BBPA issues rallying call for pub goers to support their local this Saturday and help struggling hospitality businesses The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, has today revealed it hopes pubs will serve 18 million pints this Saturday on National Hospitality Day. National Hospitality Day has been organised by sector charities to support hospitality businesses who were brought to their knees by the pandemic and help them get back on their feet. It is asking the nation to ‘go out and help out’ the sector on Saturday 18th September by visiting restaurants, cafes and pubs who are still struggling to recover their businesses. Latest data from the BBPA tracking the recovery of the beer and pub sector reveals that beer sales in pubs are 10% down on 2019, before the pandemic took place. Because of this, it says pubs are selling around 2 million pints less and losing as much as £9 million in much needed revenue on Saturdays alone. This it says, is lost potential revenue that is crucial to the sustainability and recovery of the sector following 16 months of forced closure and trade limiting restrictions. The trade association is therefore urging pub goers to go out to their local on National Hospitality Day this Saturday and show their support for their community pub. If enough people go out and support the sector on Saturday, the BBPA hopes trade for the day will match – or maybe even exceed –a typical Saturday’s trade before the pandemic, whilst also raising awareness of the support the sector still needs in its recovery. Ahead of National Hospitality Day, the BBPA has been making clear the support the beer and pub sector needs to recover and play a leading role in the Government’s plans to build back better post-pandemic. It is backing the Long Live The Local campaign, which is calling for Government investment in pubs as part of the recovery to build back better, by reforming Business Rates, VAT and a cut in Beer Duty. So far, over 60,000 people have signed the petition calling on the Government to support pubs and breweries and 50,000 have written to their MP directly to ask them to support pubs in their constituencies. Ahead of the Budget now announced for October 27th, it is urging Chancellor Rishi Sunak to do the right thing and implement these measures to support the sectors recovery. Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “Calling all pub goers across the UK, go out and help out your local this Saturday for National Hospitality Day! “This Saturday is all about showing support to our beloved pubs and hospitality businesses and helping them get back on their feet. “If people go out and support their local this Saturday, we hope 18 million pints – maybe even more – will be sold. A big boost to our sector. “If you have a local you love and cherish, I urge you to give them a visit this weekend – and beyond – to show your support. “I hope the Chancellor will be watching this Saturday and see the love we have as a nation for our pubs. They have a vital role to play in building back better and driving growth in communities across the UK. But if they are to do this he must invest in them at the Budget by reducing the unfair tax burden they face.”
BBPA responds to Winter Plan for COVID The British Beer & Pub Association, the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, has today responded to the Government’s announcement on its Winter Plan for Coronavirus Control. The trade association has said the repeal of COVID powers to close-down or apply restrictions to premises like pubs are welcome news for the sector. It said the measures would hopefully provide stability for the sector by enabling it to keep trading through the winter months, building confidence in the sector at this critical time in its recovery. The trade association did caution that although the ‘Plan B’ measures in the Government’s Winter Plan were to enable businesses like pubs to stay open, it did have concerns that asking people to work from home as part of ‘Plan B’ would impact the recovery of the sector – especially city centre pubs – and that covid certification has not been ruled out entirely. Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “It is very welcome news for our sector that powers to close-down or apply restrictions to our pubs will be repealed. “Forced closure during lockdowns and unnecessary restrictions such as the 10pm curfew, rule of six and substantial meals rule have greatly damaged our sector. “Publicans across the country will sigh in relief knowing they have stability to keep trading over the winter months. We also urge the devolved administrations to follow the approach that has been outlined today. “Of course, ‘Plan B’ measures suggesting working from home are concerning as they would impact the recovery of our sector – particularly city centre pubs – if implemented. It is also vital covid certification continues to be ruled out for pubs under any future plans.”
BBPA responds to consultation on proposals to amend the Pubs Code The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, has today submitted its response to the Consultation on proposals to amend the Pubs Code. According to the trade association, whilst pubs across the nation have suffered during the pandemic, it has also demonstrated the strengths of the leased & tenanted model and in particular the partnership between the pub owning company and tenant or lessee. It says this shows that the leased and tenanted model is working well and that at this time wholesale changes to the Code which could undermine the relationship between pub company and tenant or lessee would be unnecessary and obstructive. Through the pandemic, pub-owning companies provided £285 million in reduced or cancelled rent to tenants who couldn’t trade because of lockdowns, or whose trade was reduced because of restrictions. In the same period, these pub-owning businesses also provided additional support such as refunds on spoilt beer, COVID signage and PPE meaning on average their leased & tenanted pubs received £27,000 in support. That is support separate and distinct to that provided by the Government during the pandemic. The BBPA says the support given to leased and tenanted pubs during the pandemic shows that the model is working well and is a true partnership, where risk and reward is shared between tenant & lessee and pub company, but where a pub company will still give significant support to a tenant or lessee to help them run and grow their business. In comparison, independent pubs and those leased from commercial landlords would generally not have had access to anywhere near the same level of support during the pandemic. Likewise, as widely reported, the casual dining sector did not receive rent cancellations or reductions from institutional landlords like those given by pub owning businesses. Although the BBPA does not believe wholesale changes should be made to the Code currently, it does believe small changes could be made to improve operational elements of the Code and address anomalies with the original drafting. In particular, in response to the consultation, it has called for a longer negotiating period on MRO agreements before referrals to arbitration to avoid unnecessary costs for both pub owners and tenants & lessees and further delays. For these same reasons, it does not support proposals for Parallel Rent Assessments which it argues would create confusion and add extra unnecessary burdens for Pub owning businesses whilst not delivering any meaningful benefit to prospective tenants. A British Beer & Pub Association spokesperson said: “The pandemic has shown the true merits of the leased and tenanted pub model. “The partnership between tenant or lessee and pub owning business has never been stronger. The value and support received on a tie agreement has really come into its own during Covid. It is vital that the Pubs Code supports the long term viability of the model. “This consultation provides an opportunity to improve some technical and operational aspects of the Code, whilst also reducing unnecessary costs and delays for all parties.”
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