CAMRA urges pub owners to cancel rents amid Covid-19 crisis
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is urging pub companies to cancel rents for their tenants, while coronavirus pandemic keeps pubs doors closed.
Ei Group, Punch, Greene King, Star and Marstons are some of the companies being called out by the group as it wants rent payments to be cancelled to help ensure pubs can survive the coronavirus crisis once restrictions are lifted.
CAMRA also said it urges pub goers to ‘#SaveOurPubs’ by writing to some of the UK largest pubs for the principle that rent paid by tenants should be based on turnover, and believes no rent should be due if no turnover is being made if doors are closed.
The news comes as part of an ongoing discussion among pub support bodies around how tenants are being treated amid the coronavirus pandemic.
CAMRA chairman Nik Antona said: “This is a timely and encouraging intervention from the Pubs Code Adjudicator. From the outset of the Covid-19 crisis, CAMRA has called on pub companies to do the right thing and cancel rents. Admiral Taverns, and other smaller pub companies, have listened to tenants and pub–goers and have cancelled rent for their tenants.
“The rest of the big six pubcos should be following Admiral’s example. Deferring rent collection simply isn’t enough – the pub industry is facing unprecedented challenges and the survival of the trade as we know it is at stake.”
He added: “Pub companies pushed for the industry standard model that rents are based on turnover. As we have consistently pointed out, this means that closed pubs should not be having any rent levied on them at this time.
“Pubcos cannot have it both ways, and Ei Group, Punch, Greene King, Star and Marstons need to follow Admiral’s example immediately and cancel rent.”
