BBPA announces restructure – Rawlings and King leaving

Martin Rawlings, director of pub and leisure, has worked for the association for 20 years and Rita King, deputy director of pub and leisure, has been at the BBPA for 17 years.

The departures follow the completion of a new Framework Strategy, agreed by BBPA members in October.

Responsibility for beer and pubs is being combined under one policy head, with Andy Tighe, currently director of brewing taking on the role.

Rawlings was a key figure in steering the industry through the parliamentary process for the Licensing Act 2003 for which he was awarded an MBE for services to the trade.

King has led much of the BBPA’s work on tourism as well as launching the association’s access guide for pubs prior to the Paralympic Games.

The two together led the BBPA’s successful appeal in the Copyright Tribunal against PPL fee increases, which led to around £12m being returned to the pub and hospitality industry.

"Our beer and pub policy teams have always worked very closely together, as we have seen recently in our policy work and campaigning on beer duty, so it made sense to integrate the team fully," said chief executive Brigid Simmonds. "I would like to pay real tribute to the work of Martin and Rita and their contribution to the BBPA and our many policy successes over the last two decades. They leave a legacy of expertise integral to the work of the BBPA and so important not only to our lobbying efforts, but also to the critical role of technical advice and guidance which the Association provides, both to our members and to many others in the wider industry."