GMB calls for BII to end Punch membership

The GMB union has called on the British Institute of Innkeepers to strip Punch Taverns of membership over its treatment of Peak District tenant.

It claims that tenant David Mountford was misled over £180,000 investment, lied to and badly treated by Punch Taverns managers.

Mountford, who runs the Rising Sun in Middleton in Derbyshire, has written to the British Institute of Innkeepers to complain of his treatment by Punch Tavern over a period of more than two years since March 2007. In May this year, Mountford asked the BII to investigate his complaint and if they uphold it to strip Punch Taverns of membership as a fit organisation to operate in the pub industry.

Mountford detailed his complaints against Punch Taverns in a 13 page written submission to Neil Robertson, chief executive of the BII.

Mountford claims that he was targeted to take on a lease by Punch Taverns in March 2007 after he had been made redundant. He was promised that the company would invest £180,000 in the run down Rising Sun pub if he took it on. He and his wife moved their family of four children to Derbyshire on the basis of this deal but Punch Taverns more than two years later has yet to make good this promised investment.

His complaints include a litany of broken promises regarding this investment by Punch Taverns to bring the building up to scratch. There are also details of the more basic failure by the company to undertake fundamental remedial safety work. There are details of the threats and false accusations after he involved outside agencies to secure action on this front. Punch Taverns had to be forced by the local Environmental Health Service and Mountford to undertake even essential safety repairs.

The document contains the long list of misleading claims by Punch Taverns managers over the two years on a wide range of issues.

Martin Smith GMB National organiser said: "GMB has studied the case of Dave Mountford regarding his treatment by Punch Taverns as their tenant at the Rising Sun over a period of more than 2 years. This was a "pub tenancy from hell" deal. He does have proof of disgraceful treatment at the hands of Punch Taverns. So compelling is his evidence that we plan to include it in GMB's wider submission to the OFT in our campaign to end the tie and the exploitation that goes with it."

The GMB has called on the BII to speed up their examination of the complaints and claims it will have little choice but to find that Punch Taverns have acted disgracefully.

"GMB call on British Institute of Innkeepers to strip Punch Taverns of membership as a fit organisation in the pub industry. That will help stop Punch Taverns duping any more people to take over their uneconomic tenancies. GMB urge the British Institute of Innkeepers to do this to stop their membership scheme being seen as a sham."

Punch operations director Kevin Georgel said: "Whilst we strongly refute many of the unsubstantiated claims made by Mr Mountford, we are still in the process of exploring his complaint.

"The BII are acting as independent mediators in their capacity as accreditors of our Charter (BIIBAS) and we welcome their involvement in this matter.

"We regret that Mr Mountford has taken the decision to publicise his complaint at a time when we are actively engaged in addressing the issues in conjunction with the BII.

"We will continue to work positively with the BII to reach a conclusion."