A day in the life of a Business Development Manager (Stonegate)
This is the account of a PCA staff member accompanying a Stonegate Business Development Manager to observe their day-to-day activities in the role.
In February 2026, a member of the PCA team had the opportunity to accompany Natalie, a Business Development Manager (BDM) with Stonegate, on visits to two venues in the Worcestershire area. Natalie has been in the role of BDM at Stonegate for over three years, having previously worked for another regulated pub company.
BDMs provide day-to-day support and guidance to their tied tenants across all aspects of running a pub. Under Pubs Code regulation 41, they also carry out vital regulated functions related to discussions about rent negotiations, repairs and business planning with tenants, ensuring fair and lawful dealing under the Code.
The Old Bull in Inkberrow
The Old Bull, located in the quaint village of Inkberrow, is thought to be the inspiration behind the pub in ‘The Archers’, the BBC Radio 4 series, attracting fans arriving by coach to the pub each year.
Joe has operated The Old Bull for seven years, but he has worked in the pub industry in other capacities, following a career change from plumbing. Joe told us about the themed nights they are organising, including a Greek evening with food and dancing, quiz and bingo nights in addition to a ‘mystery night’. These events are intended to diversify the offering at the pub, supporting long-term sustainability through increased revenue and footfall. Some external improvements in the garden were discussed and Natalie showed Joe how the new Pub Hub system works- this is an online portal through which tenants can access information about their agreement, raise requests and communicate with Stonegate.
Joe was aware of the PCA’s work and has been invited to participate in the PCA Annual Tied Tenant Survey, twice. He was happy to offer some useful feedback on the survey. The survey, conducted independently by Ipsos, gathers statistically significant data across the six regulated pub companies on how tied tenants experience their rights under the Pubs Code and their relationship with their pub company. The 2025 results revealed that 55% of Stonegate tenants reported being satisfied with their BDM relationship – below the average at 70%. The 2026 survey results are due to be published in June.
The Plough and Harrow, Drakes Broughton
Our second visit was to The Plough and Harrow in Drakes Broughton, a larger village within the Worcestershire county, that has nonetheless retained its charm. It was a pleasure to meet Lee, a new tenant who also had previously managed the pub. Lee is currently in his fifth week of a Tenancy at Will (TAW) and is planning to sign a long-term agreement with Stonegate.
A TAW is a short agreement as defined under the Pubs Code, which carries reduced Code protections compared to a substantive tied tenancy. However, where a tied pub tenant on a short agreement begins negotiations for a substantive agreement, the full Code protections apply. Natalie talked Lee through Stonegate’s ‘A Guide to our Agreements’, and Lee has already gained some familiarity with Stonegate’s onboarding process.
Professional advice was touched upon in conversation. Under regulation 10 of the Pubs Code, the pub company must ensure that before a new agreement is entered into, a sustainable business plan must be prepared, following consideration of independent professional advice. The conversation between Natalie and Lee covered exactly those next steps, including engaging an accountant to assess the business proposition.
While Lee has significant management experience, including at a Greene King pub, he is now the chef at The Plough and Harrow, therefore had a broad oversight of both the challenges and opportunities in the trade, including recruitment of kitchen staff and planned events to achieve greater revenue.
The PCA team would like to thank Natalie for her insight and assistance throughout the day. It was an enjoyable opportunity to speak with two very different operators; one well-established publican operating a venue that is a tourist destination and the other, a manager-turned-chef navigating the first two months of his tenancy with plans for a long-term successful business.