The Pub Governing Body, the organisation responsible for promoting the advancement and improvement of Landlord (Pub Owning Companies) and Tied Tenant relationships in the licensed retail sector met on 29 June 2020. The Board confirms that rent review negotiations that were suspended from 16 March 2020 can recommence from 1st July 2020 following the government’s decision to allow pubs that are able to comply with specific safeguarding measures to reopen.
The Board also recommends that member companies (owning up to 499 tied pubs in England and Wales and the majority of tied pubs in Scotland) continue to engage actively with tenants and lessees regarding ongoing support, taking account of the government’s code of conduct for commercial property relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, recognising that continuing government controls will constrain trade materially and that some pubs may not be able to open at all.