Mulholland seeks free-of-tie name change
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90984
It's interesting how the line up for evidence to BISC has not one pubco employee in it. Rob May was there but pulled out, cancelled, withdrew, was omitted at the last minute, bowed out because of other commitments, whatever, he's not there now leaving only people on the outside to feed into the process.
Brigid BBPA and Neil BII will be there next week but they are just the shell on the outside and not the pubcos' soft underbelly.
Where are Tuppen, Townsend; Whiteside; Darby; Findlay; Neame; Anand and Et Al in this round of investigation into the tied beer model?
Could it be they are concerned that their unsupportable position has finally come home to roost? The MPs have got up to speed enough with all the nuances that they are able to ask questions that can't be side stepped?
Remember that one in 2008 where a notable pubco boss said that Beer Monitoring Equipment could tell the difference between beer and water. Hohohohoho. Understandably no one on the Select Committee was up to speed enough to rumble that until after by which time the pubcos were off the hook for another couple of years.
Now 'Free of Tie OPTION' sounds good but the panel members know not to take anything at face value and will expose the phrase for being just that. Empty words.
It's almost as if the Top Brass of the pubcos finally believer there's nowheere left to hide behind their Emperor's New Clothes and are taking the least risky route which is to annoy the government by not appearing in public at all. If they aren't there to answer questions at the Hearings they cannot be rumbled and, hopefully, the BISC will give them the benefit of the doubt.
Watch out for low flying Recommendations targeting the tie.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Story posted by 'tenant' on MA forum
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/99528
In the summer of 2002 we agreed a 10 year deal with Unique pubco, which after a short while extended to a 30 year voyager lease in view of the positive business relationship, within a short period of time we decided to invest a substantial amount into developing the business further, using family savings and business bank loans thus committing to long term trading at the premises.
After increasing the barrelage considerably our BRM/RM tenant relationship continued in a positive fashion.........That is until a bombshell !! our RM informed us that he would be leaving as he could not agree with the policies of the new company who had just taken over Unique pubco he then introduced us to his replacement, just as we were becoming acquainted she then informed us that she would be leaving and introduced us to her replacement who after a short while took sick leave with a nervous breakdown !! In between this our new landlords informed us brulines were coming to install their monitoring equipment, so after our short few year honeymoon period the real face of pubco tenant relationship exposed itself.
We then had a new senior regional area manager who was a much use as ...........anyway lets move on, after agreeing to a full cellar refit we advised brulines to hold back for a couple of weeks as we were having a full refit, in their wisdom they chose to ignore this advice needless to say that they immediately turned up at the premises unannounced demanding access to the cellar, on doing so they were quite rude and arrogant whilst accusing us of sabotaging their equipment regardless of the fact that it was quite obvious the cellar techs had cheerily snipped away at all their monitoring equipment and dumped into a corner of the cellar.
Search forums
My details
My inbox
Morning Advertiser Forums
Author Name Opinion Reply
tenant 27/06/2011 13:07:51
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
For around four months after the new "upgraded" brulines installation we received several unpleasant visits from brulines engineers and enforcers who used extremely sarcastic andaccusatory attitudes to continually accuse us of tampering with their equipment, looking back it would appear that this was the beginning of the end of our "business partnership" with our new pubco landlords, we had no choice but to defend ourselves from the unpleasant accusations thrown at us, during the previous few years there had never been any question of wrong doings until this time.
After witnessing the demoralising effect the visits were having on staff and family I undertook a thorough assessment of the premises and what could be causing the discrepancies to warrant their aggressive and arrogant behaviour towards us.........Bingo !!!! I found the cause in their installation mistakes the brulines monitoring system had been wired up to an old metered pump circuit which meant after turning lights of at night it switched off their system. We had been verbally abused and frequently accused of buying out and also tampering with their system because brulines had not researched the property, had they done so it would have been obvious that the accusations of blocking their system most weekends and bank holidays was self explanatory due to the Industrial estate location of the premises and their installation mistakes.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:08:48
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Our new area manager took extended sick leave then left leaving us with a new female RM who also moved on returning us back to the senior regional manager, who persuaded us to open a neighbouring premises on a TAW, a long and complicated episode but one that almost resulted in my death due to an incident relating to faulty electrics "after their inspection" several emails at HQ in the midlands on file for this we eventually handed the keys back for this one without issues or compensatory penalties. This building has since been sold along with almost all our neighbouring pubs. The new owners are frequently offering a FOT deal without building responsibilities which we are seriously considering as we can redirect all the majority of existing customers to this.
Eventually we are introduced to yet another area manager who turned out to be quite resourceful and helpful even to the point that he recognised that we were the only pub left on his books for that area and would be recommending it for disposal, also that we should register our interest in the building, great news we thought !!!!!!
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:11:25
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
almost immediately after that we received several visits from brulines resulting in a fine which was taken from our account regardless of our evidence and protests,
for the first time during our tenancy we came unstuck due to seven coaches turning up unexpectedly, because of this we emptied our cellar of stock and called in favours of people we had lent to in the past, we received our previous stock back plus more, something that had gone on from day one with the knowledge of our BDM except on this occasion the amount was more, we eventually balanced it out, unfortunately brulines refused to accept this and treated it as a breach of the agreement, we sent emails and letters denying their findings and refused permission to access our account, needless to say they did so anyway, the premises has since fallen away and is only trading to survive, the property has now been de listed for disposal and without an active retail partnership and with dis incentivised tenants it has simply stagnated.
The area manager sympathised with our situation and only for his honesty and straight forward talking he convinced us to work with him, another premises had closed down and he asked us to consider it, as a proof of trust he offered the keys to the premises which we had for a week, during this time we had complete access to the premises without restrictions, after a series of discussions and promise of ongoing support we eventually decided to re open it on TAW
edited by: tenant at: 27/06/2011 13:12:25
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:12:33
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Almost immediately this RM was transferred to another area leaving us without a dedicated area manager with which to continue our business discussions, after a short while we were eventually introduced to our new RM who instantly took sick leave with a nervous breakdown leaving us with yet another temporary RM, our new RM resigned under suspicious circumstances with our Divisional Director shortly to follow. The premises is in serious need of decoration, has crumbling and dangerous stairs to the cellar, faulty electrics, leaking roof, broken drainage and faulty ventilation in the gents basement toilets, customers regularly complain or abuse staff.
We end up with a temporary area manager who informs us the main focus of his job is in estates disposals, this does not bode well for any retail partnership, the discussions breakdown and he becomes evasive and restrictive even refusing us permission to redecorate, we then get a new Divisional Director ex JD Wetherspoons and eventually another new RM ex Marstons who also instantly recognises our other premises as a recommendation for disposal, he was experienced and resourceful and knew the area from his Marston days, unfortunately he too moved on, leaving us back to the temporary stand in RM from estates disposals ex Punch. Eventually frustrations take over and we request a meeting to discuss future and past issues, during this meeting it is revealed that the stand in disposals RM actually intervened to put a stop on any progress six months previously, so in effect we had been subsidising their building with our savings as unpaid caretakers whilst being restricted from full trading opportunities. This was a severe body blow and needless to say, emotions took over and we let him know our feelings of disgust that we had been manipulated in this way.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:13:21
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Within a few weeks the new Divisional Director set up another meeting during which he informed us that he had decided we would be given the opportunity to go back to the original deal offered the previous year on a five year non assignable tenancy, we agreed to consider this subject to appropriate compensatory measures for the lost opportunities as unpaid caretakers.
for the next few weeks we experienced several unannounced bruline visits to calibrate their equipment at both premises, the engineers both commented on our cleaning methods of using keg bottles direct as opposed to the cleaning cups on the ring main, a system we have always had in place, at both pubco premises the brulines engineer contacted their HQ indicating that there would be huge variances in their "findings" due to the continued use of individual keg bottles at the premises. One even told us that he hed been instructed to find evidence of tampering, he informed HQ there was no evidence of tampering and he signed the premises off as such then upgraded the premises to a brulines phase tamperproof 2 his final act was to re calibrate the flow meters, on doing so this revealed a massive increase in the number of pulses being used to measure volume through flowmeters since the last calibration which also would create unreliable readings. This resulted in a surprise visit from our stand in manager and the original Brulines officer who accused us of tampering with the original equipment some years ago for which we are still awaiting an apology and thanks for finding the fault in their installation which lead to the accusations.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:14:35
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
On this occasion I allowed full unsupervised access whilst I made our feelings known to the RM responsible for the breakdown in business discussions, his only interest was in administering a brulines fine, they both left the premises laughing ! several weeks later they both arrived unannounced again so on this occasion it became very hostile so we contacted a business advisor who was nearby and is an ex brewery chairman. The RM became agitated and fidgety, constantly shouting and demanding glasses of water, the Brulines officer again inspected the cellar and again could find nothing, this time he was observed and his actions, or lack of, indicated he was only on the premises to issue a fine in his possession, once back in the bar area he too was becoming hostile and agitated whilst waiting for our business advisor.
Almost every product was scrutinised and a look of disappointment pointed at our RM each time he could find no evidence, our business advisor was disgusted at the hostility shown towards us knowing how we had been treated so badly for so long, some members my family were in attendance including my wife who had pressures of her own to deal with and lost her brother the following day, my daughter and grandchildren, finally both the brulines officer and the RM left and we were all flabbergasted at what had just happened and the manner in which it had. it was a hostile and intimidating experience for everyone, one can only imagine how some tenants would crumble under such intimidating tactics if they were subjected to a similar experience but without witnesses to protect them.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:15:18
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
This is a premises that has a history of failed tenants due to excessive overheads, the previous tenant left evidence of letters to their RM pleading for assistance finally resulting in a long drawn out legal battle they ended up giving in and stopped paying any rates, utilities, VAT, rent, etc there is reference to tens of thousands of pounds in brulines fines and several references involving Gosschalks and court cases for buying out plus re possession proceedings, the premises has stagnated for a considerable time without providing any revenue to the pubco it beggars belief that the current RM has only further contributed to to this and has yet to offer one positive to support a retail partnership.
The premises in comparison to neighbouring outlets of the same pubco has, according to the business pub fact information document, has identical trading volumes over the previous six years and has been the lowest volume during current trading yet the rates valuations at the VOA is more than double placing considerable strain on finances, tie release fees offered is also more than double that offered to neighbouring outlets. By comparison we pay over £2000/month for rent and F&F TAW rental plus £1645/month rates yet similar premises nearby are offered £4/month rent and nil £ F&F rental plus almost 60% less rates and 50% less on a tie release fee offer. The busines pub fact sheet shows similar volume in trading patterns over the previous six years.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:16:03
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
The rates appeal is dragging on and shows no indication of being realistic or sympathetic, our constant pleas to the pubco to be treated fairly and equal to it's neighbouring premises appears to falling on deaf ears, other nearby licensees of the estate have become aware of what has been happening and are also becoming demoralised at their own lack of support especially when learning of our experience and what appears to be preferential treatment given to others with exceptional deals of £1 weekly rent plus rates paid whilst refusing to offer any support to existing tenants.
The experience of just one tenant with so many changes in management including two who had to leave due to mental pressures of the job, one forced to leave because of his dislike of company practices, one forced to re locate, one advised to take early retirement, another who commented on the excessive pressures placing too many restrictions on his job requirements he too left.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:16:45
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Serious questions have to raised at the manner in which brulines is being abused to intimidate tenants, we have evidence that the system in our case has not been reliable and had they informed us immediately of any anomalies the situation would have been addressed at the time, instead it has been allowed on each occasion to build up over several months to increase quantities to issue a level of fines enough to justify their existence, this practice can only lead to breakdown in trust and demoralise tenants, questions also have to be raised in the severe damage that the VOA is doing to the industry with it's methodology used in valuing premises, just how many premises are closing and is this being engineered to cull the trade ?? how can similar trading premises in terms of profit related volumes and trading areas have such huge variances in valuations.
The frequent comparisons of failed and successful operators show no understanding of the truth behind why some with the right support levels and operational costs succeed and others without any support levels and unnecessary and excessive operational costs fail.
Corporates by their own nature are only focused on liabilities to shareholders and bondholders hence the impersonal and dismissive attitudes towards the lifeblood of the companies, it is the Tenants who provide the revenue streams to make it possible, by alienating them it only lights the fuse of the ticking financial time bomb which is set for self destruction.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:17:32
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
In truth the failed fiscal wizardry of recent years which abused the revenue streams and the business model which built up the estates has created a meltdown of the industry, even adding to the recent methodology used by the VOA to give false property valuations forcing closure on many. The VOA is now inundated with appeals, there is real danger of this new methodology changing attitudes within the industry and many will fail in the appeals process due to this. The traditional Pub ( not gastro pub or pub restaurant ) is and has always been an important part of the local communities, mostly they sustain local employment, services, rates, suppliers etc tenants are the lifeblood of this sector of the industry, by comparison managed houses do not use local supplies with many bringing in employees from outside the premises catchment area and supplies delivered from national distribution centers, the longer this is allowed to happen the stronger the management sector will become which in turn will add further pressures to the future of the tenanted sector.
One of our other premises has a rates bill of £1375/month whilst another premises 40 yards away with a higher volume has a rates bill of £46/month ( no that is not a type error ! ) and larger trading areas.
Story posted by 'tenant' on MA forum
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/99528
In the summer of 2002 we agreed a 10 year deal with Unique pubco, which after a short while extended to a 30 year voyager lease in view of the positive business relationship, within a short period of time we decided to invest a substantial amount into developing the business further, using family savings and business bank loans thus committing to long term trading at the premises.
After increasing the barrelage considerably our BRM/RM tenant relationship continued in a positive fashion.........That is until a bombshell !! our RM informed us that he would be leaving as he could not agree with the policies of the new company who had just taken over Unique pubco he then introduced us to his replacement, just as we were becoming acquainted she then informed us that she would be leaving and introduced us to her replacement who after a short while took sick leave with a nervous breakdown !! In between this our new landlords informed us brulines were coming to install their monitoring equipment, so after our short few year honeymoon period the real face of pubco tenant relationship exposed itself.
We then had a new senior regional area manager who was a much use as ...........anyway lets move on, after agreeing to a full cellar refit we advised brulines to hold back for a couple of weeks as we were having a full refit, in their wisdom they chose to ignore this advice needless to say that they immediately turned up at the premises unannounced demanding access to the cellar, on doing so they were quite rude and arrogant whilst accusing us of sabotaging their equipment regardless of the fact that it was quite obvious the cellar techs had cheerily snipped away at all their monitoring equipment and dumped into a corner of the cellar.
