What's in a word?

Last week I emailed Roger Whiteside to ask him what Punch Taverns, whose tenanted and leased pub operation he runs, means when it uses the word 'partnership' to refer to the relationship between the company and its licensees.

To the man's credit he replied almost immediately (see my news story in the subject). While some readers will take considerable exception to his interpretation of the workings of a partnership and argue that in any case actions speak louder than (his) words, Whiteside's comments are at least proof that he is prepared to engage on such matters.

There are many elsewhere in the industry who choose not to voice — publicly at any rate — their take on the tenant/landlord relationship. Perhaps they believe that it doesn't need explaining à la ​Whiteside. Maybe they take the view that presenting their company's case can only result in the issuance of a one-way ticket to a hiding to nothing.

Personally I think large companies should be able to take a bit of stick. Besides, not all criticism is without merit; in some cases it can act as a barometer which companies ignore at their peril.

At least the advent of accredited codes of practice means we will be able to judge the tone of how pub companies see the tenant/landlord relationship. This won't soothe the critics. But we will be able to see what both sides are signing up to. And if one or the other screws up there can be no escape.

There are those in the industry who argue that people looking to take on a pub should do so on the basis of who owns it, rather than its location.

For those in the current economic climate who can only dream of owning their own pub outright, this might well be a good starting point on their journey.