Statutory Code: Enterprise Inns criticises CAMRA interference

The pubco said the group is not representative of tied tenants but consumers and it was not “appropriate” for it to interfere. 

Enterprise said: “CAMRA is a consumer group which launched a very thorough and expensive Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation into the industry in 2009. It was entirely appropriate for a consumer group to ask the OFT to consider if there was consumer detriment to the pub industry. It is not appropriate for a consumer group to interfere with the commercially negotiation agreements between pub companies and their tenants.”

Communication​

Enterprise also said that the fundamental issue identified by the Government in its consultation was communication and suggested some alternatives to a Statutory Code.

It said: “One method could be though the Publican’s Morning Advertiser which has 110,000 unique visits on average each month, circulates 30,000 print copies to publicans and estimates that is has over 85% coverage in the leased or tied sector.”

Advice line​

In addition, Enterprise suggested tenants would benefit from an enhanced advice line, similar to one backed by the BII (British Institute of Innkeeping), but backed by experts such as rent surveyors.

It also called on the Department for Business Innovation and Skills to launch a campaign to increase tenants’ awareness of the Industry Framework Code, the Pubs Independent Rent Review Service and Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service systems.

Tuppen calls consultation "a disgrace"​

In the covering letter to the submission Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen called the consultation document “a disgrace”.

He also said it was “biased and almost totally lacking in genuine evidence” and espouses as truth the “opinions of a small but obsessive group who have been campaigning against the large pub companies for over a decade, supported by a handful of MPs, who have disseminated misinformation about the workings of the leased and tenanted sector. “

He added: “I was awarded a CBE in 2007 for services to the hospitality industry. I have been vilified and my reputation called into question as the campaigners have sought to achieve their misguided and damaging aims.”