Search forums
My details
My inbox
Morning Advertiser Forums
Author Name Opinion Reply
tenant 27/06/2011 13:07:51
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
For around four months after the new "upgraded" brulines installation we received several unpleasant visits from brulines engineers and enforcers who used extremely sarcastic andaccusatory attitudes to continually accuse us of tampering with their equipment, looking back it would appear that this was the beginning of the end of our "business partnership" with our new pubco landlords, we had no choice but to defend ourselves from the unpleasant accusations thrown at us, during the previous few years there had never been any question of wrong doings until this time.
After witnessing the demoralising effect the visits were having on staff and family I undertook a thorough assessment of the premises and what could be causing the discrepancies to warrant their aggressive and arrogant behaviour towards us.........Bingo !!!! I found the cause in their installation mistakes the brulines monitoring system had been wired up to an old metered pump circuit which meant after turning lights of at night it switched off their system. We had been verbally abused and frequently accused of buying out and also tampering with their system because brulines had not researched the property, had they done so it would have been obvious that the accusations of blocking their system most weekends and bank holidays was self explanatory due to the Industrial estate location of the premises and their installation mistakes.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:08:48
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Our new area manager took extended sick leave then left leaving us with a new female RM who also moved on returning us back to the senior regional manager, who persuaded us to open a neighbouring premises on a TAW, a long and complicated episode but one that almost resulted in my death due to an incident relating to faulty electrics "after their inspection" several emails at HQ in the midlands on file for this we eventually handed the keys back for this one without issues or compensatory penalties. This building has since been sold along with almost all our neighbouring pubs. The new owners are frequently offering a FOT deal without building responsibilities which we are seriously considering as we can redirect all the majority of existing customers to this.
Eventually we are introduced to yet another area manager who turned out to be quite resourceful and helpful even to the point that he recognised that we were the only pub left on his books for that area and would be recommending it for disposal, also that we should register our interest in the building, great news we thought !!!!!!
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:11:25
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
almost immediately after that we received several visits from brulines resulting in a fine which was taken from our account regardless of our evidence and protests,
for the first time during our tenancy we came unstuck due to seven coaches turning up unexpectedly, because of this we emptied our cellar of stock and called in favours of people we had lent to in the past, we received our previous stock back plus more, something that had gone on from day one with the knowledge of our BDM except on this occasion the amount was more, we eventually balanced it out, unfortunately brulines refused to accept this and treated it as a breach of the agreement, we sent emails and letters denying their findings and refused permission to access our account, needless to say they did so anyway, the premises has since fallen away and is only trading to survive, the property has now been de listed for disposal and without an active retail partnership and with dis incentivised tenants it has simply stagnated.
The area manager sympathised with our situation and only for his honesty and straight forward talking he convinced us to work with him, another premises had closed down and he asked us to consider it, as a proof of trust he offered the keys to the premises which we had for a week, during this time we had complete access to the premises without restrictions, after a series of discussions and promise of ongoing support we eventually decided to re open it on TAW
edited by: tenant at: 27/06/2011 13:12:25
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:12:33
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Almost immediately this RM was transferred to another area leaving us without a dedicated area manager with which to continue our business discussions, after a short while we were eventually introduced to our new RM who instantly took sick leave with a nervous breakdown leaving us with yet another temporary RM, our new RM resigned under suspicious circumstances with our Divisional Director shortly to follow. The premises is in serious need of decoration, has crumbling and dangerous stairs to the cellar, faulty electrics, leaking roof, broken drainage and faulty ventilation in the gents basement toilets, customers regularly complain or abuse staff.
We end up with a temporary area manager who informs us the main focus of his job is in estates disposals, this does not bode well for any retail partnership, the discussions breakdown and he becomes evasive and restrictive even refusing us permission to redecorate, we then get a new Divisional Director ex JD Wetherspoons and eventually another new RM ex Marstons who also instantly recognises our other premises as a recommendation for disposal, he was experienced and resourceful and knew the area from his Marston days, unfortunately he too moved on, leaving us back to the temporary stand in RM from estates disposals ex Punch. Eventually frustrations take over and we request a meeting to discuss future and past issues, during this meeting it is revealed that the stand in disposals RM actually intervened to put a stop on any progress six months previously, so in effect we had been subsidising their building with our savings as unpaid caretakers whilst being restricted from full trading opportunities. This was a severe body blow and needless to say, emotions took over and we let him know our feelings of disgust that we had been manipulated in this way.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:13:21
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Within a few weeks the new Divisional Director set up another meeting during which he informed us that he had decided we would be given the opportunity to go back to the original deal offered the previous year on a five year non assignable tenancy, we agreed to consider this subject to appropriate compensatory measures for the lost opportunities as unpaid caretakers.
for the next few weeks we experienced several unannounced bruline visits to calibrate their equipment at both premises, the engineers both commented on our cleaning methods of using keg bottles direct as opposed to the cleaning cups on the ring main, a system we have always had in place, at both pubco premises the brulines engineer contacted their HQ indicating that there would be huge variances in their "findings" due to the continued use of individual keg bottles at the premises. One even told us that he hed been instructed to find evidence of tampering, he informed HQ there was no evidence of tampering and he signed the premises off as such then upgraded the premises to a brulines phase tamperproof 2 his final act was to re calibrate the flow meters, on doing so this revealed a massive increase in the number of pulses being used to measure volume through flowmeters since the last calibration which also would create unreliable readings. This resulted in a surprise visit from our stand in manager and the original Brulines officer who accused us of tampering with the original equipment some years ago for which we are still awaiting an apology and thanks for finding the fault in their installation which lead to the accusations.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:14:35
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
On this occasion I allowed full unsupervised access whilst I made our feelings known to the RM responsible for the breakdown in business discussions, his only interest was in administering a brulines fine, they both left the premises laughing ! several weeks later they both arrived unannounced again so on this occasion it became very hostile so we contacted a business advisor who was nearby and is an ex brewery chairman. The RM became agitated and fidgety, constantly shouting and demanding glasses of water, the Brulines officer again inspected the cellar and again could find nothing, this time he was observed and his actions, or lack of, indicated he was only on the premises to issue a fine in his possession, once back in the bar area he too was becoming hostile and agitated whilst waiting for our business advisor.
Almost every product was scrutinised and a look of disappointment pointed at our RM each time he could find no evidence, our business advisor was disgusted at the hostility shown towards us knowing how we had been treated so badly for so long, some members my family were in attendance including my wife who had pressures of her own to deal with and lost her brother the following day, my daughter and grandchildren, finally both the brulines officer and the RM left and we were all flabbergasted at what had just happened and the manner in which it had. it was a hostile and intimidating experience for everyone, one can only imagine how some tenants would crumble under such intimidating tactics if they were subjected to a similar experience but without witnesses to protect them.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:15:18
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
This is a premises that has a history of failed tenants due to excessive overheads, the previous tenant left evidence of letters to their RM pleading for assistance finally resulting in a long drawn out legal battle they ended up giving in and stopped paying any rates, utilities, VAT, rent, etc there is reference to tens of thousands of pounds in brulines fines and several references involving Gosschalks and court cases for buying out plus re possession proceedings, the premises has stagnated for a considerable time without providing any revenue to the pubco it beggars belief that the current RM has only further contributed to to this and has yet to offer one positive to support a retail partnership.
The premises in comparison to neighbouring outlets of the same pubco has, according to the business pub fact information document, has identical trading volumes over the previous six years and has been the lowest volume during current trading yet the rates valuations at the VOA is more than double placing considerable strain on finances, tie release fees offered is also more than double that offered to neighbouring outlets. By comparison we pay over £2000/month for rent and F&F TAW rental plus £1645/month rates yet similar premises nearby are offered £4/month rent and nil £ F&F rental plus almost 60% less rates and 50% less on a tie release fee offer. The busines pub fact sheet shows similar volume in trading patterns over the previous six years.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:16:03
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
The rates appeal is dragging on and shows no indication of being realistic or sympathetic, our constant pleas to the pubco to be treated fairly and equal to it's neighbouring premises appears to falling on deaf ears, other nearby licensees of the estate have become aware of what has been happening and are also becoming demoralised at their own lack of support especially when learning of our experience and what appears to be preferential treatment given to others with exceptional deals of £1 weekly rent plus rates paid whilst refusing to offer any support to existing tenants.
The experience of just one tenant with so many changes in management including two who had to leave due to mental pressures of the job, one forced to leave because of his dislike of company practices, one forced to re locate, one advised to take early retirement, another who commented on the excessive pressures placing too many restrictions on his job requirements he too left.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:16:45
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
Serious questions have to raised at the manner in which brulines is being abused to intimidate tenants, we have evidence that the system in our case has not been reliable and had they informed us immediately of any anomalies the situation would have been addressed at the time, instead it has been allowed on each occasion to build up over several months to increase quantities to issue a level of fines enough to justify their existence, this practice can only lead to breakdown in trust and demoralise tenants, questions also have to be raised in the severe damage that the VOA is doing to the industry with it's methodology used in valuing premises, just how many premises are closing and is this being engineered to cull the trade ?? how can similar trading premises in terms of profit related volumes and trading areas have such huge variances in valuations.
The frequent comparisons of failed and successful operators show no understanding of the truth behind why some with the right support levels and operational costs succeed and others without any support levels and unnecessary and excessive operational costs fail.
Corporates by their own nature are only focused on liabilities to shareholders and bondholders hence the impersonal and dismissive attitudes towards the lifeblood of the companies, it is the Tenants who provide the revenue streams to make it possible, by alienating them it only lights the fuse of the ticking financial time bomb which is set for self destruction.
This post replies to this thread
Reply to this Post
Reply to this Thread
Report Post
PM this Author
tenant 27/06/2011 13:17:32
1 Star Rating
Pubco/tenant Meltdown
In truth the failed fiscal wizardry of recent years which abused the revenue streams and the business model which built up the estates has created a meltdown of the industry, even adding to the recent methodology used by the VOA to give false property valuations forcing closure on many. The VOA is now inundated with appeals, there is real danger of this new methodology changing attitudes within the industry and many will fail in the appeals process due to this. The traditional Pub ( not gastro pub or pub restaurant ) is and has always been an important part of the local communities, mostly they sustain local employment, services, rates, suppliers etc tenants are the lifeblood of this sector of the industry, by comparison managed houses do not use local supplies with many bringing in employees from outside the premises catchment area and supplies delivered from national distribution centers, the longer this is allowed to happen the stronger the management sector will become which in turn will add further pressures to the future of the tenanted sector.
One of our other premises has a rates bill of £1375/month whilst another premises 40 yards away with a higher volume has a rates bill of £46/month ( no that is not a type error ! ) and larger trading areas.
Mulholland seeks free-of-tie clarification
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90984
Greg Mulholland doesn't miss a trick. As with the appearance of the Will-o'-the-wisp 'free of tie' assertions of all the pubco poodles at at the All Party Save the Pub Group's questions and answers session a couple of weeks ago the response to this is going to be, as ever with all pubcos, vague, blurred, smudged with a lot of pauses and 'ahems' until eventually someone somewhere will say, quietly hoping the Head Teacher won't hear'
"Well actually, no, there is no 'free of tie option' within any of the Codes of Practice. What we offer is a choice of 'free of tie pricing, balanced against a choice of different levels of rent'.
As Roger Whiteside very clearly stated under pressure at the Q&A, his businesses' very ability 'to survive' would come under threat if a genuine free of tie option were made available to Punch tenants.
Read: 'Please, PLEASE, don't make us make a genuine free of tie option available because suddenly everyone in our estate would take it up, they would keep all the profit instead of giving it to us, and we will be down the white rapids of the Swanee rapido' (implication being that another five thousand pubs would close immediately whereas, in fact, they would just do better while a few suits at PunchCo Towers would be on the job market looking for real jobs..
That's even after Punch sells off the 2,300 pubs that are already in the tied beer business model's knackers yard of course they put them in over the last 20 years.
Trebles All Round Chaps, the M&S touch is working miracles.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90984
Greg Mulholland doesn't miss a trick. As with the appearance of the Will-o'-the-wisp 'free of tie' assertions of all the pubco poodles at at the All Party Save the Pub Group's questions and answers session a couple of weeks ago the response to this is going to be, as ever with all pubcos, vague, blurred, smudged with a lot of pauses and 'ahems' until eventually someone somewhere will say, quietly hoping the Head Teacher won't hear'
"Well actually, no, there is no 'free of tie option' within any of the Codes of Practice. What we offer is a choice of 'free of tie pricing, balanced against a choice of different levels of rent'.
As Roger Whiteside very clearly stated under pressure at the Q&A, his businesses' very ability 'to survive' would come under threat if a genuine free of tie option were made available to Punch tenants.
Read: 'Please, PLEASE, don't make us make a genuine free of tie option available because suddenly everyone in our estate would take it up, they would keep all the profit instead of giving it to us, and we will be down the white rapids of the Swanee rapido' (implication being that another five thousand pubs would close immediately whereas, in fact, they would just do better while a few suits at PunchCo Towers would be on the job market looking for real jobs..
That's even after Punch sells off the 2,300 pubs that are already in the tied beer business model's knackers yard of course they put them in over the last 20 years.
Trebles All Round Chaps, the M&S touch is working miracles.
Fair Pint founder faces eviction from pub
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90972
I'll describe just one instance, of many, of how S&NPC's (read: 'Any Pubco') involvement works in exactly the opposite way to how it ought to:
In 2004 I had an exhibitions programme which was booked up as much as 18 months ahead. It was a very successful thing that constantly introduced new customers to the pub, gave quite a number of artists their first sales and set a couple of them up with their career. Over the years I'd had people such as Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Gavin Turk put work in for group shows. It attracted a lot of press coverage and helped keep my business in the London news. I'd been doing shows since 1995 when I opened, it was one of several USP's which others have taken up and integrated into their pub businesses from scratch.
Because I expected to be put out of business by my September 2005 rent review I began turning people down for exhibitions toward the back end of 2004 and didn't book anything past early 2006. Call me shortsighted, call me irresponsible but I cannot offer commitment to people that I believe I'm unable to deliver on.
If I were a clairvoyant I might have continued with exhibitions - had I realised the rent review and arbitration would take years to come to some kind of stupid resolution which serves no one (except West Register which, as Karl says, is probably looking for vacant possession, I know I would be).
There's not a single aspect of my year to year planning, focus and attention to detail that has not been adversely affected by the way S&NPC handles the lease. They bring NO VALUE to my business, just barriers, hurdles and a general air of pointlessness to the whole thing.
