Sharp has recently retired from the Kings Arms in London’s Borough after running pubs for more than 40 years. During that time he has campaigned tirelessly for licensees and was a founding member of the Guild of Master Victuallers and the IPC, set up in 2009 to fight for reform of the beer-tie and a better deal for publicans.
Sharp said he would continue to represent licensees as the GMV member on the Pubs Governing Body (PGB), which oversees the current voluntary self-regulation scheme.
He said:“My message to the industry is that there are a lot of people on both sides of the fence who care about pubs and the living they get from them.
“It is imperative this is preserved. It might not suit everyone but we have all got to live with the legislation,” he added.
“The sector has changed dramatically over the years with the most obvious being the relationship be-tween licensees, brewers and the pubcos. We hope with the Government changes that this will be addressed, but it will need tolerance on both sides.”
He said he had confidence that the new regulations, which will see the introduction of an independent adjudicator and statutory code containing a market rent-only option, would work. He added: “If it works as it is meant to, it will be of benefit to both sides.”
He added that the PGB chaired by Sir Peter Luff, which oversees the current system of self-regulation en-compassing the Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service and Pubs Independent Rent Review Service, would remain relevant for smaller pubcos when the new regulations come into force next year.
Industry sources have told the PMA that discussions on the detail of the code are set to resume shortly with a further consultation launched in the autumn.