Property Law

Calderdale Council to target planning loophole

10-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, in West Yorkshire, has passed a motion to close the planning loophole that allows pubs to be converted or demolished without planning permission.

Energy-efficiency planning report welcomed

09-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

UK property representatives have strongly welcomed a new report calling for the Government to help improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings.

Average leasehold prices increase by 3% but freehold prices decline

09-Dec-2013 By Mark Wingett

The average sale price of bottom-end freehold pubs across the UK remained unchanged in the year to 30 September, while the average sale price of leaseholds climbed 3%.

Hotel Inspector Ruth Watson stars in new TV show

06-Dec-2013 By Lesley Foottit

TV hotel inspector Ruth Watson has launched a TV series focused on online reviewers.

The Alma in Newington Green reopens with new tenant

06-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The Alma, in Newington Green, north London, has re-opened with a new tenant at the helm, one month after former licensee Kirsty Valentine was evicted following a four-year legal dispute with owner Enterprise Inns.

Pubs at risk of legal action over planning rule breaches

05-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs and other businesses are increasingly at risk of legal action because they are failing to obtain required planning permission due to pressure on their businesses — according to a planning consultant.

Shaftesbury reports 'unprecedented' demand from F&B operators

03-Dec-2013 By John Harrington

Property landlord Shaftesbury says that there has been an “unprecedented demand” in its properties from food and beverage (F&B) operators, which now account for one-third of its income.

New pub class 'would create red tape woe'

03-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pub property agents have said creating a new planning class for traditional pubs would be difficult to implement and increase unwanted red tape, after a recent report suggested introducing a new category for more responsible outlets.

PGB amends PIRRS to make system 'more transparent'

28-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The Pub Governing Body (PGB) has amended the Pubs Independent Rent Review Scheme (PIRRS) to make the system “more transparent”.

New planning class should be created for traditional pubs, states report

27-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The English planning system should create a new usage class for traditional pubs, since young people drink in a more restrained and responsible manner there, according to a new report published in Planning Theory & Practice.

Wandsworth Council to consult on Article 4 Direction for Wheatsheaf pub

25-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Wandsworth Council has agreed to a full public consultation on a proposed Article 4 Direction for the Wheatsheaf in Tooting Bec, south London — the first time the borough has consulted on the measure — to prevent a change of use or demolition for redevelopment.

Newcastle licensees urged to check rateable value

20-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Licensees in Newcastle-upon-Tyne are being urged to check the rateable value (RV) of their premises in order to save thousands of pounds a year.

West Yorkshire campaign group urges pubco to sell pub to local

19-Nov-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

A campaign group hoping to save a closed West Yorkshire pub has called on its owner to sell the property, so it can re-open under local ownership.

Lincolnshire licensee seeks change of use to cut business rates

13-Nov-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

A Lincolnshire licensee is battling to change the use of his building from a pub to a nightclub, after estimating that the move would reduce his business rates by around £50,000 a year.

Bramwell Pub Company sites up for sale through Christie & Co

12-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

The 35 former Bramwell Pub Company sites that have been placed on the market with Christie + Co are located in a fairly even split across the country.

Squatters hope for Mitchells & Butlers pub deal

11-Nov-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

Squatters occupying a popular north London pub remain hopeful of striking an amicable deal with leaseholder Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) after a judge adjourned eviction proceedings for two weeks.

Industry concern over apprenticeship pilots

05-Nov-2013 By Helen Gilbert

Industry chiefs have voiced concern over the absence of hospitality sector organisations in the Government’s trail-blazing pilot for new apprenticeships.

Petition urges rates relief for pop-ups

05-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

A petition has been launched urging retailers of ‘pop-up’ premises to be able to qualify for three months’ business rates relief.

Pub investor funds up for grabs in East Anglia

30-Oct-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

The finance broker behind a new crowd-funding website has appealed for pubs in East Anglia to get in touch after a local businessman declared he would like to invest in the region.

RICS urges Government to clarify energy regulations for listed buildings

23-Oct-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is actively lobbying the Government to clarify stipulations of the Energy Act 2011 that state from 1 April 2018 all commercial property must be energy efficient or face being removed from the rental...

Pubs missing out on £5,000 energy savings

16-Oct-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

Pubs are missing out on more than £5,000 worth of savings a year due to not knowing the most efficient ways to consume energy, according to Npower.

