Stonegate Pub Company announces multi-million pound support package

Stonegate Pub Company has announced a multi-million support package for publicans within the recently acquired Ei Publican Partnerships leased and tenanted business. Ensuring a “fair balance of support and assistance” across the estate, all tied publicans operating on substantive agreements that are not in receipt of Government grants will receive a three-month rent credit for the period April to June. To further support those publicans who are entitled to grants of between £10,000 and £25,000, and to enable them to restart their business with confidence and ease cash flow, trade credits of either 75% or 50% of the value of three months’ rent will be provided. In addition, Stonegate Pub Company said tie release fees and fixtures and fittings rentals are cancelled for the same period regardless of a publican’s entitlement to grants. May’s planned price rise on tied products delivered to pubs has also been postponed until further notice. Stonegate Pub Company added that this support plan follows a detailed analysis across a representative sample of pubs and consultation with publicans to establish how the company can best continue to support business partners through these unprecedented times. Working within the spirit of the requirements of the Pubs Code Adjudicator, the support is intended to provide an “appropriate level of financial assistance to help Ei publicans through these turbulent times”. The rateable value methodology applied in calculating Government grants was used for the basis of the analysis. Nick Light, managing director of Ei Publican Partnerships, said: “Our approach is founded on being both reasonable and transparent. “The support packages we are providing ensure consistency, whilst remaining objective, as well as taking into account the Government support grants of up to £25,000 which are now filtering through to businesses, which the Chancellor has stipulated are aimed at providing financial relief towards fixed costs, including rent.” He added: “We are delighted to see that over 80% of our publicans who qualify for a grant have now received this payment. “It is vital to us that our pubs and our publicans are in a position to trade successfully when pubs are allowed to re-open. The rent support and trade credit initiatives are intended to provide our publicans with a strong platform to do so, and to help relieve some of the financial pressure required to restock and restart.”