After that there is an abiding, inescapable knowledge that as you get your head down to work your butt off and make the business busier they will always just shaft you even harder at rent review. I'm sick of the lies and deceit that riddle the pub sector, this industry is a farce; a disgrace.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90972
I'll describe just one instance, of many, of how S&NPC's (read: 'Any Pubco') involvement works in exactly the opposite way to how it ought to:
In 2004 I had an exhibitions programme which was booked up as much as 18 months ahead. It was a very successful thing that constantly introduced new customers to the pub, gave quite a number of artists their first sales and set a couple of them up with their career. Over the years I'd had people such as Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Gavin Turk put work in for group shows. It attracted a lot of press coverage and helped keep my business in the London news. I'd been doing shows since 1995 when I opened, it was one of several USP's which others have taken up and integrated into their pub businesses from scratch.
Because I expected to be put out of business by my September 2005 rent review I began turning people down for exhibitions toward the back end of 2004 and didn't book anything past early 2006. Call me shortsighted, call me irresponsible but I cannot offer commitment to people that I believe I'm unable to deliver on.
If I were a clairvoyant I might have continued with exhibitions - had I realised the rent review and arbitration would take years to come to some kind of stupid resolution which serves no one (except West Register which, as Karl says, is probably looking for vacant possession, I know I would be).
There's not a single aspect of my year to year planning, focus and attention to detail that has not been adversely affected by the way S&NPC handles the lease. They bring NO VALUE to my business, just barriers, hurdles and a general air of pointlessness to the whole thing.
After that there is an abiding, inescapable knowledge that as you get your head down to work your butt off and make the business busier they will always just shaft you even harder at rent review. I'm sick of the lies and deceit that riddle the pub sector, this industry is a farce; a disgrace.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Hello Mark,
If I've understood correctly, things are not looking good for you at the moment.
I don't know what to say. Again, if I understand correctly, you stand to lose your pub?
I really hope not. If someone like you, with such an understanding of the business
is in such a bad way, it doesn't bode well for the rest of us.
I won't go on as I may be wrong. I hope I am.
Wish I could help, as others, including yourself, have helped me this past eighteen
months or so.
Look after you and yours.
All the very best,
Russ.
Hi Russell
Thanks for the message. Your note of concern is more than enough Russell, I really appreciate it. This is all going to be a step toward the next phase of my life, what that is exactly is not clear but I have a lot of irons in my own fire that I've had on hold because of my interminable trap of in the pub. I don't know where I'm going to live, I'll be on income support with housing benefit - single males are at the bottom of the priority list in housing terms. So it will be interesting, several friends have offered to let me have a room with them if needs be so I'll be OK one way or another.
The story Ewan posted is just about the sum of it. It's straightforward but has taken a long time for S&N to act. I'm massively in debt to them for the back rent and legals for the 2005 rent review. They've been trying to find ways for me to pay them back for two years which all involve going fully tied, having brulines installed and all the usual bullshit I'm simply not going to entertain - they made me in debt by ignoring the FACTS about my business's ability to accommodate a rent increase when all other overheads were going to be going through the roof (as they have just as everyone predicted) and, as I predicted, the increase in rent, which I've been trying to pay since October 2008, has quite simply put the business into permanent loss. So I'm in court Tuesday for forfeiture. I don't have an argument but I'm going to try throwing a spanner in their works just to delay things. Been messing their solicitors around too for fun. When you have nothing to lose it's easy to play with them. They send letters written in ominous terms about costs escalating and I just think 'well, that's interesting, they seem to think that I will be paying these bills when, in fact I will not because I have no money and I have no assets. Their client will be picking up the bill'. They are all utterly incompetent, their work is so easy, no one ever stands up to them and they get lazy working for pubcos, they lack intellectual rigour, struggle to write clearly and haven't any proof reading skills.
Seriously Russell I don't believe it's possible to run a tied pub profitably without under declaring income and running 10-20% off the books. I believe the tie criminalises people as they attempt to stay afloat and the only people it benefits in any way at all are the pubcos because they almost inevitably are the last people whose bills don't get paid. It's just a huge scam. I'm not sure you'd believe the stories we get coming in to Fair Pint from lessees who have been totally royally shafted by the pubcos. They're all the same. Essentially they all behave the same way. Bullies.
I'm working on setting up a radically new type of pubco. It's called The People's Pub Partnership. Putting pubs back at the heart of their communities. If I can make it come off it will sort me out financially - at about a fifth of Simon Townsend's salary and I'll be forever loaded and happy with a level of financial security I've never had before AND more importantly I think it should force a paradigm shift in the way pubs are run, and regarded, that will be something we can be proud of.
There you are, I'm waxing lyrical. Stop it!
How are things with you? What happened to that rent review?
Best
Mark
If I've understood correctly, things are not looking good for you at the moment.
I don't know what to say. Again, if I understand correctly, you stand to lose your pub?
I really hope not. If someone like you, with such an understanding of the business
is in such a bad way, it doesn't bode well for the rest of us.
I won't go on as I may be wrong. I hope I am.
Wish I could help, as others, including yourself, have helped me this past eighteen
months or so.
Look after you and yours.
All the very best,
Russ.
Hi Russell
Thanks for the message. Your note of concern is more than enough Russell, I really appreciate it. This is all going to be a step toward the next phase of my life, what that is exactly is not clear but I have a lot of irons in my own fire that I've had on hold because of my interminable trap of in the pub. I don't know where I'm going to live, I'll be on income support with housing benefit - single males are at the bottom of the priority list in housing terms. So it will be interesting, several friends have offered to let me have a room with them if needs be so I'll be OK one way or another.
The story Ewan posted is just about the sum of it. It's straightforward but has taken a long time for S&N to act. I'm massively in debt to them for the back rent and legals for the 2005 rent review. They've been trying to find ways for me to pay them back for two years which all involve going fully tied, having brulines installed and all the usual bullshit I'm simply not going to entertain - they made me in debt by ignoring the FACTS about my business's ability to accommodate a rent increase when all other overheads were going to be going through the roof (as they have just as everyone predicted) and, as I predicted, the increase in rent, which I've been trying to pay since October 2008, has quite simply put the business into permanent loss. So I'm in court Tuesday for forfeiture. I don't have an argument but I'm going to try throwing a spanner in their works just to delay things. Been messing their solicitors around too for fun. When you have nothing to lose it's easy to play with them. They send letters written in ominous terms about costs escalating and I just think 'well, that's interesting, they seem to think that I will be paying these bills when, in fact I will not because I have no money and I have no assets. Their client will be picking up the bill'. They are all utterly incompetent, their work is so easy, no one ever stands up to them and they get lazy working for pubcos, they lack intellectual rigour, struggle to write clearly and haven't any proof reading skills.
Seriously Russell I don't believe it's possible to run a tied pub profitably without under declaring income and running 10-20% off the books. I believe the tie criminalises people as they attempt to stay afloat and the only people it benefits in any way at all are the pubcos because they almost inevitably are the last people whose bills don't get paid. It's just a huge scam. I'm not sure you'd believe the stories we get coming in to Fair Pint from lessees who have been totally royally shafted by the pubcos. They're all the same. Essentially they all behave the same way. Bullies.
I'm working on setting up a radically new type of pubco. It's called The People's Pub Partnership. Putting pubs back at the heart of their communities. If I can make it come off it will sort me out financially - at about a fifth of Simon Townsend's salary and I'll be forever loaded and happy with a level of financial security I've never had before AND more importantly I think it should force a paradigm shift in the way pubs are run, and regarded, that will be something we can be proud of.
There you are, I'm waxing lyrical. Stop it!
How are things with you? What happened to that rent review?
Best
Mark
Anna Francis Bio Regional 24.06.2011
Dear Anna
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you - my life is nuts at the moment.How did the meeting go? I couldn't make it unfortunately, it was my preferred meeting of the night but had to be at a meet about an evangelical church whose planning permission to change use on a 2000 seat venue in Camberwell wer'e trying to stop. It's really important they don't get it. We NEED a community hub desperately. We also need to raise £4million to buy it etc. You know the stuff.
Thanks for the connection to Richard Snow, I'll get in touch. I'm putting a bid together for UnLtd's Big Venture Challenge to be in next Thursday. The bid is for scoping up the business plan for a three month period - time to research the networks necessary to make the business actually able to expand rapidly and sustainably from start up. Whatever happens with that some aspect of the internships' time and attention could undoubtedly be of great value - your suggestions are excellent, we can take that up in greater detail closer to their appointment.
Thanks for the farm press release, I'll send something out through the Sun and Doves' maillist, perhaps it will attract interest from more individuals. Sorry but I'm struggling with who Conrad is? Remind me. By the way, you SHOULD be obsessed about the farm proposition, it's a great idea.
Best.
IN response to: Hi Mark,
Good to chat on Monday - the People's Pub idea is really exciting and I'd be up for helping in any way. The person I've mainly been dealing with at Plunkett is Richard Snow: richard.snow@plunkett.co.uk - they're really excellent and can provide support on legal structures etc. I'm sure they'd be keen on PP too. We've also got three interns potentially starting in the next few months and I'd be happy to get them to start doing some background research (e.g. case studies of low carbon retrofit, community pub structures or anything else) if that would be useful?
Dear Anna
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you - my life is nuts at the moment.How did the meeting go? I couldn't make it unfortunately, it was my preferred meeting of the night but had to be at a meet about an evangelical church whose planning permission to change use on a 2000 seat venue in Camberwell wer'e trying to stop. It's really important they don't get it. We NEED a community hub desperately. We also need to raise £4million to buy it etc. You know the stuff.
Thanks for the connection to Richard Snow, I'll get in touch. I'm putting a bid together for UnLtd's Big Venture Challenge to be in next Thursday. The bid is for scoping up the business plan for a three month period - time to research the networks necessary to make the business actually able to expand rapidly and sustainably from start up. Whatever happens with that some aspect of the internships' time and attention could undoubtedly be of great value - your suggestions are excellent, we can take that up in greater detail closer to their appointment.
Thanks for the farm press release, I'll send something out through the Sun and Doves' maillist, perhaps it will attract interest from more individuals. Sorry but I'm struggling with who Conrad is? Remind me. By the way, you SHOULD be obsessed about the farm proposition, it's a great idea.
Best.
IN response to: Hi Mark,
Good to chat on Monday - the People's Pub idea is really exciting and I'd be up for helping in any way. The person I've mainly been dealing with at Plunkett is Richard Snow: richard.snow@plunkett.co.uk - they're really excellent and can provide support on legal structures etc. I'm sure they'd be keen on PP too. We've also got three interns potentially starting in the next few months and I'd be happy to get them to start doing some background research (e.g. case studies of low carbon retrofit, community pub structures or anything else) if that would be useful?
Links to articles related to my eviction
Morning Advertiser article: Fair Pint founder faces eviction from pub http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90972
Daily Express: RACE TO BEAT CLOSING TIME: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/254595/Race-to-beat-closing-time
BISC pubcos article MA: http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90971
Robert Sayle's blog MA: BISC calls preliminary meeting http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90808
Morning Advertiser article: Fair Pint founder faces eviction from pub http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90972
Daily Express: RACE TO BEAT CLOSING TIME: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/254595/Race-to-beat-closing-time
BISC pubcos article MA: http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90971
Robert Sayle's blog MA: BISC calls preliminary meeting http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90808
Facebook to Charlie McVeigh
25.06.2011
Hi Charlie. I'd appreciate it if you could find some time for a discussion. I have an idea. It's called the People's Pub Partnership. In principle it's rather like what you are doing with Draft House but designed to be on a very large scale... as a social enterprise rather than a private company. It's by line is 'putting pubs back at the heart of their communities'. It aims to correct the damage the tied pubcos have done to the pub industry and the British social landscape. It will need a lot of infrastructure, supply chain, purchasing and logistics expertise at every level - with the best industry training possible. It will be an employee owned organisation operating under a constitution akin to John Lewis's. I've got a lot of high level support from within the pub industry - CAMRA, BII and etc and John Lewis are supporting it with discussion around corporate structure. I'm mapping out the essentils of the business plan which, you will understand is new territory to me, having only operated at a small level. I work on the premise that an accountant and a solicitor can set up the two biggest pubcos in Britain then a publican can do the same but a lot better, especially when it will be the accountants and legals who will be jumping to the tune of the publican javascript:void(0)rather than the other way round. I'd very much appreciate your view on this. Jason Evers has been meaning to introduce us for a long time by the way.
Hope to hear from you.
By the way I'm in court for a forfeiture hearing over the Sun and Doves this Tuesday and am busy writing a bid for UnLtd's Big Venture Challenge which has to be in by Thursday. This week is busy!
Best wishes
Mark Dodds
25.06.2011
Hi Charlie. I'd appreciate it if you could find some time for a discussion. I have an idea. It's called the People's Pub Partnership. In principle it's rather like what you are doing with Draft House but designed to be on a very large scale... as a social enterprise rather than a private company. It's by line is 'putting pubs back at the heart of their communities'. It aims to correct the damage the tied pubcos have done to the pub industry and the British social landscape. It will need a lot of infrastructure, supply chain, purchasing and logistics expertise at every level - with the best industry training possible. It will be an employee owned organisation operating under a constitution akin to John Lewis's. I've got a lot of high level support from within the pub industry - CAMRA, BII and etc and John Lewis are supporting it with discussion around corporate structure. I'm mapping out the essentils of the business plan which, you will understand is new territory to me, having only operated at a small level. I work on the premise that an accountant and a solicitor can set up the two biggest pubcos in Britain then a publican can do the same but a lot better, especially when it will be the accountants and legals who will be jumping to the tune of the publican javascript:void(0)rather than the other way round. I'd very much appreciate your view on this. Jason Evers has been meaning to introduce us for a long time by the way.
Hope to hear from you.
By the way I'm in court for a forfeiture hearing over the Sun and Doves this Tuesday and am busy writing a bid for UnLtd's Big Venture Challenge which has to be in by Thursday. This week is busy!
Best wishes
Mark Dodds
Facebook Event
Spread the Word: Pubcos and Banks don't know how to run a tea party in a brewery.
Today at 15:58
Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (the intransigent pubco) and West Register (faceless property giant aka Royal Bank of Scotland) have got The Sun and Doves over a barrel - along with most of the other pubs their 'tied business model' is rapidly failing.
If you care about pubs, raise awareness of the damage that pubcos are doing to pubs all over Britain.
The Government's Business Innovation Skills committee is meeting next week to look at exactly this situation of relationships between pub tenants and their avaricious asset stripping landlords.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90971
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90808
To appear in court on forfeiture proceedings on The Sun and Doves
Spread the Word: Pubcos and Banks don't know how to run a tea party in a brewery.
Today at 15:58
Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (the intransigent pubco) and West Register (faceless property giant aka Royal Bank of Scotland) have got The Sun and Doves over a barrel - along with most of the other pubs their 'tied business model' is rapidly failing.
