Clarke

Left with the choice of ‘play fair or don’t play’ the pubcos and brewers have gone into overdrive in trying to limit what might come to pass, says Simon Clarke.

British Beer & Pub Association issues caution over ALMR Benchmarking survey figures

06-Aug-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has issued a note of caution over the statistics which suggest that rents are higher in the tied sector as a proportion of turnover, than the free-of-tie sector.

Statutory code: Committee ups pressure on Government to take action

23-Jul-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The chairman of the Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC), MP  Adrian Bailey, is “upping the ante” on the Government to pressure it into action over the implementation of the statutory code. 

Statutory code: MPs call for flexibility over 500 pub threshold

22-Jul-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC) has called for “flexibility” in the proposed statutory code for pub companies so it could be applied to smaller tenanted pub operators at a later date.

Statutory code: Draft document will not deliver 'anything substantial'

20-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group (APPSPG) has raised concern about that the draft statutory code claiming it would not deliver “anything substantial” for tied licensees.

Majority of tenants give thumbs up to pub statutory code

18-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Nearly all tenants (94%) would like to see a statutory code to regulate the pubco-tenant relationship, despite reporting improved levels of satisfaction with their pub companies.

Statutory code: licensee groups and small business organisations support Government intervention

18-Jun-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Licensee groups and small business organisations came out strongly in support of Government plans for a statutory code and adjudicator in their submissions to the consultation.

BISC statutory code hearing: licensees need confidence in PICAS

11-Jun-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees need to have confidence that outcomes of the Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service (PICAS) will be enforced, according to the leader of a group of licensees.

Dave Mountford steps down from GMB and statutory code consultation

26-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Outspoken licensee Dave Mountford is to stand down from the consultation process on the statutory code and the union GMB for “personal reasons”.

Statutory code consultation: the pub trade responds

22-Apr-2013

The Government published a consultation on the statutory code for the relationship between pub companies and their tenants today. Here is a selection of industry responses:

Statutory code consultation: politicians welcome news

22-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Politicians leading the campaign for a statutory code for the pubco tenant trade have welcome news that Government has launched the consultation today.

Statutory code: Consultation set to go ahead ‘shortly’

17-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The consultation into the statutory code and adjudicator to manage the pubco-tenant relationship is set to go ahead “shortly”, the Government has confirmed to the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA).

Statutory code: Fair pint founder Steve Corbett writes to Chancellor George Osborne

11-Apr-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Fair Pint founder Steve Corbett has written an open letter to Chancellor George Osborne claiming a statutory code for the pubco/tenant relationship is needed to “level the playing field”.

Statutory code: Community pubs minister Brandon Lewis will contribute to pubco-tenant regulation plans

31-Jan-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Community pubs minister Brandon Lewis will be involved in the Government’s plans to introduce a statutory code of conduct and an adjudicator for the pubco-tenant relationship.

Statutory Code: FLVA warning that new code could have ‘unintended’ results

24-Jan-2013 By Michelle Perrett

The Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations (FLVA) claims there will be “unintended consequences” if the Government fails to regulate against tied pubcos with less than 500 pubs.

Comment: Greg Mulholland MP on the pubcos’ double ‘rip off’

17-Jan-2013 By Greg Mulholland MP

Well, it has finally happened. After eight years, four select committee reports, thousands of hours of campaigning and reams of claim and counterclaim: the UK is going to have a statutory code of practice for the big pub-owning companies.

Parliament pubco debate: BISC chair warns that statutory code will not solve all pub trade problems

09-Jan-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The chair of the select committee looking into the pubco-tenant relationship has warned that a statutory code will not solve all the problems in the trade.

Statutory code: Large pubcos could shift back to old-fashioned tenancies to avoid regulation

08-Jan-2013 By Michelle Perrett

Large pubcos could shift back to the old-fashioned tenanted model if the Government fails to implement its statutory code correctly, BII chairman Bernard Brindley has warned.

Labour announces half-day debate on pubco-tenant regulation

20-Dec-2012 By Adam Pescod

Labour is to use its first Opposition Day Debate of 2013 to discuss the issue of pubco-tenant regulation, the PMA can exclusively reveal.

BISC: A round-up of the pubco-tenant debate

19-Jan-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Government’s response to the BISC came under scrutiny in a Commons debate last week. Here are some of the MPs’ comments

Pubcos fail to act decisively on reforms

30-Sep-2011 By Ewan Turney & The PMA Team

Anyone who witnessed the last Business, Innovation & Skills Committee hearing in July could see that the report was only ever heading one way.

BISC: Enterprise Inns believes code already addresses MPs concerns

22-Sep-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Enterprise Inns says its code of practice covering its relationship with tenants already addresses the concerns of MPs, and has warned that a statutory code would add prove a burden for the industry.

BISC: BBPA claims statutory code will close more pubs

20-Sep-2011 By Ewan Turney

The British Beer and Pub Association has hit back at the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, claiming its recommendations for a statutory code of practice will lead to more pub closures.

BISC calls for statutory pubco code of practice

20-Sep-2011 By Ewan Turney

Industry self regulation has failed and there should now be a statutory code of practice for tenanted pubcos — that is the recommendation of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee.

FLVA supports statutory code move

09-Jun-2011 By Ewan Turney

One of the key signatories to the industry voluntary code of practice framework has said it must be replaced by a statutory code.

Pubcos grilled on statutory code

08-Jun-2011 By Ewan Turney & Michelle Perrett

Senior pubco executives were grilled on the need for a statutory code of practice to govern the pubco-tenant relationship at yesterday's meeting of...

Gov't nonsense must be ruthlessly exposed

17-Oct-2008 By John Grogan

Is now the best time for a statutory code of practice, asks Labour MP John Grogan.