The PCA team attends Punch Pubs & Co supplier days
The PCA team attended two Punch supplier days in May and June 2025 meeting with tied tenants and Punch representatives to learn more about the range of goods and services on offer to tenants.
Publican tied trade supplier days are valuable events held by various pub companies across the country. These events offer tenants the opportunity to network with a wide range of suppliers to explore the food and drink products and services available for their businesses. They also promote collaboration and innovation within the sector and help tenants stay informed.
The PCA was pleased to be invited by Punch Pubs to attend some of their recent events, which provided a valuable opportunity to engage directly with tied tenants, opening up conversations about the Pubs Code and their experiences within the sector. These discussions are essential in helping us stay connected to the experiences of life as a tied tenant and ensure that our work continues to reflect and respond to their needs.
PCA Director with Andy Wilkinson, Punch Pubs Head of Operations for the south region.
One of Punch Pubs’ supplier days took place in May at The Navigation Inn in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove. The event brought together around 100 tied tenants each with varying levels of experience. Among the many we spoke with was a new tenant who had only opened their business a few days earlier, another who had previously brought a case to Pubs Code arbitration, while others had been running their pubs for nearly two decades. It was equally rewarding to reconnect with tenants we had met during earlier BDM visits, giving us the chance to hear how their businesses were progressing. The diversity of tenant background, skills and knowledge allowed us to hear a wide range of perspectives on the Pubs Code.
The Cornerstone Pub in Beverley, Yorkshire.
In June, the PCA attended another Punch Supplier Day at The Cornerhouse, in the historic market town of Beverley in Yorkshire. This site was a recent acquisition for Punch having stood empty for some time. The outside garden area in particular had received significant investment from Punch increasing the available seating space and making an attractive and welcoming area for customers.
The PCA’s banner and merchandise showing new branding.
This was another well-attended event, with 32 tenants participating from a wide geographical spread across the region from County Durham to Sheffield and Scarborough in the east. Tenants represented a diverse mix of pub types, from wet-led venues to high-end food and boutique establishments. Among the tenants were those who had been in their tenancy for less than six months, and one tenant who had impressively held theirs for 25 years. Three multiple operators, each managing between two and four pubs across different pub companies were also present; their varied experiences added valuable insight to the discussions.
We were delighted to find that almost every tenant we spoke with was already familiar with the Pubs Code, demonstrating encouraging levels of awareness although the depth of knowledge varied.
We met new tenants who had recently completed their pre-entry training and, although they were excited about their future in the pub industry, they also expressed feeling slightly overwhelmed by the scale of the venture. Encouragingly, they reported feeling well supported by their Business Development Manager (BDM).
Noting that the tied tenant survey is anonymous and the PCA does not know which tenants were contacted to participate, it was also pleasing to hear from tenants at both events who were aware of the survey and, in a couple of cases, had completed the survey at some point in their pub journey. Being able to have a say anonymously about matters that affect them was cited as being of a key benefit to tenants.
We took the opportunity to introduce tenants to the PCA’s new website and branding, and refreshed tenant resources. This includes a suite of comprehensive factsheets covering a wide range of Code topics, designed to support tenants in understanding their rights. After receiving a live demonstration of the new website, comments were overwhelmingly positive on its user-friendly design, describing it as “clean and simple” and reflecting the ethos of the Pubs Code.
Where tenants were not aware of how to access professional advice in line with their Code rights, we directed them to our information on our website.
Throughout both events, our discussions with tenants revealed several recurring themes that were impacting their businesses. The most raised topics included repairs, Business Development Manager (BDM) notes, and the Market Rent Only (MRO) option. We took the opportunity to signpost tenants to relevant factsheets and resources which helping them better understand their rights and the support available under the Pubs Code. Specifically in relation to MRO, we highlighted the importance of the strict timeframes involved, ensuring that tenants understood the deadlines that apply and directed tenants to the PCA’s factsheets, which offer clear, accessible guidance on the process and their rights.
PCA Director with Mandy Southall, Northern Operations Director and Harry Bourne, Operations Manager.
We are grateful to Punch for allowing us the opportunity to attend such events, it was tremendous to see how motivated tenants were, clearly committed to getting the best for their businesses. We are looking forward to the next events with other pub companies, building on the success of attending Admiral’s ‘Spring into Action’ event in February, to hear more from those at the heart of the industry.
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