If you care about pubs, raise awareness of the damage that pubcos are doing to pubs all over Britain.
The Government's Business Innovation Skills committee is meeting next week to look at exactly this situation of relationships between pub tenants and their avaricious asset stripping landlords.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90971
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/90808
To appear in court on forfeiture proceedings on The Sun and Doves
Thanks for the support Anita. You CAN help! PLEASE spread the word - just get as many people as possible to know what's happening to pubs right across the UK. It's everywhere. It's been growing for two decades and is now making a hole in Britain. It's damaging to communities it's destroying our landscape, tradition and heritage.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Perhaps to consult or be involved if you think it has legs. It's ambitious but the only thing to prevent it happening is that may not be possible to bring a strong enough network of creative people with the right kind of vision and skills that are essential to making it work.
The models for the meechanics for controlling rapidly exanding pub estates exist, the supply chains, the infrastructure, the economy of scale are all out there working already, what's needed is a change of ethos and governance, focused on making a very efficient and profitable pub business by concentrating on being the best in the market at whatever types of pubs are being operated.
Thanks Dave
I wonder whether you might be interested to have a discussion about this? I'd appreciate your view. It's going to take a lot to make it work but it's definitely achievable if the right people are driving it. It will be a radically different beast from the pubcos we know and love to hate. And will be more profitable and will be sustainable. And create a pradigm shift in the pub industry.
What do you say?
Best
Mark
The models for the meechanics for controlling rapidly exanding pub estates exist, the supply chains, the infrastructure, the economy of scale are all out there working already, what's needed is a change of ethos and governance, focused on making a very efficient and profitable pub business by concentrating on being the best in the market at whatever types of pubs are being operated.
Thanks Dave
I wonder whether you might be interested to have a discussion about this? I'd appreciate your view. It's going to take a lot to make it work but it's definitely achievable if the right people are driving it. It will be a radically different beast from the pubcos we know and love to hate. And will be more profitable and will be sustainable. And create a pradigm shift in the pub industry.
What do you say?
Best
Mark
Facebook
THE SUN AND DOVES Please help get the word around, it will do the pub industry good to know about this. The cultural and physical landscape of the UK is being significantly eroded by the implosion of the pub sector through abuse of power by pubcos over their tenants. It's a national scandal which is damaging society. The perpetrators walk off scot free with £millions while thousands of individual lessees see their careers, homes and lives destroyed as their lose everything and are chucked out for the State to pick up the pieces. The Working Family Tax Credits for the pub industry must run into tens of £millions - BEFORE they get kicked out into the street and become another statistic claiming housing benefit. Taxpayers are subsidising the very people who are destroying our national heritage.
Please help get the word around, it will do the pub industry good to know about this. The cultural and physical landscape of the UK is being significantly eroded by the implosion of the pub sector through abuse of power by pubcos over their tenants. It's a national scandal which is damaging society. The perpetrators walk off scot free with £millions while thousands of individual lessees see their careers, homes and lives destroyed as their lose everything and are chucked out for the State to pick up the pieces. The Working Family Tax Credits for the pub industry must run into tens of £millions - BEFORE they get kicked out into the street and become another statistic claiming housing benefit. Taxpayers are subsidising the very people who are destroying our national heritage.
A few seconds ago · Like
THE SUN AND DOVES Please help get the word around, it will do the pub industry good to know about this. The cultural and physical landscape of the UK is being significantly eroded by the implosion of the pub sector through abuse of power by pubcos over their tenants. It's a national scandal which is damaging society. The perpetrators walk off scot free with £millions while thousands of individual lessees see their careers, homes and lives destroyed as their lose everything and are chucked out for the State to pick up the pieces. The Working Family Tax Credits for the pub industry must run into tens of £millions - BEFORE they get kicked out into the street and become another statistic claiming housing benefit. Taxpayers are subsidising the very people who are destroying our national heritage.
Please help get the word around, it will do the pub industry good to know about this. The cultural and physical landscape of the UK is being significantly eroded by the implosion of the pub sector through abuse of power by pubcos over their tenants. It's a national scandal which is damaging society. The perpetrators walk off scot free with £millions while thousands of individual lessees see their careers, homes and lives destroyed as their lose everything and are chucked out for the State to pick up the pieces. The Working Family Tax Credits for the pub industry must run into tens of £millions - BEFORE they get kicked out into the street and become another statistic claiming housing benefit. Taxpayers are subsidising the very people who are destroying our national heritage.
A few seconds ago · Like
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Punch licensees share pub business ideas
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90921
How about: "your payroll seems a bit heavy, have you looked at your shift patterns? It looks like you've got too many staff when there's not very many customers."
Or: "Have you thought about upscaling your coffee offer? Could you attract more customers if you offered a wider range, with syrups maybe?"
Or: "Do you understand your product mix? Your price point on premium lagers seems a bit generous. Have you thought about offering bar snacks that complement your beers"
Or "Would you like some support with marketing and promotions? We have a great range of tent cards you can use."
Or: "Have you thought about getting your customers interested in coming to a regular Wii evening?"
Stuff like that. Invaluable. Incalculable stupidity.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90921
How about: "your payroll seems a bit heavy, have you looked at your shift patterns? It looks like you've got too many staff when there's not very many customers."
Or: "Have you thought about upscaling your coffee offer? Could you attract more customers if you offered a wider range, with syrups maybe?"
Or: "Do you understand your product mix? Your price point on premium lagers seems a bit generous. Have you thought about offering bar snacks that complement your beers"
Or "Would you like some support with marketing and promotions? We have a great range of tent cards you can use."
Or: "Have you thought about getting your customers interested in coming to a regular Wii evening?"
Stuff like that. Invaluable. Incalculable stupidity.
MP meets Enterprise boss over pub future
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90854
All this chit chat is so tedious. Fact is that pubcos charge too much for rent and double the amount for beer they ought and by and large pretend to be oblivious to the reasons why their estates are folding like a deck of cards in a gale. They blame the tenants.
They all deny reality well, actually, Punch have noticed something was up and is hoping to flog off a third of its estate - the tied lease pubs that are bwing blown away by reality - and is investing heavily in developing its managed estate - you know, the bit that makes money. Look out for them squeezing the brilliant tenants they have left until they've been bled dry too.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90854
All this chit chat is so tedious. Fact is that pubcos charge too much for rent and double the amount for beer they ought and by and large pretend to be oblivious to the reasons why their estates are folding like a deck of cards in a gale. They blame the tenants.
They all deny reality well, actually, Punch have noticed something was up and is hoping to flog off a third of its estate - the tied lease pubs that are bwing blown away by reality - and is investing heavily in developing its managed estate - you know, the bit that makes money. Look out for them squeezing the brilliant tenants they have left until they've been bled dry too.
Punch to open 17th Flaming Grill
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90800
Of course when a pub is a tied lease it's a 'low cost entry into the pub trade' but when it's going to be managed by a pubco they chuck at least quarter of a million at it - AND, surprise surprise, IT WORKS!
So pleasing to see that Julie Andrews thinks the hills will be alight with the sound of the flaming grill.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90800
Of course when a pub is a tied lease it's a 'low cost entry into the pub trade' but when it's going to be managed by a pubco they chuck at least quarter of a million at it - AND, surprise surprise, IT WORKS!
So pleasing to see that Julie Andrews thinks the hills will be alight with the sound of the flaming grill.
A potential own goal for M&B
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90950
Yes they can! Don't get yout hopes up. M&B is as thick and stupid and self serving a pubco as all of them are. Look at what these companies' practices have done to pubs all over the UK. Notice there's not a lot of pubs left? They say the market is 'over-pubbed' I say the market is over-Starbucked because of their short sighted business practices. They are myopic living dinosaurs.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90950
Yes they can! Don't get yout hopes up. M&B is as thick and stupid and self serving a pubco as all of them are. Look at what these companies' practices have done to pubs all over the UK. Notice there's not a lot of pubs left? They say the market is 'over-pubbed' I say the market is over-Starbucked because of their short sighted business practices. They are myopic living dinosaurs.
Punch licensees share pub business ideas
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90921
Sometimes I think I'm becoming a late onset Tourettes sufferer. It's difficult not to come out with loads of four letter words when reading about these initiatives from pubco employees - people who couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery (as they have comprehensively been proving for the last twenty years as they have pushed the pub industry into the gutter) people who've NEVER run their own business, can't read a business plan let alone write one, people who can't pull a pint or hold an engaging conversation with a slug. These are the numskulls in charge of 'business advice' to the nation's pubs, employed by accountants and solicitors who hate beer and would rather be sipping Oloroso alongside a round of fine tapas at the marina in Majorca than thinking about how to run a pub.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90921
Sometimes I think I'm becoming a late onset Tourettes sufferer. It's difficult not to come out with loads of four letter words when reading about these initiatives from pubco employees - people who couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery (as they have comprehensively been proving for the last twenty years as they have pushed the pub industry into the gutter) people who've NEVER run their own business, can't read a business plan let alone write one, people who can't pull a pint or hold an engaging conversation with a slug. These are the numskulls in charge of 'business advice' to the nation's pubs, employed by accountants and solicitors who hate beer and would rather be sipping Oloroso alongside a round of fine tapas at the marina in Majorca than thinking about how to run a pub.
Punch licensees share pub business ideas
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90921
One idea would be to buy the freehold, get rid of Punch and have a clear shot at running a business without a bunch of total losers dragging them down. Problem would be where to raise the money they will need to invest in their businesses to catch up on the twenty years of under investment, dilapidations and shoddy repairs left in the wake of Punch's tenure.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90921
One idea would be to buy the freehold, get rid of Punch and have a clear shot at running a business without a bunch of total losers dragging them down. Problem would be where to raise the money they will need to invest in their businesses to catch up on the twenty years of under investment, dilapidations and shoddy repairs left in the wake of Punch's tenure.
IPC chairman queries BII role
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/99345
It's a tragedy that this industry is not run by people with as much integrity and experience as Bill Sharp. Because Bill, quite simply as usual, is spot on.
Why on earth would anyone give a moment's consideration to the musings of Brigid Dimmonds and Dimon Townsend on this when they obviously are going to say "ooh teacher, it's much much more wigorwous than we thought it would be, we feel like we are getting our botties spanked by the nasty wasty BII wots gone well over the odds on testing us on the Codes, innit".
No matter how well meaning BII might want to be it has no teeth whatever. Without wigorwous wegulation this industry will remain the joke it is, dominated by fat bullies in an unpoliced payground.
This industry is totally morally bankrupt at the top and that is why it has descended to the state of disarray that it's in. The people responsible for these events turn a blind eye because it suits them, their pay packets, their bonuses and their pension schemes.
The behaviour of landlords who work this way is quite simply completely unacceptable in contemporary society. These Rachmanesque tales are the practices of early Capitalism unbridled. Elsewhere this could be described as entrapment into bonded labour through deception and misrepresentation. We hear news of people being brought into the UK illegally on the promise of getting respectable work cleaning homes or as nannies and being tricked into work in conditions of slavery. It makes headline news. In our industry it's accepted as pedestrian routine.
Bringing up caveat emptor to put distance between the legally weak position of the victims against the absolute wrongness of the behaviour directed toward them is splitting hairs. Unemotionally and objectively, this type of professional behaviour is just very bad business practice. By no measure of contemporary expectations of professional standards in any area of commercial activity can this behaviour be condoned.
When property companies overstate income and understate overheads when marketing their buildings it is misrepresentation pure and simple. They've been completely free to do this for decades because there is no industry arbiter, no scrutiny, no objective overview no one to pull them up and make them pay for their essentially illegal activities.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/99345
It's a tragedy that this industry is not run by people with as much integrity and experience as Bill Sharp. Because Bill, quite simply as usual, is spot on.
Why on earth would anyone give a moment's consideration to the musings of Brigid Dimmonds and Dimon Townsend on this when they obviously are going to say "ooh teacher, it's much much more wigorwous than we thought it would be, we feel like we are getting our botties spanked by the nasty wasty BII wots gone well over the odds on testing us on the Codes, innit".
No matter how well meaning BII might want to be it has no teeth whatever. Without wigorwous wegulation this industry will remain the joke it is, dominated by fat bullies in an unpoliced payground.
This industry is totally morally bankrupt at the top and that is why it has descended to the state of disarray that it's in. The people responsible for these events turn a blind eye because it suits them, their pay packets, their bonuses and their pension schemes.
The behaviour of landlords who work this way is quite simply completely unacceptable in contemporary society. These Rachmanesque tales are the practices of early Capitalism unbridled. Elsewhere this could be described as entrapment into bonded labour through deception and misrepresentation. We hear news of people being brought into the UK illegally on the promise of getting respectable work cleaning homes or as nannies and being tricked into work in conditions of slavery. It makes headline news. In our industry it's accepted as pedestrian routine.
Bringing up caveat emptor to put distance between the legally weak position of the victims against the absolute wrongness of the behaviour directed toward them is splitting hairs. Unemotionally and objectively, this type of professional behaviour is just very bad business practice. By no measure of contemporary expectations of professional standards in any area of commercial activity can this behaviour be condoned.
When property companies overstate income and understate overheads when marketing their buildings it is misrepresentation pure and simple. They've been completely free to do this for decades because there is no industry arbiter, no scrutiny, no objective overview no one to pull them up and make them pay for their essentially illegal activities.
Sizzling Pubs launches second TV campaign
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90934
Enough! Enough Already. No MORE!
The ad is at about the pitch of the Sizzling's I've been to:
Man and two boys, age 7 and 9, stand at front door of 'Sizzling' barn 'pub', looking in.
Eldest boy to man: 'Dad, I don't think we want to go in there'.
Younger boy to both dad and brother: 'No, I don't think we want to go in there either'.
Dad to boys, focusing on interior scene, casting gaze over poster advertising Rosemount rose at £5.99 a bottle: 'No, I think you're right, we don't want to go in there. Let's go somehwere else that's better value'.
I know how I'll feel once I've downloaded the App and friended the Facebook. Ughg/
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90934
Enough! Enough Already. No MORE!
The ad is at about the pitch of the Sizzling's I've been to:
Man and two boys, age 7 and 9, stand at front door of 'Sizzling' barn 'pub', looking in.
Eldest boy to man: 'Dad, I don't think we want to go in there'.
Younger boy to both dad and brother: 'No, I don't think we want to go in there either'.
Dad to boys, focusing on interior scene, casting gaze over poster advertising Rosemount rose at £5.99 a bottle: 'No, I think you're right, we don't want to go in there. Let's go somehwere else that's better value'.