Punch seeks tenants for 20 Scottish pubs

16-Oct-2013 By John Harrington

Tenants are being sought for a portfolio of 20 Punch Taverns pubs in Scotland.

Pub property agents welcome Labour Party business rates plan

01-Oct-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pub property agents have welcomed Ed Miliband’s commitment to freeze business rates for small firms if there is a Labour Government, but are sceptical as to whether it would go ahead.

The Wheatsheaf, Tooting Bec, is 'Locally Listed' by Wandsworth Council

18-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Wheatsheaf in Tooting Bec, London, has been put on Wandsworth council’s ‘Local List’, after strong campaigning from locals and Sadiq Khan MP.

Fleurets: third of all rent reviews result in increase

18-Sep-2013 By John Harrington

The Fleurets Rental Survey reveals that despite market conditions a third of all rent reviews resulted in an increase.

More pubs sell prior to auction

18-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Almost half of the 46 pubs that were put up for auction earlier this month were sold prior to the event.

Gov't proposes specialist planning court for Judicial Reviews

17-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Government has revealed proposals for a specialist planning court to help streamline the legal process for determining challenges to planning issues.

Pub property agents report 'buoyant' summer sales activity

10-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The pub property market could be seeing green shoots of recovery as agents report “buoyant” trading over the summer, which is traditionally a quiet period.

Cotswolds sees shortage of pubs on offer, say property agents

06-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees looking for pubs in the Cotswolds may be disappointed after one property agent has warned of a shortage of available sites.

Licensees urged to utilise car parks for extra income

05-Sep-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees should utilise their car parks by charging non-customers to use them — that’s according to a car park management services provider.

Opinion: Differing methods of setting pub rents

27-Aug-2013 By Jonathan Essex

Traditional pub rents are usually set with reference to the profit that can be generated from the property, but high-street pubs and bars are usually valued on a rate per square foot. Why the difference?

Freehold pubs go to auction next month

27-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Twenty-five freehold pubs are set to go to under the hammer next month at two separate auctions held by Network Auctions and CP Bigwood.

London restaurant demand hits pub rent levels, claims property agent

15-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pubs in London are seeing higher rents because of the strong demand that restaurant operators are bringing to the City.

Auctions see more pubs go under the hammer

13-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

More than 20 pubs are set to go under the hammer within the next three weeks in two separate auctions held by Savills and Sidney Phillips.

Locals raise £100k plus to save Anglers Rest in Bamford, Derbyshire

13-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Locals have reeled in more than £100,000 in three weeks in a bid to buy the Anglers Rest pub in Bamford, Derbyshire.

East Devon residents look to list Red Lion as asset of community value

05-Aug-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A group of residents is looking to become the first in east Devon to have its local pub listed as an asset of community value (ACV).

Tied rents remain higher than free-of-tie rents for second year

02-Aug-2013 By Rob Willock

Rents remain higher as a proportion of turnover among tied pubs than free-of-tie pubs, according to this year’s Benchmarking Report from the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

Pub property agents continue to see strong demand for free-of-tie leases

31-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Pub property agents are continuing to see a strong demand for free-of-tie leases as an alternative to taking on a freehold site.

Licensee outrage at property agent's methods to encourage publicans to sell pubs

31-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has kicked off at the methods a property agent is using to encourage licensees to sell their pub.

Gov't approves policy to protect pubs in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

25-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The Government has confirmed that pubs in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea will see greater protection from being turned into housing.

Jersey-based Liberation Group looks for new tenants

24-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Jersey-based pub and drinks business Liberation Group is looking for tenants to move to the Channel Islands and take on a pub.

Community-run pub celebrates first anniversary

24-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

The co-owner of a community-run pub celebrating its first anniversary has said it took nine months of trial and error to settle into it.

Five out of seven pubs sell at Allsop auction

16-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Five out of the seven pubs that went under the hammer at an Allsop auction have sold, with all the pubs selling above, or reaching, the guide price.

Star hails surge in substantive leases

11-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

Star Pubs & Bars, the Heineken-owned leased pub operator, has seen a 50% rise in licensees taking substantive leases since the launch of its new agreement and support package in November.

Organise your own sale instead of lease surrender, says Morgan & Clarke

10-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

Lessees looking to surrender their lease have been advised to enter into a new 15-year agreement with their pub company, and then immediately organise a sale on the open market.