The PCA is taking early action on recommendations to
develop more effective communication with tied pub tenants.
Through an independent research
report, the PCA has a picture of what tied tenants want from
PCA communications, and what its focus should be to best meet
these needs. This includes trusted, branded and accessible
information sent to all tied tenants, online self-help
information when they need to focus on their Code rights at a
particular point in their tenancy, and managing their enquiries
and needs for direct contact from the PCA.
The PCA will be continuing to progress its digital communications
and its efforts to become the central hub and go to place for
Pubs Code information.
Website improvements will underpin this, and this baseline
approach will help the PCA to talk the tenants’ language, so they
understand when they need the Code, and get the right type of
information when they do.
Next steps will involve collaborating with tied tenants, and
using expert input, to test and remodel existing Pubs Code
information to make sure it is easier to find, understandable and
useful for those it covers, and work is already underway to look
at ways to streamline enquiries from tenants and ensure they get
clear and consistent responses.
Users may have already spotted some changes to the PCA website
and can expect to see more over the coming months as a result of
further research and testing to explore ways of improving PCA
engagement with tied tenants.
While recognising recent progress in communicating with tenants,
such as the introduction of a Twitter account and Fiona Dickie’s
regular column in the Morning Advertiser, the research identified
how the PCA could go further including simplifying the language
in PCA publications and reaching tenants more effectively.
Fiona Dickie said:
The Pubs Code is complex but as the PCA I have a duty to ensure
that tied tenants have access to information that is reliable,
accurate, and easy to understand.
We have already made progress in communicating more effectively
but more needs to be done. This expert research has provided a
blueprint to help us become the accessible centre for Pubs Code
information and I intend to move quickly to make changes.
Targeting our efforts in this way will help the range of
tenants get the Pubs Code support they need for them and their
business. This will be even more important as Covid-19
restrictions on pubs are lifted.
Alongside this work, the PCA has also identified the need to look
further into the Market Rent Only (MRO) process and has
commissioned further research to understand the recent experience
of tied tenants requesting MRO. Find out more here.