I know how I'll feel once I've downloaded the App and friended the Facebook. Ughg/
Sunday, June 19, 2011
J Mark Dodds says:
06/19/2011 at 7:47 pm
Punch own the freehold and leases the pub to the guys who invest all the money in their own business, which they operate in Punch’s property. The guys take all the risk and Punch try to take all the profit. That is why pubs are failing everywhere.
By the by on that note the forfeiture hearing on my lease at The Sun and Doves is on Monday 28 June at Lambeth County Court. Not sure how long it will be but I’ll be out on my ear not long after that. Bankrupt with no job, no income, no assets, no savings, no pension and starting out again at 52 after sixteen wonderful years in Camberwell. Don’t say I didn’t tell you — no one ever believes what I tell them. All I’ve been is honsest and frank about what pubcos do to pubs — thousands of pubs are closing all over the UK, our cultural landscape is being changed forever because of these private equity scamming scumbag pubcos and everyone remains surprised when ANOTHER pub bites the dust. The tie is why the Kerfield, The Sterling Castle, Father Red Cap and, oh god, loads of other pubs round here have churned and churned tenants — most of them losing their shirt on the way. Now it’s my turn. It’s frankly amazing it’s taken so long. I thought I would be made bankrupt by the end of 2006. It will be a relief.
06/19/2011 at 7:47 pm
Punch own the freehold and leases the pub to the guys who invest all the money in their own business, which they operate in Punch’s property. The guys take all the risk and Punch try to take all the profit. That is why pubs are failing everywhere.
By the by on that note the forfeiture hearing on my lease at The Sun and Doves is on Monday 28 June at Lambeth County Court. Not sure how long it will be but I’ll be out on my ear not long after that. Bankrupt with no job, no income, no assets, no savings, no pension and starting out again at 52 after sixteen wonderful years in Camberwell. Don’t say I didn’t tell you — no one ever believes what I tell them. All I’ve been is honsest and frank about what pubcos do to pubs — thousands of pubs are closing all over the UK, our cultural landscape is being changed forever because of these private equity scamming scumbag pubcos and everyone remains surprised when ANOTHER pub bites the dust. The tie is why the Kerfield, The Sterling Castle, Father Red Cap and, oh god, loads of other pubs round here have churned and churned tenants — most of them losing their shirt on the way. Now it’s my turn. It’s frankly amazing it’s taken so long. I thought I would be made bankrupt by the end of 2006. It will be a relief.
J Mark Dodds says:
June 19th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
As for RCCG / gala bingo it’s just another hopeless case of the public being kept in the dark by an opaque planning process where there quite evidently is no real prospect of anything other than it becoming a church eventually — just like most other places in society it’s a case of money talks money gets. They can do what they want with impunity no matter what the planning law says, no matter how valid the objections, no matter that there is no need for the facility of MORE places of worship here when there is a decades long officially identified need for community amenity, exhibition and performance space. meeting rooms, hub office facilities and a cultural and social focus for the area. NO.
No common sense — not even worth everyone getting together to raise a business plan and the cash to buy out the church when their applications are eventually turned down — because they won’t be. No matter how badly put together the planning application is, no matter how much they lie with the information they put into it, no matter that they refurbish the place illegally without permission, no matter they carry out services illegally. NO, clearly all that is just tickety boo A-OK no problem.
On the other hand if you or I make a minor misdemeanour, like put out our rubbish on the wrong day, or park with a tyre on a double yellow or, in one instance with me, get a ticket while waiting for the pay and display machine to print out a permit, we get a hard cash fine and end up feeling hunted, hounded and persecuted in our own homes and on OUR streets.
It’s like pubco lala land. It sucks, it HAS to change but it won’t as long as we don’t do anything about it ourselves because we’re all too busy and too ground down by it all. Civil Society. This is not a civil society, it’s barely out of the dark ages.
June 19th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
As for RCCG / gala bingo it’s just another hopeless case of the public being kept in the dark by an opaque planning process where there quite evidently is no real prospect of anything other than it becoming a church eventually — just like most other places in society it’s a case of money talks money gets. They can do what they want with impunity no matter what the planning law says, no matter how valid the objections, no matter that there is no need for the facility of MORE places of worship here when there is a decades long officially identified need for community amenity, exhibition and performance space. meeting rooms, hub office facilities and a cultural and social focus for the area. NO.
No common sense — not even worth everyone getting together to raise a business plan and the cash to buy out the church when their applications are eventually turned down — because they won’t be. No matter how badly put together the planning application is, no matter how much they lie with the information they put into it, no matter that they refurbish the place illegally without permission, no matter they carry out services illegally. NO, clearly all that is just tickety boo A-OK no problem.
On the other hand if you or I make a minor misdemeanour, like put out our rubbish on the wrong day, or park with a tyre on a double yellow or, in one instance with me, get a ticket while waiting for the pay and display machine to print out a permit, we get a hard cash fine and end up feeling hunted, hounded and persecuted in our own homes and on OUR streets.
It’s like pubco lala land. It sucks, it HAS to change but it won’t as long as we don’t do anything about it ourselves because we’re all too busy and too ground down by it all. Civil Society. This is not a civil society, it’s barely out of the dark ages.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Terry A'Hearn 2nd
Director, Global, Regulatory Innovation, Climate Change & Sustainability Services at WSP Environment & Energy
United Kingdom | Environmental Services
Dear Terry. I'd appreciate your advice. WSP and I worked on an Innovations grant application to the Carbon Trust in 2003 to make my pub the first Zero Emissions pub in the world. We didn't get the grant. I have a much more ambitious project underway and would appreciate your view on this
Director, Global, Regulatory Innovation, Climate Change & Sustainability Services at WSP Environment & Energy
United Kingdom | Environmental Services
Dear Terry. I'd appreciate your advice. WSP and I worked on an Innovations grant application to the Carbon Trust in 2003 to make my pub the first Zero Emissions pub in the world. We didn't get the grant. I have a much more ambitious project underway and would appreciate your view on this
Friday, June 17, 2011
Pubcos ‘in free-of-tie peril’
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90878
Roger Whiteside was taking risks being so candid - never before has any senior employee from a pubco been so open and transparent. It was, to be sure, a breath of fresh air among a whole load of stale guff from the Enterprise edifice. He was taking a calculated step - a statement of such honesty would reassure MPs that Punch, at least, mean business on reform. It's easy to forget that this is all predicated on the collapse of Punch's estate which itself is blatant evidence that the tie has comprehensively failed already.
Killing the tie would accelerate the death of badly run pubcos and would act like emergency CPR to thousands of pubs. It would free up profit in the industry to be left in pubs instead of in Directors' pockets, Shareholders' offshore funds, bonds and debt repayments and would lead to a resurrection of a tradition that's been suffocated almost out of existence.
If a genuine free of tie option with a genuine open market rent review is not legislated in - it's just a get out of jail free card for people who don't deserve the fat pay packets and pensions they've earned out of ruining the substantial part of Britain's special, unique heritage and tradition of pubs.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90878
Roger Whiteside was taking risks being so candid - never before has any senior employee from a pubco been so open and transparent. It was, to be sure, a breath of fresh air among a whole load of stale guff from the Enterprise edifice. He was taking a calculated step - a statement of such honesty would reassure MPs that Punch, at least, mean business on reform. It's easy to forget that this is all predicated on the collapse of Punch's estate which itself is blatant evidence that the tie has comprehensively failed already.
Killing the tie would accelerate the death of badly run pubcos and would act like emergency CPR to thousands of pubs. It would free up profit in the industry to be left in pubs instead of in Directors' pockets, Shareholders' offshore funds, bonds and debt repayments and would lead to a resurrection of a tradition that's been suffocated almost out of existence.
If a genuine free of tie option with a genuine open market rent review is not legislated in - it's just a get out of jail free card for people who don't deserve the fat pay packets and pensions they've earned out of ruining the substantial part of Britain's special, unique heritage and tradition of pubs.
Labour calls for VAT cut
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90899
There is no economic judgement at work; only ruinous half baked ideology. This government of pompous elitist self important know it all clowns are not capable of taking responsibility for the consequences of any of their morally bankrupt policies and, more's the point, they don't give a flying trapeze act about the consequences anyway because THEY are not directly affected by the impact of their whimsical attempt to shed the national debt in short shrift.
Watch the landscape become ever more cluttered with boarded up pubs from the free of tie market (potential for alternative use subject to necessary permissions) of course (note tattered sign stating 'This Pub Could Be Yours, contact the pubco roadshow for more details). And look out for hospitals bursting at the seams with the collateral damage of benefit changes.
This is the 21st century and supposedly a civil society. All of this is unnecessary. Reminds me of the irresponsible actions of the tied pubcos. Idiots, the lot of them.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90899
There is no economic judgement at work; only ruinous half baked ideology. This government of pompous elitist self important know it all clowns are not capable of taking responsibility for the consequences of any of their morally bankrupt policies and, more's the point, they don't give a flying trapeze act about the consequences anyway because THEY are not directly affected by the impact of their whimsical attempt to shed the national debt in short shrift.
Watch the landscape become ever more cluttered with boarded up pubs from the free of tie market (potential for alternative use subject to necessary permissions) of course (note tattered sign stating 'This Pub Could Be Yours, contact the pubco roadshow for more details). And look out for hospitals bursting at the seams with the collateral damage of benefit changes.
This is the 21st century and supposedly a civil society. All of this is unnecessary. Reminds me of the irresponsible actions of the tied pubcos. Idiots, the lot of them.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Business Support : IT COULD BE YOU! Request For Tied Lessees to Submit Evidence to Select Committee Pubco Inquiry follow up 2011
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/99024
Spend an hour NOW, this week, to make YOUR experience count!
Every tied lessee, even those who are completely happy with their relationship with their pubco, can submit evidence to the government's BISC inquiry follow up.
Has YOUR situation improved since 2010/2009/2004? Has your pubco changed its spots? Does your pubco support your business? Does YOUR code of practice put you in a better position? Are YOU making a living out of your tied pub business? Do you NEED your pubco at all? Do the actions of your pubco PREVENT you from being innovative, sustainable, successful and from offering your customers what they want?
You can be sure the pubcos are telling government it's NEVER BEEN BETTER! Tied tenants are all happy with what the pubcos have done to improve their business with lessees since they were warned that if they do not change, they would be forced to. Have pubcos changed? Does this reflect YOUR experience? No? Then tell the government!
Tell the Select Committee about YOU:
Has your pubco told you about their new Codes of Practice?
Has the new Code of Practice changed anything for you?
Do you have an option on your AWP tie?
Has your pubco levied fines against Brulines data?
Has your pubco accused you of buying out without evidence?
How does your pubco respond to your concerns?
Has your pubco told you about new complaints procedures?
Or an independent disputes mechanism?
Have you had a rent review in the last two years?
Are you in the process of having your rent reviewed?
Does the rent review reflect anything of your business reality?
Do you have a fair relationship with your pubco?
What to do BEFORE next Monday 20 June:
Write down your story. Your letter should be structured as follows, but feel free to say it in your own words:
1. An introduction, outlining who you are, who your pubco or brewer is and where your pub is/was.
2. The 'body' of your letter will contain your version of pubco treatment, behavior, abuse, intimidation (or support if you want to praise them!).
3. You may want to conclude that you would like to compete in a fair market place – it’s entirely up you
Send it to: BISC biscommem@parliament.uk
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/99024
Spend an hour NOW, this week, to make YOUR experience count!
Every tied lessee, even those who are completely happy with their relationship with their pubco, can submit evidence to the government's BISC inquiry follow up.
Has YOUR situation improved since 2010/2009/2004? Has your pubco changed its spots? Does your pubco support your business? Does YOUR code of practice put you in a better position? Are YOU making a living out of your tied pub business? Do you NEED your pubco at all? Do the actions of your pubco PREVENT you from being innovative, sustainable, successful and from offering your customers what they want?
You can be sure the pubcos are telling government it's NEVER BEEN BETTER! Tied tenants are all happy with what the pubcos have done to improve their business with lessees since they were warned that if they do not change, they would be forced to. Have pubcos changed? Does this reflect YOUR experience? No? Then tell the government!
Tell the Select Committee about YOU:
Has your pubco told you about their new Codes of Practice?
Has the new Code of Practice changed anything for you?
Do you have an option on your AWP tie?
Has your pubco levied fines against Brulines data?
Has your pubco accused you of buying out without evidence?
How does your pubco respond to your concerns?
Has your pubco told you about new complaints procedures?
Or an independent disputes mechanism?
Have you had a rent review in the last two years?
Are you in the process of having your rent reviewed?
Does the rent review reflect anything of your business reality?
Do you have a fair relationship with your pubco?
What to do BEFORE next Monday 20 June:
Write down your story. Your letter should be structured as follows, but feel free to say it in your own words:
1. An introduction, outlining who you are, who your pubco or brewer is and where your pub is/was.
2. The 'body' of your letter will contain your version of pubco treatment, behavior, abuse, intimidation (or support if you want to praise them!).
3. You may want to conclude that you would like to compete in a fair market place – it’s entirely up you
Send it to: BISC biscommem@parliament.uk
MP meets Enterprise boss over pub future
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90854
Often the best policy in these difficult situations is to say 'black is white' and stick to it. Eventually most people will come round to your way of looking at things, particularly if you're the biggest bully in the playground.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90854
Often the best policy in these difficult situations is to say 'black is white' and stick to it. Eventually most people will come round to your way of looking at things, particularly if you're the biggest bully in the playground.
Orchid re-opens Enterprise pub
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90837
Don't forget Karl, as Brigid Simmonds is always so keen to stress whenever she hopes someone might be listening, that TWICE the number of failed pubs coming onto the market come from the free of tie sector than from the tied lease sector.
This represents a P&L 'catastrophe' for Enterprise and clearly is 'not representative', as Simon Townsend might say, of the vibrant majority of tied pubs 'whose lessees enjoy', as Roger Whiteside would assert, the benefits of the major pubco's buying power being passed on to them in the form of discounts they could never achieve on their own.
No doubt Enterprise only decided to sell the Knowles Arms' freehold once previous lessees of the pub were out on their a.r.s.e. following a forensic examination of every aspect of their operational activities carried out by Enterprise proved, beyond spreadsheet doubt, they were running a pub it was impossible to make profitable under the rental and supply agreements that were in force and it would be better to get the cash in the bank to pay a couple of hours' interest off the debt mountain.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90837
Don't forget Karl, as Brigid Simmonds is always so keen to stress whenever she hopes someone might be listening, that TWICE the number of failed pubs coming onto the market come from the free of tie sector than from the tied lease sector.
This represents a P&L 'catastrophe' for Enterprise and clearly is 'not representative', as Simon Townsend might say, of the vibrant majority of tied pubs 'whose lessees enjoy', as Roger Whiteside would assert, the benefits of the major pubco's buying power being passed on to them in the form of discounts they could never achieve on their own.
