Roundtable between the Pubs Code Adjudicator and Code Compliance Officers - September 2024
Notes of the meeting held in Birmingham, September 2024. Organised by the PCA to gather, generate or disseminate good practice ideas and examples to support mutual learning across pub companies, and to discuss data and activities in advance of the 2025 Statutory Review. This was the first roundtable of a programme into 2025.
Objective of the roundtable
Organised by the PCA to gather, generate or disseminate good practice ideas and examples to support mutual learning across pub companies, and to discuss data and activities in advance of the 2025 Statutory Review. This was the first roundtable of a programme into 2025.
Attendees
Pippa Edwards (Stonegate), Donna Gracey (Punch), Claire Coley (Marston’s), Julie Jolly (Greene King), Lynne Winter (Star Pubs), Scott Saunders (Admiral) and Fiona Dickie (the Pubs Code Adjudicator) and staff from the PCA office.
Key points
1. Overall role of the roundtable
The PCA and Code Compliance Officers met to discuss the identification and generation of good practice across pub companies, that supports Code compliance and in the context of the next Statutory Review. Attendees agreed to meet regularly throughout 2025 on a variety of topics. Next roundtable will focus on the role of the CCO in increasing and improving tenant awareness of Pub Code rights.
2. Evidence of Code impact and best practice
The Code Compliance Officers and the PCA identified and discussed new or additional indicators and data sources that might provide evidence of the Code’s impact on the market. Discussions covered whether data might be available pre and post code as well as potential indicators such as tied tenancy duration, pre-entry training take-up, complaints and dispute data, and MRO. Data on the number of agreements with MRO rights (at review and renewal) could assist in understanding take up of MRO rights. PCA to request this from POBs at this point and in future compliance reports.
3. Tenant Engagement
The group discussed how to improve tenant engagement and raise awareness of the Pubs Code. Challenges include reduced opportunities for face-to-face interactions post-Covid and varying levels of tenant interest in receiving information. While all pub companies release information and continually signpost information to tenants about the Pubs Code, not all of it is badged as “Pubs Code”; it is possible this has an impact on tenant awareness/understanding. The group agreed on the need for more proactive approaches to tenant engagement, including exploring new communication channels and leveraging existing networks. All parties committed to increasing efforts to promote the PCA’s MRO questionnaire and enhance tenant understanding of their rights under the Code.
4. Common terms in free of tie tenancies
The group discussed whether further work might be needed to identify common terms in the free of tie market. The PCA is continuing to consider this issue.
5. Short agreements
CCOs agreed to work together to highlight common ways in which they work with tenants on short agreements or tenancies at will. The aim is to release a short overview in 2025 which will increase tenant understanding on this important topic.