Enterprise: Mulholland is 'irresponsible'

Enterprise Inns has accused MP Greg Mulholland of making "irresponsible and inappropriate comments" in calling for the removal of chief executive Ted Tuppen and suggesting the pub sector would be best served by the demise of Enterprise.

A spokesman for Enterprise Inns said: "The comments made by Mr Mulholland are totally inappropriate and irresponsible for a Member of Parliament to make.

"They not only serve to damage his own reputation, but sadly also harm the reputation of the industry as well."

Mulholland launched an extraordinary attack on Enterprise and Tuppen at Tuesday's Tenanted Pub Company Summit, organised by the Morning Advertiser.

Mulholland described Tuppen as the Gerald Ratner of the pub trade and suggested it was time he stepped down.

At the end of a panel discussion on the future of the industry, Mulholland said: "I think the aggression and denial of Mr Tuppen continues to be a problem.

"If you want some serious advice, have a think about the damage to the tenanted sector and pubs in general and actually to Enterprise Inns and I think it's something that shareholders should have a think about."

Ratner​

Earlier he told delegates at the conference that he and Tuppen had an "interesting relationship" exchanging "nasty letters".

"The first thing to say is that for anyone who really cares about the British pub to be insulted by Ted Tuppen is a badge of honour — a man who has done to the pub trade what Gerald Ratner did to Ratner's Jewellery.

"The trouble is that in my area, among the people who love pubs and love Camra, the name of Enterprise Inns is mud because of the number of pubs that have been closed in the area — and the way they are perceived by the people who go to pubs and support them.

"It's fine applauding Ted Tuppen in this room but...I'm afraid the way the model has been operated by Enterprise and others has been a disaster for British pubs.

"Frankly, the sooner it changes and the sooner Enterprise Inns goes down the swanny the better.

"The only figures that ever goes up at Enterprise are Ted's take home. When the company profits went down in 2008, amazingly Ted's take-home went up 23% and I think that says it all."

Leadership​

Referring to Punch Taverns, Mulholland said some companies were showing leadership. "I'm happy to say that I've been prepared to engage with Punch because it's been prepared to engage with me in a way that Enterprise haven't.

"There are things happening in some companies and some companies are leading in terms of saying, 'Let's see if we can address these concerns'. But I still have real concerns about the model that have to be addressed with a bit more than appears to have been at the moment. I'm very happy to come and hear Marston's plans.

"We are very happy to listen to people who will listen equally and change.

"Whether we've addressed the problems at the moment is doubtful, but who knows. We remain open-minded. But we do have the benchmark of the Select Committee recommendations and whether you like it or not, the fact is the last Government and now this Government has accepted that certain changes must happen."

Prejudice​

Tuppen, who shared the panel with Mulholland, told the audience that he hoped fact might replace prejudice among politicians in the coming year.

He also accused Mulholland of "making stuff up" in claiming £50,000 of pub profit went to pay debt and tenants had received, in extra non-contractual support, an average of just £2,000 support each.

He said the figures were £30,000 of pub profit per pub paying interest bills and £10,000 per pub of extra support across 3,000 pubs.

"It is a bit depressing when you make stuff up. We (in this room) all know you are making it up but the trouble is that you saying it to 634 other MPs and they don't know you are making it up."

Tuppen also told the audience that Mulholland had ignored more than a dozen invitations to spend a day in trade.

Punch leased division boss Roger Whitesiode told Mulholland: "I joined the pub trade fresh and ...I agree with the criticisms you're making of us in general and the need to change.

"I find myself a bit depressed because whilst I can see there is change happening in the sector, whether in response to the market or the critics, what I don't hear is you moving your entrenched views.

"I don't hear anything that says you are giving us credit — those that are trying to change."