No doubt Enterprise only decided to sell the Knowles Arms' freehold once previous lessees of the pub were out on their a.r.s.e. following a forensic examination of every aspect of their operational activities carried out by Enterprise proved, beyond spreadsheet doubt, they were running a pub it was impossible to make profitable under the rental and supply agreements that were in force and it would be better to get the cash in the bank to pay a couple of hours' interest off the debt mountain.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ex-Gordon Ramsay pub takeover
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/save-comment/90838
Well funded, on the back of a substantial redevelopment by the Ramsay mob, with a very experienced team applying high attention to detail behind it sets up a situation where they may be trading way above FMT and the tie might not bring them down before they get their £200K back. How many others lost their shirt on this tied pub before Ramsay got it wrong I wonder
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/save-comment/90838
Well funded, on the back of a substantial redevelopment by the Ramsay mob, with a very experienced team applying high attention to detail behind it sets up a situation where they may be trading way above FMT and the tie might not bring them down before they get their £200K back. How many others lost their shirt on this tied pub before Ramsay got it wrong I wonder
Pubs 'a good option for libraries' This is a news item I sent to the Morning Advertiser
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/SaveGenericPost/99007
Pubs 'a good option for libraries'
Funny this really. Malcolm McLaren proposed moving pubs INTO libraries in a lecture he gave to Handheld Learning Conference in 2009. Interestingly Malcolm chose to title his talk: "Authentic Creativity vs. Karaoke Culture" [http://bit.ly/kKZTz7]. It touched on a lot of issues we face in society, many of which manifest themselves in the way the game play of the beer tie is carried out.
Everyone knows the tie is the substantial cause of the failure of the pub industry - enough people who are part of the 'other side' have told me this in private for me to know this is true. The tie is broken, dependent on lies and spin and manipulation of statistics for its survival. The charade played out at the Betty Boothroyd Room last week proved that it is not fit for purpose but no one can say it. The person who came closest was Nigel Williams who said: “Yes, a statutory code is probably the only way to get a long-term solution. Until we get some very strict code of practice enshrined within the lease I think we will be batting on a very sticky wicket for some time.” And they continue to lie about it and the cartels that keep it going - just keep on going because they can - because no one is going to stop it because it's easier to let thousands of pubs close than it is to force a handful of pubcos into administration to let the pubs survive.
The status quo keepe the gravy train going as long as possible for a relatively few people to benefit from while the vast majority go bust or endure sky high prices for their beer. Malcolm called this the 'Culture of Deception' and 'England a Country of Lies'.
edited by: J Mark Dodds at: 13/06/2011 21:05:17
This post replies to Karl Harrison > Pubs 'a good option for libraries'
Inbox
X
Reply
|
J Mark Dodds to Ewan
show details 6 Jun (7 days ago)
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/pint-of-bitter-and-a-juicy-murder-story-please-librarian-2290408.html
Sent from my Confusing® hand held device
Reply
Forward
Reply
|
Ewan Turney to me
show details 6 Jun (7 days ago)
Cheers Mark,
Hadn’t seen that one - so thanks.
- Show quoted text -
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/SaveGenericPost/99007
Pubs 'a good option for libraries'
Funny this really. Malcolm McLaren proposed moving pubs INTO libraries in a lecture he gave to Handheld Learning Conference in 2009. Interestingly Malcolm chose to title his talk: "Authentic Creativity vs. Karaoke Culture" [http://bit.ly/kKZTz7]. It touched on a lot of issues we face in society, many of which manifest themselves in the way the game play of the beer tie is carried out.
Everyone knows the tie is the substantial cause of the failure of the pub industry - enough people who are part of the 'other side' have told me this in private for me to know this is true. The tie is broken, dependent on lies and spin and manipulation of statistics for its survival. The charade played out at the Betty Boothroyd Room last week proved that it is not fit for purpose but no one can say it. The person who came closest was Nigel Williams who said: “Yes, a statutory code is probably the only way to get a long-term solution. Until we get some very strict code of practice enshrined within the lease I think we will be batting on a very sticky wicket for some time.” And they continue to lie about it and the cartels that keep it going - just keep on going because they can - because no one is going to stop it because it's easier to let thousands of pubs close than it is to force a handful of pubcos into administration to let the pubs survive.
The status quo keepe the gravy train going as long as possible for a relatively few people to benefit from while the vast majority go bust or endure sky high prices for their beer. Malcolm called this the 'Culture of Deception' and 'England a Country of Lies'.
edited by: J Mark Dodds at: 13/06/2011 21:05:17
This post replies to Karl Harrison > Pubs 'a good option for libraries'
Inbox
X
Reply
|
J Mark Dodds to Ewan
show details 6 Jun (7 days ago)
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/pint-of-bitter-and-a-juicy-murder-story-please-librarian-2290408.html
Sent from my Confusing® hand held device
Reply
Forward
Reply
|
Ewan Turney to me
show details 6 Jun (7 days ago)
Cheers Mark,
Hadn’t seen that one - so thanks.
- Show quoted text -
J Mark Dodds • Karen and Tim - the climate IS warming; there is no doubt about that from any department; the balance of whether or not this global warming is because of human activity or of the planet being closer to a hotter sun does not materially alter the fact that reducing mankind's production of greenhouse emissions can only ever be a good thing; inaction can only ever lead to making things worse whatever the cause of warming. Consider that 150 years ago fewer than a billion people existed and now more than 7 billion of us are all making more hay than ever before while the sun shines. I think there's a lot we can do to stop belching out hot air and get on with reducing the huge impact which our presence undeniably places directly on the biosystems of the only planet we've got.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Matthew Taylor's RSA keynote speech: "Enlightened enterprise"
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/opinion/2077883/-enlightened-enterprise#disp
The Path to The New Enlightenment!
FAB Mattew! It's great that at least some high profile people are able to be objective enough to map out and describe a route to a future where mankind can avoid destroying everything we have created since the Industrial Revolution for our own benefit, in ignorance of a wider view, that now threatens to destroy everything we know. Matthew Taylor offers a pragmatic overview of how society, business, people, government, MUST engage in change together to preserve any chance of a sustainable future. We know the planet that cannot accommodate US sustainably unless collectively we radically change our behaviour and do this now - ASAP - As Soon As Possible - really is not soon enough. Doing this is in practice is NOT difficult; we already have the tools in our hands; the barrier to change is our collective consciousness and our enslavement to the lazy, fat, wasteful and self congratulatory status quo we love so much that is traditional Capitalism.
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/opinion/2077883/-enlightened-enterprise#disp
The Path to The New Enlightenment!
FAB Mattew! It's great that at least some high profile people are able to be objective enough to map out and describe a route to a future where mankind can avoid destroying everything we have created since the Industrial Revolution for our own benefit, in ignorance of a wider view, that now threatens to destroy everything we know. Matthew Taylor offers a pragmatic overview of how society, business, people, government, MUST engage in change together to preserve any chance of a sustainable future. We know the planet that cannot accommodate US sustainably unless collectively we radically change our behaviour and do this now - ASAP - As Soon As Possible - really is not soon enough. Doing this is in practice is NOT difficult; we already have the tools in our hands; the barrier to change is our collective consciousness and our enslavement to the lazy, fat, wasteful and self congratulatory status quo we love so much that is traditional Capitalism.
Friday, June 10, 2011
LinkedIn comunications
Hi Ben. Was that one OK? For me I'm about setting up the People's Pub Partnership - which I hope will be an aggressive, fast expanding domineering pub company set up as a social enterprise with a zero carbon footprint that's owned by its employees which will put pubs back at the heart of their communities all over the UK. So something that would support that kind of thing - however you interpret that given what you know of me would be useful Thanks.
Are you enjoying New York?
Hi Ben. Was that one OK? For me I'm about setting up the People's Pub Partnership - which I hope will be an aggressive, fast expanding domineering pub company set up as a social enterprise with a zero carbon footprint that's owned by its employees which will put pubs back at the heart of their communities all over the UK. So something that would support that kind of thing - however you interpret that given what you know of me would be useful Thanks.
Are you enjoying New York?
LinkedIn conversations on climate change
At the very least we all have to change our daily habits around work and home. We consume substantially less just by switching off equipment and lights when they are not being used. Applying a sort of OCD approach to these things, recycling and to every aspect of what we do around our lives is the way to do it. Unfortunately there's a lot to learn and not a lot of time to concentrate on doing all the little things differently. We have to teach our children to behave very differently from the way we have done - and still do - which means changing OUR habits now so they don't adopt them into their lives. It's got to be interleaved into education from the youngest age which means teachers need to be trained and schools need investment for inculcation of effective climate change behaviour. It would be useful if statutory bodies took a lead. It would be useful in the UK if the government forced local authorities to offer businesses the service of taking segregated waste from businesses for recycling. etc.
At the very least we all have to change our daily habits around work and home. We consume substantially less just by switching off equipment and lights when they are not being used. Applying a sort of OCD approach to these things, recycling and to every aspect of what we do around our lives is the way to do it. Unfortunately there's a lot to learn and not a lot of time to concentrate on doing all the little things differently. We have to teach our children to behave very differently from the way we have done - and still do - which means changing OUR habits now so they don't adopt them into their lives. It's got to be interleaved into education from the youngest age which means teachers need to be trained and schools need investment for inculcation of effective climate change behaviour. It would be useful if statutory bodies took a lead. It would be useful in the UK if the government forced local authorities to offer businesses the service of taking segregated waste from businesses for recycling. etc.
Fuller's sees profit rise, driven by managed division
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90827
Fullers are in the embarrasing position, as are all the smaller brewer / pubcos, of not being able to speak out against absolutely dreadful interpretations of the tie elsewhere in the industry - while cheekily applying some of the principles quietly on the side in their own back yard.
Such is the duplicitous nature of this industry - everyone scratches everyone elses' back even when they hate each other.
The answer is simple but no government has the balls to implement it: Legislate the tie out of existence, allow a free and fair market to flourish for the first time in history; see external investment come into the industry and stay there in the bricks and mortar instead of being syphoned off by pubco practices and see pubs begin to stand up for themselves and the consumer get a better deal.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90827
Fullers are in the embarrasing position, as are all the smaller brewer / pubcos, of not being able to speak out against absolutely dreadful interpretations of the tie elsewhere in the industry - while cheekily applying some of the principles quietly on the side in their own back yard.
Such is the duplicitous nature of this industry - everyone scratches everyone elses' back even when they hate each other.
The answer is simple but no government has the balls to implement it: Legislate the tie out of existence, allow a free and fair market to flourish for the first time in history; see external investment come into the industry and stay there in the bricks and mortar instead of being syphoned off by pubco practices and see pubs begin to stand up for themselves and the consumer get a better deal.
Steady-as-you-go is no longer adequate
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90824
When you install Brulines I'll back you up for doing it kevin. And, if you look at the questions people posed initially - they are constructive, seeking more detailed understanding of the 'franchise' situation. People who understand pubcos are rightly sceptical about anything 'progressive' because when something appears to be 'given' on one hand it's ALWAYS taken back, with a little bit extra on the side, with the other.
Oh and by the way Paul Charity - Steady-as-you-go was never adequate and the very idea that everything was hunky dory prior to the smoking ban is ridiculous. The gangrene just hadn't reached the surface all over the industry and enough people were still pouring their life savings/redundancy/early retirement packages/re-mortgages into tied pubs to keep the skin looking shiny.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90824
When you install Brulines I'll back you up for doing it kevin. And, if you look at the questions people posed initially - they are constructive, seeking more detailed understanding of the 'franchise' situation. People who understand pubcos are rightly sceptical about anything 'progressive' because when something appears to be 'given' on one hand it's ALWAYS taken back, with a little bit extra on the side, with the other.
Oh and by the way Paul Charity - Steady-as-you-go was never adequate and the very idea that everything was hunky dory prior to the smoking ban is ridiculous. The gangrene just hadn't reached the surface all over the industry and enough people were still pouring their life savings/redundancy/early retirement packages/re-mortgages into tied pubs to keep the skin looking shiny.
Steady-as-you-go is no longer adequate
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90824
What a totally Rubbish article. It's a shame Sally seems not to have come back to the forum.
What is Paul Charity getting at with this article? Oh yes. His old 'Pubcos are good and the tie works' argument 'especially as a 'franchise'.
The fact is that tied pubs are failing by the thousand.
It's all on public record: One way or another every single pubco is shedding tied leased in favour of investing in some form of 'managed' model. Enterprise, Punch, S&NPC, Admiral, Marston's, Greene King's tenanted divisions have all been performing woefully - even for the very companies whose business practices have skimmed all the profits out of the tie into their own coffers.
The tied pub sector is in freefall and it's only getting worse. The pubcos collectively are just hoping they'll scrape through the next BIS inquiry with the tie in tact to give them the breathing space to save their own bacon at the expense of several thousand more publicans they are sacrificing as they struggle to save their own bacon (and directors' salaries of course).
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90824
What a totally Rubbish article. It's a shame Sally seems not to have come back to the forum.
What is Paul Charity getting at with this article? Oh yes. His old 'Pubcos are good and the tie works' argument 'especially as a 'franchise'.
The fact is that tied pubs are failing by the thousand.
It's all on public record: One way or another every single pubco is shedding tied leased in favour of investing in some form of 'managed' model. Enterprise, Punch, S&NPC, Admiral, Marston's, Greene King's tenanted divisions have all been performing woefully - even for the very companies whose business practices have skimmed all the profits out of the tie into their own coffers.
The tied pub sector is in freefall and it's only getting worse. The pubcos collectively are just hoping they'll scrape through the next BIS inquiry with the tie in tact to give them the breathing space to save their own bacon at the expense of several thousand more publicans they are sacrificing as they struggle to save their own bacon (and directors' salaries of course).
BBPA faces duty escalator challenge
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90820
HA! THE DUTY ESCALATOR CHALLENGE: BBPA's perennial diversion from the simple truth behind pub closures: Abuse of the beer tie consistently closes pubs faster than all other industry wide factors added together. It's NOT rocket science guys: the BIGGEST factor in pub closures is the British pubco Tied Beer Business model. THUS:
Bigger rents than free of tie + charging DOUBLE the price for tied beer = LOTS OF CLOSED PUBS
It is NOT the duty escalator. Geddit?
One of the other BBPA porkies regularly trotted out for public consumption, as propounded falteringly by Brigid Simmonds at the pubco debate on Tuesday, is that double the number of pubs closing their doors forever are in the free of tie sector compared to the numbers of failed tied leases.
SOUNDS GOOD BUT IS RUBBISH THAT MEANS NOTHING. AND BBPA CANNOT PROVE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT TRUE:
EVERY freehold pub that's on the market for sale subject to planning for alternative use is by default Free Of Tie.
