18/07/2026
Wow…. The wording of this is impeccable…. When I got to the part about how pubs closing affects the fabric of the community I actually got emotional and shed a tear…
People who run pubs in a community don’t do this for money, they do it for the love of the people and the love of the trade.
I hope all Stonegate tenants see some sort of help and things turn around for them. Our pub cos and brewery’s should be supporting us, Shepherd Neame have always been as good as the y can be to me… 🫶
Support the pubs… it’s tough out here 🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻
When Pub Companies Fail Their Publicans, They Fail Our Pubs
The decision by the Pubs Code Adjudicator to launch a formal investigation into Stonegate should concern everyone who cares about the future of British pubs. It is only the second statutory investigation since the Pubs Code came into force in 2016, making it a significant moment for our industry.
For too long, many tied tenants have told us they feel trapped in relationships where transparency is lacking, expectations are unrealistic and support often falls short when it is needed most. While the investigation will establish the facts, the concerns being examined are not unfamiliar to us or to countless publicans who have contacted the Independent Pub Alliance.
This isn’t simply about one pub company. It shines a light on a culture that has developed in parts of the pub company sector where the success of the tenant can sometimes appear secondary to protecting the balance sheet.
The tied model can work. Many pub companies invest in their estates, back their tenants and build genuine long-term partnerships. But when tenants are presented with unrealistic business projections, struggle to secure essential repairs or feel they are not being treated fairly, the entire model is undermined. Those are exactly the kinds of issues the Pubs Code was introduced to prevent.
At a time when pubs are battling soaring employment costs, energy prices, business rates and inflation, tenants should not also have to battle the very companies that own their buildings. Every unnecessary obstacle makes another pub closure more likely.
The latest Pubs Code Adjudicator tenant survey should be a wake-up call. Overall satisfaction among tied tenants has fallen, and Stonegate again recorded the lowest satisfaction levels of the six regulated pub-owning businesses. That should prompt serious reflection across the entire sector, not just within one organisation.
Every pub that closes represents more than a failed business. It is jobs lost, communities weakened and another piece of Britain’s social fabric disappearing. We often hear that rising costs are solely responsible for these closures. While government taxation undoubtedly plays a huge role, we cannot ignore the damage caused when pub-owning businesses fail to build fair, transparent and supportive relationships with the people running their pubs.
We believe tenants deserve honesty before they sign an agreement, transparency throughout their tenancy and support when trading becomes difficult. Those should not be seen as optional extras; they should be the foundation of every tied agreement.
We welcome the Pubs Code Adjudicator’s investigation because confidence in the tied sector depends on accountability. If the Code has been breached, lessons must be learned. If standards have slipped, they must improve.
The future of Britain’s pubs will only be secured when everyone involved shares the same objective: successful publicans running sustainable businesses. Pub companies cannot simply collect rent and supply beer. They have a responsibility to help their tenants succeed, because when tenants thrive, pubs thrive.
That is the partnership our industry deserves.
For more information check out the latest blog from the Pubs Advisory Service here 👇🏼
https://pubs.expert/is-stonegate-playing-fair-the-pcas-investigation-how-to-fight-back/
