CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona has today responded to the Government’s announcement on changes to the Pubs Code.
Antona (pictured) said, 'It is good to see that the Government is taking forward some changes to the Pubs Code that will bring tenants in England and Wales into the scope of the Code protections more swiftly and make the Market Rent Only process faster. However, the Government has missed an opportunity in not taking up Parallel Rent Assessments for prospective tied tenants.
“Sadly, the Pubs Code is not working as intended and for as long as this is allowed to continue, licensees will suffer, and consumers will suffer detriment through further price inflation and neglected pub stock. The changes that the Government is taking forward are not far reaching enough to fix this.
“With the second statutory review of the Code commencing next year, we will be pressing the Government to make fundamental reforms that will actually balance the relationship between tenants and their pub companies, as the legislation was intended to do.”