Tied pubs NEVER come onto the market as freeholds - because tied pubs are by default, leased. SEE?
The FACT is that the VAST MAJORITY of pubs that come onto the market as freeholds are ex tied leased pubs that have failed serially Because Of The Tie having been starved of investment for decades Because Of The Tie and they are on the market because one pubco or another is flogging them off instead of selling them to the lessees they bankrupted along the way. It's all part of the Great British Pubco Scam.
This meaningless but sounds like 'amazingly impressive "evidence"' reassures most onlookers that although the state of the pub trade is disastrous for all to see, it's MUCH worse in the free trade - where pubs are not protected by the cuddly pubcos desperate to keep their tied pub people hanging on in there through thick and thin (Simon Townsend actually BELIEVES his own sound bite rhetoric on this because believing rhetoric is the only way these guys can live with the heaps of Emperors New Clothes they are spinning with their unprovable invisible yarns! 'It's tough out there but we're surviving, because we're plucky guys who love our lessees, and because they are our bread and butter it's in our interests to look after them').
The Great British Pubco scam: 'It ain't us guv. it's everyone else; well mostly the government and then it's our useless lessees. Us? we're perfect. We KEEP pubs alive'. LIES LIES LIES.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90820
HA! THE DUTY ESCALATOR CHALLENGE: BBPA's perennial diversion from the simple truth behind pub closures: Abuse of the beer tie consistently closes pubs faster than all other industry wide factors added together. It's NOT rocket science guys: the BIGGEST factor in pub closures is the British pubco Tied Beer Business model. THUS:
Bigger rents than free of tie + charging DOUBLE the price for tied beer = LOTS OF CLOSED PUBS
It is NOT the duty escalator. Geddit?
One of the other BBPA porkies regularly trotted out for public consumption, as propounded falteringly by Brigid Simmonds at the pubco debate on Tuesday, is that double the number of pubs closing their doors forever are in the free of tie sector compared to the numbers of failed tied leases.
SOUNDS GOOD BUT IS RUBBISH THAT MEANS NOTHING. AND BBPA CANNOT PROVE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT TRUE:
EVERY freehold pub that's on the market for sale subject to planning for alternative use is by default Free Of Tie.
Tied pubs NEVER come onto the market as freeholds - because tied pubs are by default, leased. SEE?
The FACT is that the VAST MAJORITY of pubs that come onto the market as freeholds are ex tied leased pubs that have failed serially Because Of The Tie having been starved of investment for decades Because Of The Tie and they are on the market because one pubco or another is flogging them off instead of selling them to the lessees they bankrupted along the way. It's all part of the Great British Pubco Scam.
This meaningless but sounds like 'amazingly impressive "evidence"' reassures most onlookers that although the state of the pub trade is disastrous for all to see, it's MUCH worse in the free trade - where pubs are not protected by the cuddly pubcos desperate to keep their tied pub people hanging on in there through thick and thin (Simon Townsend actually BELIEVES his own sound bite rhetoric on this because believing rhetoric is the only way these guys can live with the heaps of Emperors New Clothes they are spinning with their unprovable invisible yarns! 'It's tough out there but we're surviving, because we're plucky guys who love our lessees, and because they are our bread and butter it's in our interests to look after them').
The Great British Pubco scam: 'It ain't us guv. it's everyone else; well mostly the government and then it's our useless lessees. Us? we're perfect. We KEEP pubs alive'. LIES LIES LIES.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Don't repeat the mistakes of past generations, never give up not repeating those mistakes.
You are born fit for life, maintain that, play and work to stay fit, look after your body, look after your mind. Learn other languages, appreciate other cultures as much as your own, learn that others are like you and you are like others. Understand that mankind is new to the planet and still has much to learn; and it needs to learn fast. Open your eyes, learn from what you see, look again and always learn more. Don't allow your experience of others less capable than you make you despondent. Work hard to make things better, do not take others for granted, treat them as you hope to be treated, never give up, be patient be strong. Do not believe that life is fair but work to make it so. Never give up.
You are born fit for life, maintain that, play and work to stay fit, look after your body, look after your mind. Learn other languages, appreciate other cultures as much as your own, learn that others are like you and you are like others. Understand that mankind is new to the planet and still has much to learn; and it needs to learn fast. Open your eyes, learn from what you see, look again and always learn more. Don't allow your experience of others less capable than you make you despondent. Work hard to make things better, do not take others for granted, treat them as you hope to be treated, never give up, be patient be strong. Do not believe that life is fair but work to make it so. Never give up.
Red Lion in Yardley, Hastings: a quiet revolution
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=88390
What's the rent?
What's the wages bill?
What are the other fixed overheads?
What's the GP%?
How many hours a week do they both work?
How much of their investment are they getting back?
What tenure do they have?
Unfortunately it sounds like they're going to lose their shirts.
Highlights
Easy start option available
Idyllic village location
Excellent reputation for food
Good drinking trade
Parking for forty cars
Address
Red Lion
89 High Street
Yardley Hastings
NN7 1ER
Let's not go there?
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=88390
What's the rent?
What's the wages bill?
What are the other fixed overheads?
What's the GP%?
How many hours a week do they both work?
How much of their investment are they getting back?
What tenure do they have?
Unfortunately it sounds like they're going to lose their shirts.
Highlights
Easy start option available
Idyllic village location
Excellent reputation for food
Good drinking trade
Parking for forty cars
Address
Red Lion
89 High Street
Yardley Hastings
NN7 1ER
Let's not go there?
Pubcos grilled on statutory code
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/98887
The good guys occupied the front bench to start with and convincingly tore apart ALL the fiddling around with Codes of Practice that have taken place since THE LAST TIME BISC SAT; and shredded the absolute lie that 'free of tie options' are available to tied lessees everywhere (subsequently the questioners got the bad guys to admit, finally, that there is not one, NOT ONE, COP that includes an open market rent review and therefore they are all of no material benefit whatsoever to anyone who takes them up unless they are significantly outperforming FMT). It was all looking rosy and neat and significantly as if progress were being made toward establishing a fair and free market in the pub industry until the bad guys took the stand:
When the forces of darkness occupied the front row their initial delivery was embarrassing. Like a line up of naughty schoolboys (sorry Brigid) accounting to the beak for telling porky pies in front of matron.
This pub industry of ours is utterly pathetic. It's been brought to its knees, to the brink of collapse and no return, by the very companies and organisations these people represent. They sit there in debates and inquiries like this, saying they are doing everything they can to make it better, pleading that it's tough out there (not so tough as it is in any single pub in the country you fat salaried pubco boys and girls), throwing in little asides about tax, duty, changing customer habits and supermarket competition and simply avoiding admitting it's their own business practices that have drained ALL the profit out of thousands and thousands of pubs, leaving them underinvested, dilapidated, falling apart and charging sky high prices for beer.
THAT is why pubs are closing - they are run down and not fit for purpose because the tied business model does not allow them to be invested in by their lessees - who themselves earn less than the minimum wage for being entrepreneurial, risk taking business people.
Fact is what we witnessed in the stand so to speak was a bunch of people keeping their own jobs secure at the expense of an entire tradition, heritage and an estate of businesses that is failing nationally because these people continue to feather their nests while Rome Burns.
The only moments, glimmers, of optimism of the day were Rogert Whiteside asserting his belief that he, personally, is keeping tied pubs open through his forward thinking business practices (don't forget this is while getting rid of approaching HALF his estate which is failing; of course) and that FLVA's Nigel Williams really stuck his neck out (against all predictions) and said that the Codes have no teeth and that statutory intervention is needed. That was a genuine WOW moment.
BBPA in the form of Brigid Simmonds was deplorably useless. BII's Neil Roberston did a good job of keeping the side up while not defending or deploring anything. Enterprise's Simon Townsend, gentleman that he is, predictably asserted that black is white and that a failed tenant represents a 'catastrophe' for his business model. Roger was the nice guy we have come to expect and that's about it, another page turned in the well thumbed rule book of the fun and games that is The Great British pubco scam.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/thread-for-post/98887
The good guys occupied the front bench to start with and convincingly tore apart ALL the fiddling around with Codes of Practice that have taken place since THE LAST TIME BISC SAT; and shredded the absolute lie that 'free of tie options' are available to tied lessees everywhere (subsequently the questioners got the bad guys to admit, finally, that there is not one, NOT ONE, COP that includes an open market rent review and therefore they are all of no material benefit whatsoever to anyone who takes them up unless they are significantly outperforming FMT). It was all looking rosy and neat and significantly as if progress were being made toward establishing a fair and free market in the pub industry until the bad guys took the stand:
When the forces of darkness occupied the front row their initial delivery was embarrassing. Like a line up of naughty schoolboys (sorry Brigid) accounting to the beak for telling porky pies in front of matron.
This pub industry of ours is utterly pathetic. It's been brought to its knees, to the brink of collapse and no return, by the very companies and organisations these people represent. They sit there in debates and inquiries like this, saying they are doing everything they can to make it better, pleading that it's tough out there (not so tough as it is in any single pub in the country you fat salaried pubco boys and girls), throwing in little asides about tax, duty, changing customer habits and supermarket competition and simply avoiding admitting it's their own business practices that have drained ALL the profit out of thousands and thousands of pubs, leaving them underinvested, dilapidated, falling apart and charging sky high prices for beer.
THAT is why pubs are closing - they are run down and not fit for purpose because the tied business model does not allow them to be invested in by their lessees - who themselves earn less than the minimum wage for being entrepreneurial, risk taking business people.
Fact is what we witnessed in the stand so to speak was a bunch of people keeping their own jobs secure at the expense of an entire tradition, heritage and an estate of businesses that is failing nationally because these people continue to feather their nests while Rome Burns.
The only moments, glimmers, of optimism of the day were Rogert Whiteside asserting his belief that he, personally, is keeping tied pubs open through his forward thinking business practices (don't forget this is while getting rid of approaching HALF his estate which is failing; of course) and that FLVA's Nigel Williams really stuck his neck out (against all predictions) and said that the Codes have no teeth and that statutory intervention is needed. That was a genuine WOW moment.
BBPA in the form of Brigid Simmonds was deplorably useless. BII's Neil Roberston did a good job of keeping the side up while not defending or deploring anything. Enterprise's Simon Townsend, gentleman that he is, predictably asserted that black is white and that a failed tenant represents a 'catastrophe' for his business model. Roger was the nice guy we have come to expect and that's about it, another page turned in the well thumbed rule book of the fun and games that is The Great British pubco scam.
Tim Martin is the most influential person in the pub industry
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90823
Tim Martin's being there at the top is not a surprise - for obvious reasons - but what IS a shocker is that the top political dogs in the country are included the top fifty of the most influential movers and shakers in the pub industry. WHAT? WHY?
We must ask ourselves just why these particular blokes are in this 'influential' list at all?
It can only be that David Cameron, George Osborne and James Brokenshire are here by default because of the deafening silence they bring toward making any impact WHATSOEVER on pubs and the state of the pub industry. Successive governments' greatest impact on the pub industry has been through their shocking lack of interest they've shown toward what is surely the most emblematic and important cornerstones of British community and small business life.
Next; why is Vince Cable up there? Vince hasn't made any impact at all so far and by all anecdotal accounts isn't likely to. Adrian Bailey, IF he's able to preside over an earth shaking continuation of the vaguely sterling work done by previous Select Committee Chairs, MAY be very influential in the future but until the outcome of the upcoming, long awaited follow up inquiry next month there's no telling what impact he's likely to have on the pub industry. Even if he brings a resounding indictment of the Codes of Practice and the total lack of teeth in the smoke and mirrors of all of the supposed 'free of tie' options (without open market rent review) being offered by Tom Dicky and Harry pubcos, there's no guarantee whatever that anything will ever happen with the recommendations because, YES, they will go up to Dave, George and Jim and nothing will be done. Yet again.
Ed Davey isn't in there at all as far as I can see and Mark Prisk is yet to raise his flag in any significant way, to be shortly followed by Bob Neill who's not even in there at all (HE'S ONLY OUR PUBS MINISTER) sorry Bob if you are in there, I just could not spot your moniker in spite of several scans through the list of the great and bad.
In all seriousness, when it comes to politicians, Greg Mulholland should be right at the top of the list. He's the only politician who's proven himself to be on top of the game, he's the only one who understands the industry from top to bottom, he's the only one to be consistently active about pubs, he's the only one who's shown he's got a firm grip of the subject.
Finally, for the time being, I think you'll find that No 44 David Rushmore is in actuality David Rusholme. But there you are what do I know? Just a little tied publican spending too much time 'blogging' instead of concentrating on building up my business so I can keep struggling to pay my rent and double the price they should be beer invoices.
edited by: J Mark Dodds at: 09/06/2011 13:38:28
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90823
Tim Martin's being there at the top is not a surprise - for obvious reasons - but what IS a shocker is that the top political dogs in the country are included the top fifty of the most influential movers and shakers in the pub industry. WHAT? WHY?
We must ask ourselves just why these particular blokes are in this 'influential' list at all?
It can only be that David Cameron, George Osborne and James Brokenshire are here by default because of the deafening silence they bring toward making any impact WHATSOEVER on pubs and the state of the pub industry. Successive governments' greatest impact on the pub industry has been through their shocking lack of interest they've shown toward what is surely the most emblematic and important cornerstones of British community and small business life.
Next; why is Vince Cable up there? Vince hasn't made any impact at all so far and by all anecdotal accounts isn't likely to. Adrian Bailey, IF he's able to preside over an earth shaking continuation of the vaguely sterling work done by previous Select Committee Chairs, MAY be very influential in the future but until the outcome of the upcoming, long awaited follow up inquiry next month there's no telling what impact he's likely to have on the pub industry. Even if he brings a resounding indictment of the Codes of Practice and the total lack of teeth in the smoke and mirrors of all of the supposed 'free of tie' options (without open market rent review) being offered by Tom Dicky and Harry pubcos, there's no guarantee whatever that anything will ever happen with the recommendations because, YES, they will go up to Dave, George and Jim and nothing will be done. Yet again.
Ed Davey isn't in there at all as far as I can see and Mark Prisk is yet to raise his flag in any significant way, to be shortly followed by Bob Neill who's not even in there at all (HE'S ONLY OUR PUBS MINISTER) sorry Bob if you are in there, I just could not spot your moniker in spite of several scans through the list of the great and bad.
In all seriousness, when it comes to politicians, Greg Mulholland should be right at the top of the list. He's the only politician who's proven himself to be on top of the game, he's the only one who understands the industry from top to bottom, he's the only one to be consistently active about pubs, he's the only one who's shown he's got a firm grip of the subject.
