The Pubs Code Adjudicator has announced the launch of its Annual Tied Tenants Survey, calling on tied publicans to take the opportunity to share their views on their pub company and the Pubs Code Adjudicator.
The survey was launched on the 9th of January 2024 and will be live until mid-March. Tied tenants from the UK’s top six pub companies operating within the code – Admiral, Greene King, Marston’s, Punch, Star, and Stonegate – will be contacted by independent research company Ipsos, and are encouraged to find time to participate, as their input plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of the pub industry.
Last year’s survey marked a significant milestone for the PCA, as their largest and most impactful to date, capturing insights from over 1,200 tied pub tenants, and enabling comparisons between the six pub companies. Building on the success of the previous year, the PCA survey this year, aims to gather opinions from tied licensees with the UK’s biggest pub companies.
Speaking on the importance of the survey, Fiona Dickie, Pubs Code Adjudicator, said: “The Annual Tied Tenant Survey is an essential platform for tied tenants to express their views on their pub company and the effectiveness of the Pubs Code Adjudicator in safeguarding their interests. The insight gained helps steer our priorities for the coming twelve months and empowers us to help more hard-working business owners.
“If you are a tied tenant with one of the six pub companies, I urge you to please take this opportunity to make a difference by sharing your experience and perspective. By actively participating in the survey, you are contributing to the ongoing efforts to enhance transparency, fairness, and accountability in the industry.”
Tenants taking part in the survey are asked to share their overall satisfaction with their pub company, contentment with their type of tied agreement, the dynamics of their relationships with Business Development Managers (BDMs) and Code Compliance Officers (CCOs), and their sentiments regarding the information provided to them.
Last year’s survey revealed a consistent satisfaction level, with 62% of tenants expressing contentment in their existing relationships with their pub companies. The areas where tenants felt pub companies were performing best included fair and transparent treatment of tenants (with four in five tenants saying their BDM is fair with them in discussions), providing quick response times to concerns and issues raised, and the provision of information. Areas with room for improvement in this years’ survey include enhanced communication and awareness related to Code Compliance Officers, as only a quarter of tenants could name their CCO.
The full results of the 2023 survey can be found here.
Regular updates will be provided by The Pubs Code Adjudicator, with the final results expected to be published in early summer 2024. For more information on the PCA’s Annual Tied Tenant Survey, please visit: Pubs Code Adjudicator – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
