UKHospitality has welcomed the announcement that the Pubs Code Adjudicator has agreed on principles for the publication of pubs code arbitration decisions.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “have been working hard with pub companies, pressing for this, so we are pleased to see progress, with all of the pub companies covered by the code agreeing to a common set of principles to make arbitration decisions transparent.
However, it is important that the details of the principles are made public promptly, to allow an assessment of how this will work in practice, and how effective it will be. UKH remains willing to work with the BBPA and other stakeholder bodies to ensure solutions are as fair, workable and transparent as possible.
However, there are still concerns that flaws within the legislation cause delays in concluding MRO casesputting additional financial pressure on tenants. We highlighted this in our submission to the recent BEIS select committee and throughout our dialogue with key stakeholders.
The recent PCA compliance report analysis highlighted areas of concern such as the low number of MRO cases and use of section 25 notices. We maintain that the PCA’s key priority should be focusing on fast and effective arbitration decisions, including retrospective rulings, and clearly written guidance with clear precedents, so tenants are not financially disadvantaged.
Despite the PCA’s welcome efforts to provide clarity on the Pubs Code, it remains an unwieldy piece of legislation which still requires a full review taking into account robust evidence and ensuring it delivers workable and timely solutions for all.