Finally, for the time being, I think you'll find that No 44 David Rushmore is in actuality David Rusholme. But there you are what do I know? Just a little tied publican spending too much time 'blogging' instead of concentrating on building up my business so I can keep struggling to pay my rent and double the price they should be beer invoices.
edited by: J Mark Dodds at: 09/06/2011 13:38:28
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Marston's wins franchise agreement accreditation
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90776
Given the state of the pub industry and the approaching recession, which has NOT bitten anywhere as near deep into pubs as it's going to over the next two years, I'm sure HMRC has little confidence in the ability of many sole operator pubs actually being able to keep up with PAYE in the long run and as far as they are concerned an agreement to accept this 'Franchise' under self employed status looks like a more reliable bet now than sticking with the little businesses they've been seeing flushing down the toilet pan of pubco history at ever alarming rates.
Phew, please forgive that long sentence.
RE: Marston's wins franchise agreement accreditation
By the way, Ralph, how about applying this model to the Black Swan in Belford? I couldn't even be bothered to take a pic or go in and find out what's happening this half term - it looks more run down and knackered than ever. Couldn't find the heart to hear more tales of impossible odds. That place, if invested in properly and well run; the way it was before it fell into the pubco tied lease mire, would be doing north of £500K a year on food and drink alone and rooms in that location could bring in another £100K without breaking sweat.
edited by: J Mark Dodds at: 07/06/2011 12:45:22
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90776
Given the state of the pub industry and the approaching recession, which has NOT bitten anywhere as near deep into pubs as it's going to over the next two years, I'm sure HMRC has little confidence in the ability of many sole operator pubs actually being able to keep up with PAYE in the long run and as far as they are concerned an agreement to accept this 'Franchise' under self employed status looks like a more reliable bet now than sticking with the little businesses they've been seeing flushing down the toilet pan of pubco history at ever alarming rates.
Phew, please forgive that long sentence.
RE: Marston's wins franchise agreement accreditation
By the way, Ralph, how about applying this model to the Black Swan in Belford? I couldn't even be bothered to take a pic or go in and find out what's happening this half term - it looks more run down and knackered than ever. Couldn't find the heart to hear more tales of impossible odds. That place, if invested in properly and well run; the way it was before it fell into the pubco tied lease mire, would be doing north of £500K a year on food and drink alone and rooms in that location could bring in another £100K without breaking sweat.
edited by: J Mark Dodds at: 07/06/2011 12:45:22
Stars back Primrose Hill pub in M&B row
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90798
This gets right to the heart of what is wrong with the pub industry in Britain, where true value is misunderstood and interpreted only through the filter of corporate greed.
M&B should be forced to sell the freehold to Olivier and Osborne who have long proven themselves to be the rightful owners. They have made the Engineer their own. It's only their tenure there that has made the pub the significant place that it is. Corporates should not be able by statute to upturn and take speculative advantage of decades of success created by other people's vision just because property law allows it.
The Engineer, along with The Landsdowne, also in Primrose Hill, and The Eagle in Farringdon Road, are the pub businesses that inspired a complete revolution in catering across the whole of Britain - it was people like Abi and Tamsin, along with Mick Belben and Dave Eyre at the Eagle, who stuck their necks out and set up 'their own' transformative catering businesses in pubs in the early to mid 1990's. The pubs these people took on with their own investment had been run into the ground by an outmoded visionless morally bankrupt pub industry that had completely ground to a halt in terms of investment and development. Their lead encouraged many people, including me in setting up The Sun and Doves in 1995, to leave the West End and establish their own pioneering businesses in places further afield where all pubs had become vile stinking sticky floored boozers no one wanted to go to unless they had dogs on string in tow.
There are fundamental rights & wrongs here that are applicable right across the property spectrum. The freeholder has had its profit out of this business again and again. There should come a point at which model tenants gain the right to assert their tenure legally over a property they have improved, maintained, built up and put on the map over a period of decades - legislation should protect tenants in a situation like this where the freeholder will simply set up its own business for free which piggy backs on the reputation, goodwill and enormous turnover its tenants have built up through their own vision, passion, financial investment and sheer consistent application of personal hard graft over a long period.
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90798
This gets right to the heart of what is wrong with the pub industry in Britain, where true value is misunderstood and interpreted only through the filter of corporate greed.
M&B should be forced to sell the freehold to Olivier and Osborne who have long proven themselves to be the rightful owners. They have made the Engineer their own. It's only their tenure there that has made the pub the significant place that it is. Corporates should not be able by statute to upturn and take speculative advantage of decades of success created by other people's vision just because property law allows it.
The Engineer, along with The Landsdowne, also in Primrose Hill, and The Eagle in Farringdon Road, are the pub businesses that inspired a complete revolution in catering across the whole of Britain - it was people like Abi and Tamsin, along with Mick Belben and Dave Eyre at the Eagle, who stuck their necks out and set up 'their own' transformative catering businesses in pubs in the early to mid 1990's. The pubs these people took on with their own investment had been run into the ground by an outmoded visionless morally bankrupt pub industry that had completely ground to a halt in terms of investment and development. Their lead encouraged many people, including me in setting up The Sun and Doves in 1995, to leave the West End and establish their own pioneering businesses in places further afield where all pubs had become vile stinking sticky floored boozers no one wanted to go to unless they had dogs on string in tow.
There are fundamental rights & wrongs here that are applicable right across the property spectrum. The freeholder has had its profit out of this business again and again. There should come a point at which model tenants gain the right to assert their tenure legally over a property they have improved, maintained, built up and put on the map over a period of decades - legislation should protect tenants in a situation like this where the freeholder will simply set up its own business for free which piggy backs on the reputation, goodwill and enormous turnover its tenants have built up through their own vision, passion, financial investment and sheer consistent application of personal hard graft over a long period.
Saturday, June 04, 2011
LinkedIn http://linkd.in/j4sY7G
I'm not sure that 'we', collectively, are so bad at predicting the next big thing at all really. I believe that many individuals spot the next big thing but it can never begin to take hold until a number of the individuals come together to make it happen. Watershed stuff.
The problem lies in the very nature of paradigms - once spread throughout society they become stuck, they become the status quo, and 'we' collectively like the security and stability of a status quo. We like the familiar, we like sameness, it's part of our make-up as beings.
Many individuals among the collective DO see the next big thing, indeed some of them have seen the next big thing several big things down the line and have probably spent their entire lives waiting for the rest of us to catch up and have died not seeing their real big thing vision come even close to manifesting itself - they are the source of where the next big things come from but, being individuals among a majority, when they have the temerity, or perhaps under the circumstances it might be considered audacity, to speak out and begin suggesting that there ought to be a next big thing to replace the current big thing the rest of us say 'WHOA there, hold your horses. You are a heretic, the status quo is what we are at, what we want and what we need and it's the way it is and it should not change. Why SHOULD it change because it all works so well as it is? What you are suggesting is outrageous and obviously wrong. Off with his head (and so on)'.
This is also why we, collectively, KNOW that we are eating up the planet we live on when there is no escape from here but find it impossible to change the way we behave collectively - even though we know we are killing ourselves. Well our children's selves.
I'm not sure that 'we', collectively, are so bad at predicting the next big thing at all really. I believe that many individuals spot the next big thing but it can never begin to take hold until a number of the individuals come together to make it happen. Watershed stuff.
The problem lies in the very nature of paradigms - once spread throughout society they become stuck, they become the status quo, and 'we' collectively like the security and stability of a status quo. We like the familiar, we like sameness, it's part of our make-up as beings.
Many individuals among the collective DO see the next big thing, indeed some of them have seen the next big thing several big things down the line and have probably spent their entire lives waiting for the rest of us to catch up and have died not seeing their real big thing vision come even close to manifesting itself - they are the source of where the next big things come from but, being individuals among a majority, when they have the temerity, or perhaps under the circumstances it might be considered audacity, to speak out and begin suggesting that there ought to be a next big thing to replace the current big thing the rest of us say 'WHOA there, hold your horses. You are a heretic, the status quo is what we are at, what we want and what we need and it's the way it is and it should not change. Why SHOULD it change because it all works so well as it is? What you are suggesting is outrageous and obviously wrong. Off with his head (and so on)'.
This is also why we, collectively, KNOW that we are eating up the planet we live on when there is no escape from here but find it impossible to change the way we behave collectively - even though we know we are killing ourselves. Well our children's selves.
Friday, June 03, 2011
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=90749
I've almost lost the will to live. All these years have taken their toll on me. Years of dealing with stupid, rapacious incompetent pubcos who get away with absolutely anything they want in their private little world of the Beer Tie.
It's as clear as night follows day that all this is a complete scam - but government fails to intervene on the back of the say so of a bunch of complacent self serving lining their own pockets while they close Britain's pubs by sucking every past drop of profit out of them.
The Enterprise leaseback scheme really takes the biscuit. Alarm Bells! The most obvious one in a long line of initiatives from across the spectrum of stupid pubco initiatives of pushing beer uphill that just proves beyond any possible shadow of a doubt that the pubco tied model is utterly bankrupt and has to all intents and purposes failed (other than to continue to pour cash into the pockets of a number of CEOs and MDs of insolvent companies of course).
They just come and go as they please with impunity. God knows what their bond holders really think. The ONLY reason this situation does not substantially change is because no one in a position to make change happen is inclined to do so - in case they get it wrong like the Beer Orders set it up so this catastrophic situation we have today became the very low ebb of the pub industry's status quo.
We ought to be able to be proud of the British pub industry. Instead it's a shameful indictment of the way our society and culture sees and values itself. This industry makes me sick. It's disgusting.
By the way - what are the current stats for pub closures? I reckon I get more than 30 a week just through Fleurets; and they're all former pubco pubs by the way.
I've almost lost the will to live. All these years have taken their toll on me. Years of dealing with stupid, rapacious incompetent pubcos who get away with absolutely anything they want in their private little world of the Beer Tie.
It's as clear as night follows day that all this is a complete scam - but government fails to intervene on the back of the say so of a bunch of complacent self serving lining their own pockets while they close Britain's pubs by sucking every past drop of profit out of them.
The Enterprise leaseback scheme really takes the biscuit. Alarm Bells! The most obvious one in a long line of initiatives from across the spectrum of stupid pubco initiatives of pushing beer uphill that just proves beyond any possible shadow of a doubt that the pubco tied model is utterly bankrupt and has to all intents and purposes failed (other than to continue to pour cash into the pockets of a number of CEOs and MDs of insolvent companies of course).
They just come and go as they please with impunity. God knows what their bond holders really think. The ONLY reason this situation does not substantially change is because no one in a position to make change happen is inclined to do so - in case they get it wrong like the Beer Orders set it up so this catastrophic situation we have today became the very low ebb of the pub industry's status quo.
We ought to be able to be proud of the British pub industry. Instead it's a shameful indictment of the way our society and culture sees and values itself. This industry makes me sick. It's disgusting.
By the way - what are the current stats for pub closures? I reckon I get more than 30 a week just through Fleurets; and they're all former pubco pubs by the way.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_157750540945214¬if_t=group_activity
All pubcos, by evidence of behaviour, are the same. As long as the tenant is pouring cash into their coffers they say the tenant landlord relationship is great. As soon as the cash starts to dry up they say the tenant is a useless scumbag, who knows nothing about business. They say your overheads are too high, you have too many staff, you have them on at times when they are not needed, you pay them too much, you don't do enough hours on the floor, you should look at your supplier prices (I like the irony of that one!), you need to check your 'product mix', your 'price point', your 'retail margin', your blackboards are not prominent enough, you don't make enough use of specials, are you sure your marketing is getting to the right people? Are you in top of your stock? Can you trust your employees? Do you use an external stock taker (this one, presumably, because you obviously can't trust yourself)? Have you considered refurbishing the premises?
If you've got a week to spare, in sixteen years with tied pubcos, I've seen it all. Not once has any of these useless lazy lying double dealing self promoting shysters EVER admitted that their beer prices, being double what they are free of tie, are a part of the problem.
They use the same tactics, employ the same third party, poor quality, companies to do their dirty work, they pass themselves round and round from one company to the next deceiving tenants and themselves that there's nothing untoward about what they're doing. They have mortgages to pay, kids to send to school and take skiing and rugby games to watch. YOU/I/WE are their bread and butter. When we start to let them down because we can't pay the rent or afford their beer anymore and our beer volumes are falling ('your the only tenant on my patch who's having any problems' - sound familiar?) because our businesses are becoming quieter because four pints cost fifteen quid they just say we are ripping THEM off, we're fiddling, we're not in control of costs, budgets, our business, it's all OUR fault. The accusations begin, the threats start, the investigations are put into action and the machinery clicks into place to protect their assets. Schedule of dilapidation survey is done. Questions about beer volumes are asked, 'you must be buying out' comes up and so it goes.
Boring but true. They're all the same until proven otherwise.
All pubcos, by evidence of behaviour, are the same. As long as the tenant is pouring cash into their coffers they say the tenant landlord relationship is great. As soon as the cash starts to dry up they say the tenant is a useless scumbag, who knows nothing about business. They say your overheads are too high, you have too many staff, you have them on at times when they are not needed, you pay them too much, you don't do enough hours on the floor, you should look at your supplier prices (I like the irony of that one!), you need to check your 'product mix', your 'price point', your 'retail margin', your blackboards are not prominent enough, you don't make enough use of specials, are you sure your marketing is getting to the right people? Are you in top of your stock? Can you trust your employees? Do you use an external stock taker (this one, presumably, because you obviously can't trust yourself)? Have you considered refurbishing the premises?
If you've got a week to spare, in sixteen years with tied pubcos, I've seen it all. Not once has any of these useless lazy lying double dealing self promoting shysters EVER admitted that their beer prices, being double what they are free of tie, are a part of the problem.
They use the same tactics, employ the same third party, poor quality, companies to do their dirty work, they pass themselves round and round from one company to the next deceiving tenants and themselves that there's nothing untoward about what they're doing. They have mortgages to pay, kids to send to school and take skiing and rugby games to watch. YOU/I/WE are their bread and butter. When we start to let them down because we can't pay the rent or afford their beer anymore and our beer volumes are falling ('your the only tenant on my patch who's having any problems' - sound familiar?) because our businesses are becoming quieter because four pints cost fifteen quid they just say we are ripping THEM off, we're fiddling, we're not in control of costs, budgets, our business, it's all OUR fault. The accusations begin, the threats start, the investigations are put into action and the machinery clicks into place to protect their assets. Schedule of dilapidation survey is done. Questions about beer volumes are asked, 'you must be buying out' comes up and so it goes.
Boring but true. They're all the same until proven otherwise.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)