Property Law

Government's statutory code pub closure figures disputed

12-Jun-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub property agents have disputed the Government’s predicted pub-closure figures as a result of a statutory code and claimed the legislation could encourage newcomers to join the trade.

PRS and PPL stay silent on merger

11-Jun-2014 By Ellie Bothwell and Helen Gilbert

PPL and PRS for Music, the music licensing bodies, have remained tight-lipped on whether they will merge after concerns were raised over their "illogical" relationship.

Protest group looking to strike deals with owners of empty pubs

04-Jun-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Empty-property campaigners are looking to strike deals with pub owners to use their venues as community spaces during periods when they are not trading.

CAMRA says Government is failing to act on pub protection

03-Jun-2014 By James Wallin

Campaign for Real Ale members have accused Brandon Lewis MP of failing to act on protecting pubs.

Punch agrees to sell five pubs for £9.7m

03-Jun-2014 By Mark Wingett

Punch Taverns has agreed to sell five freehold pubs in central London to Manica Properties Ltd, an Isle of Man-based company, for £9.7m.

Stonegate-operated package sold in £28m deal

03-Jun-2014 By Mark Wingett

OLIM Property, the property investment company led by former Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Matthew Oakeshott, has acquired 15 freehold pubs let to Stonegate Pub Company for £28.3m.

Pub tenants warned over break clauses

30-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A property lawyer has advised pub tenants to check whether break clauses are outlined as unconditional in their lease, after the Court of Appeal ruled last week that Marks & Spencer (M&S) was not obliged to receive a refund in rent following a...

Banks still slow to lend to pubs, say agents

21-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Banks still perceive the pub sector as “a risky bet” when it comes to lending and will only consider issuing loans if applications meet stringent criteria, according to property agents.

Cumbria community group seeks pub tenants

20-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A Cumbria community group is searching for tenants to run its pub, after battling to purchase the property three years ago.

Star launches social media support programme for tenants

15-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Star Pubs & Bars has launched a social media support programme to help its lessees promote their businesses.

Third of non-domestic properties given low EPC rating

14-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A third of non-domestic properties that had an  energy performance certificate (EPC) lodged last year were given a poor rating of E or lower, according to a new Government report on the energy performance of building certificates.

CAMRA's pub protection measures spark concern

13-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The pub protection measures put to London Mayor Boris Johnson by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) could “detrimentally impact” the value of pubs, according to a leading property agent.

CAMRA calls for Boris Johnson to protect London’s pubs

08-May-2014 By Ruth Williams

The Greater London Region of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is calling for increased planning protection for pubs to slow the rate of London pub closures.

Community pub use class would 'further complicate' the planning system, warn agents

07-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A separate use class for community pubs would present a “further complication” of planning legislation, leading property agents have warned, after a new Bill calling for the change was proposed in Parliament last week.

McMullen invests in major refurb programme

02-May-2014 By Ruth Williams

McMullen, the Hertford-based brewer and pub company, has invested £240,000 renovating five of its pubs as part of its on-going investment plans across its estate.

Bill aims to list community pub as separate planning classification

01-May-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A Bill calling for community pubs to be listed in their own use class has received support from the three major political parties after it was presented in Parliament yesterday.

Westminster proposes pub protection policy

30-Apr-2014 By Ruth Williams

Pubs in central London will have to be marketed for at least a year before a developer can change its use, if Westminster City Council’s proposal for a new planning policy is rubberstamped.

New rent arrears rules are 'still not understood', warn property agents

30-Apr-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub property agents have welcomed new regulations governing the ways in which landlords are able to recover commercial rent arrears, but warned that the changes are “still not understood”.

Pub trade warned over tax relief changes

08-Apr-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Property experts have raised concerns about new changes to tax relief that could make it more difficult for publicans to receive discounts.

Pub finance specialist says banks are 'desperate to lend'

02-Apr-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A pub finance specialist has defended the Liberal Democrats’ adoption of ‘pro-pub’ policies last month and claimed that banks are “desperate to increase lending” to small businesses, after property agents slammed the measures as “naïve” and difficult...

Punch agrees to sell Red Lion in Sidbury to community

28-Mar-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Campaigners hoping to save a Devonshire village pub have been handed a lifeline after Punch Taverns agreed to sell the property to a community enterprise group.

More pubs sold for continued use in 2013 - Fleurets

28-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Fleurets sold a greater proportion of pubs for continued pub use in 2013 compared to the previous year, while the average sale price was 7% higher than for alternative use.

Pubs 'three times harder to save' than village shops

27-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

It is three times harder to “save” a pub than a village shop, despite the fact that an increasing number of communities are willing and able to purchase and run their own local.

Tenants 'becoming more successful' in securing their own rent cuts

25-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub tenants are increasingly managing to successfully negotiate their own rent reductions, licensing chartered surveyor David Morgan has revealed.

Lib Dem 'pro pub' measures are 'naïve', say property agents

18-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub property agents have criticised the Liberal Democrats’ approval of ‘pro-pub measures’ last week, claiming that they are “naïve” and would be difficult to implement in practice.

Licensees failing to use pub tax breaks, says trade accountant

17-Mar-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Commercial property owners are missing out on an opportunity to cut their tax bills by failing to claim on “integral features” such as electrical power and lighting, a leading licensed trade accountant has warned.

