The Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) has issued the results of this year’s Annual Tied Tenants Survey, highlighting sentiment towards, and relationships with, the UK’s big six tied pub companies.
Pubs Code Adjudicator Fiona Dickie
The big six comprise:
- Admiral
- Greene King
- Marston’s
- Punch
- Star Pubs & Bars and
- Stonegate.
The survey gathered the opinions of 1,203 tied pub tenants, who were interviewed about their views on a range of topics. The Pubs Code provides these tenants with protections to ensure transparency in their business relationship with their pub company. The PCA seeks to understand, through this survey, their overall satisfaction in that relationship, and to look in depth at a variety of key areas.
Out of the 1,203 tenants interviewed, it was revealed that 63% were satisfied with their tenant relationship, while 21% were dissatisfied. Overall pub company satisfaction has remained stable, except for Star, which has improved tenant satisfaction by nine points since 2023.
Those surveyed listed the following as some of the reasons for their satisfaction:
- good communication and the relationship with the business development or area manager;
- listening and responding to issues quickly;
- providing information;
- being fair and transparent;
- giving freedom; and
- being supportive during the cost of living crisis.
However, the following issues were flagged as reasons for dissatisfaction:
- a lack of support or a one-sided relationship;
- little to no contact with the business development manager;
- slow repairs or disputes with repairs and dilapidation schedules;
- issues with deliveries; and
- a lack of transparency and communication around changes.
Marston’s, Admiral, and Greene King had the highest overall satisfaction at 79%, 78% and 77% respectively. Stonegate tenants were the least satisfied at 47%. Information given to new tenants at Marston’s, Admiral, and Greene King was revealed as the most useful, compared to the that of the other pub companies, with Stonegate tenants finding the information least useful.
With regards to satisfaction with the tenancy agreement type, 68% were satisfied and 17% were dissatisfied, which is an improvement year on year. The reasons given for satisfaction include:
- the terms of the agreement are fair and transparent
- there is good negotiation on rent or repairs
- and investment in the pub.
Marston’s tenants are the most satisfied with their agreement at 83%, closely followed by Admiral on 79%, and Greene King on 75%.
The survey also looked at the awareness of the Pubs Code, which remained unchanged at 78%, and awareness of the Pubs Code Adjudicator, who enforces the Code, was also unchanged at 55%.
Trust in the independence of the Pubs Code Adjudicator has improved this year, particularly in terms of being independent from the pub companies (64% trust, an increase of seven points from 2023) and familiarity with the rights has remained consistent since last year.
Fiona Dickie, the Pubs Code Adjudicator, said: “It is great to see evidence that trust in the Pub Code’s independence has improved this year, especially in terms of being independent from pub companies themselves and that awareness is at similar levels to last year.
“These results inform our regulatory work, and it is important for the industry to see these pub company comparisons.
“The highest overall satisfaction results from Marston’s, Admiral, and Greene King set a standard pub companies should be seeking to attain, and succeed.
“The results give valuable information for the industry and this annual survey seeks to drive improvements across the board.”
