It's good to hear from someone with a positive experience of a BDM. It sounds rather as if there's a reason for your BDM to be helpful. Like his salary or bonus package is directly related to your improved performance. It's in his interests for you to do well.

You might think, you probably do, that logically, all BDM's are in the same position. It would be counter intuitive to think that they would stand in the way of progress. BUT. Mine have not been Development or Relationship managers or anything like it. . As I said above, the only one who's been reliable and straight with me on any level was the woman. If anything I'd say (and this is not a wind up) they throw barriers in the way and suppress positive initiative and success.

When I recently did a major refurb on my place I put a new bar in - now obviously cellar services have to be involved - fitting pythons, fonts, beer engines, coolers and the rest - and the BDM commission the work, I believe this comes out of their annual budget, or the work will not get done. I arranged all this meticulously with my BDM before he went on holiday. He PROMISED me that he had done everything to get the whole lot in on time and coordinated with my schedule of works. This was all three weeks before due time for the bar to be installed - and we were due to open two days after the bar was put in - and we had Christmas bookings for the second day after re-opening so timing was absolutely critical.

I just KNEW he hadn't done it. I just KNEW it. Honestly I just had a feeling when he rang me to reassure me that everything was in hand, I just knew it wasn't going to happen. So the week after he went on holiday I called cellar services and asked about the job having been booked in. They said they couldn’t tell me - that kind of work is a different department and they couldn't give me that number because it was all contracted out work and we had to go through - yes. The BDM. I rang PubCo office and they told me that I should have organised this before BDM went on holiday. I asked for the number for technical services. They said there's no point calling them because they can’t do anything without the BDM's instruction. Give me the number of the regional director then. We don't give out senior management numbers, we're instructed not to.

So guess how I got the number? I called the beer font manufacturer / supplier and asked them who fitted their pumps for my PubCo. And then told them the story - they knew me because I've bought fonts from them before and had several on order for this refit (my PubCo wouldn't pay for or supply anything but their own ugly fat cheap fonts that didn't have enough taps but that is yet another story) and they sympathised with my predicament. So I called the technician office and they confirmed that nothing had been booked in for my pub - this was the first they'd heard of it. So I asked about availability of their people they said they need three weeks notice... and so on but they were helpful

So back to PubCo. I want the regional director's number - and this is why I need to speak to him. Still no joy. I then remembered that I used to have this guy’s number from about six years ago and found it in an old diary. I tried it, it rang and it was him... between us we got it sorted out and the survey was done and the fitters came and we got open one day later than planned. But I’d planned for that anyway. So it was fine. But that Business Development Manager cost me about four or five hours on the 'phone and a lot, I mean a lot, of stress.

I'm not entirely clear what the substantive difference between a tenant and lessee is.

Can all you experienced people tell me please?