Pubs missing out on rate relief due to council flaws

10-Mar-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Pubs are missing out on their share in a £100m small business rates relief windfall because local councils are failing to provide up-to-date advice, a report has found.

Top tips for pub buyers

03-Mar-2014 By Simon Hall

Purchasing a pub can be hugely nerve-racking, with a multitude of things to consider before you get your name above the door. Simon Hall, director and head of pubs at Fleurets, shares seven points to consider before making the leap

Growing potential for managed route as market recovers, says property agent

03-Mar-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The pub market is finally starting to recover and there are increasing opportunities for emerging pub companies to run managed estates, according to Kevin Marsh, director of trading and leisure at Savills.

Wandsworth council opens consultation on future of Wheatsheaf pub

28-Feb-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Wandsworth Council has opened a public consultation on proposed Article 4 Directions to save Tooting pub the Wheatsheaf from demolition or change of use.

Business rates based on energy usage would be 'very problematic'

26-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Creating a new business rates system based on energy usage rather than rateable value would be “very problematic” — that’s the warning from a leading energy consultant for pubs, after the British Retail Consortium (BRC) put forward the proposal last week.

McMullen's enhances tenanted pubs to managed house standard

26-Feb-2014 By John Harrington

Around 70% of McMullen’s tenanted pubs have been enhanced to the standard of its managed houses following a series of ‘rep and dec’ investments, tenant operations manager Gavin Mansfield has told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s sister title M&C...

Hampstead pub campaigners celebrate after conversion refusal

17-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Campaigners out to save the Old White Bear in Hampstead, north-west London, are celebrating after Camden Council refused to give permission to convert the pub, which is listed as an asset of community value (ACV), into a six-bedroom house.

Former Top 50 Gastropubs Awards winner buys first pub

17-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Award-winning front-of-house manager Mike Champion has become a licensee for the first time, after purchasing the leasehold of the Carpenters Arms pub in Cambridge.

Pub property agents welcome business rates reform

14-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Property agents have welcomed a potential reform of business rates, stating that the current system is an “over complicated, onerous tax burden” to the pub trade, following the Government’s announcement outlining the details of the upcoming rates review...

Pub property agents slam ACV procedures

13-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Property agents have spoken out against councils listing pubs as assets of community value (ACV), saying the process is “long” and “unwieldy”.

Accurate energy ratings vital for future leasings, warns EPC expert

12-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Licensees looking to sell or lease their pub must make sure that an energy rating of the property has been carried out accurately in order to avoid breaking upcoming legislation.

Charles Wells tenants face 13.3% Carling price hike

12-Feb-2014 By Helen Gilbert

Charles Wells has stunned its tenants by increasing the price of Carling by an eye-watering 13.3%.

Think tank urges business rates reform

06-Feb-2014 By Fiona Griffiths

Think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has called for urgent reform of Britain’s business rates system.

New flood insurance scheme would lead to permanent pub closures, say property agents

05-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Property agents have warned that there could be permanent pub closures if a new Government-backed scheme - which would see thousands of pubs excluded from access to affordable flood insurance - is rubber-stamped.

Islington Council 'disappointed' by High Court ruling against pub protection policy

04-Feb-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

A London council said that it is "disappointed" by a High Court ruling, after it lost a legal challenge against plans to redevelop a pub into housing.

Restrictive covenants rarely used, claim property agents

30-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub property agents have defended the practices of large pub companies and claimed that restrictive covenants are rarely used, after the Local Government Association (LGA) last week called for a ban on the measure, which forces pubs to change use after...

Iconic London pub faces the bulldozers

29-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

An iconic London pub, favoured by the late comedians Tommy Cooper, Tony Hancock and Sid James, is facing demolition after Westminster Council approved redevelopment plans for a hotel and cinema complex.

UK needs to lose further 1,000 pubs, warns top property agent

22-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The pub industry needs to lose another 1,000 sites within the next couple of years to achieve a “healthy” marketplace — that’s according to Christie+Co director Neil Morgan.

Restrictive covenants must be plugged, says Local Government Association

21-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The use of restrictive covenants, a "legal loophole" used by pub companies to force hundreds of community pubs to close each year, must be plugged.

Licensees 'missing out on tax relief'

21-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub licensees are missing out on thousands of pounds in unclaimed tax relief, known as capital allowances — that’s according to a chartered accountancy firm.

Pubs recognised for first time in Mayor's London planning guidelines

21-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The “important role” of London’s pubs has been recognised for the first time in Mayor Boris Johnson’s “London Plan”, the latest planning guidelines for the capital.

First increase in pub sale price since 2007, says Christie+Co

15-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The average sale price of a pub has increased for the first time since 2007 and a record number of pubs are remaining as pubs after sale, according to the latest research from property agent Christie+Co.

New rent recovery rules 'could upset owner-tenant relationship'

14-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

New regulations governing the ways in which landlords are able to recover commercial rent arrears could upset relationships between owners and tenants, according to property consultancy firm Bruton Knowles.

Ministry of Sound boss celebrates landmark agreement with developer over noise

08-Jan-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The boss of the Ministry of Sound has welcomed a landmark agreement over noise in relation to a new property development, stating it will “set a precedent” for how new housing and existing businesses can live together.