Do I need to have experience of running a pub?

No. We are committed to recruiting Business Partners who have the potential to make a great success of the pubs that they operate. If you have the drive and ambition to run a successful business, we would love to speak to you – irrespective of your working background and experience. Find out about the Business Partnership training we offer here.

Do I need to have any qualifications?

Yes. You will need to nominate a person to be the Designated Premises Supervisor at the pub. This person will need to have successfully completed the Award for Personal Licence Holders course and have been issued with a Personal Licence by their local authority. This person will ideally be Hall & Woodhouse’s Business Partner at the pub. If you do not have this qualification then we can guide you to where you can complete the course. You will also need to complete the online BII Pre-Entry Awareness Training Course (PEAT). This is an e-learning package that identifies the main issues which need to be considered and investigated before signing a pub tenancy or lease agreement. If you are looking to take on a pub lease or tenancy in England or Wales then taking PEAT will give you the necessary knowledge to evaluate the agreement which you are seeking to enter.

PEAT is designed to ensure that you fully understand the implications of the pub tenancy or lease which you are considering signing. Having recently undergone a redevelopment the content has significantly expanded to become far more comprehensive and covers topics in further detail than its previous version.
PEAT will provide the learner with all the information they require in order for them to make a reasonable judgement and understand the complexities of the agreement that they are signing up to.

The learning covers 8 modules which include:
1. The Pub Industry
2. Types of Agreements
3. The Tie
4. The Premises & Repairs/Maintenance
5. Rent
6. Business Planning
7. Pub Company Support
8. What’s next?

Average duration: 90-120 minutes

The cost of PEAT is £100 + VAT.

For further information and to purchase PEAT visit https://www.bii.org/BII/BII/Industry-Advice/PEAT.aspx

If you have any questions about PEAT you can speak to their Customer Support Department directly on 01276 684449

How much money will I need to invest in the business?

The required capital will vary on a pub-by-pub basis but will consist of the following elements:

• Purchase of fixtures & fittings from the outgoing Business Partner.
• Purchase of the stock, glassware and loose catering effects from the outgoing Business Partner.
• Deposit – you will need to lodge a £7,500 deposit with Hall & Woodhouse for the duration of your Business Partnership Agreement. You will earn interest on this deposit and it will be returned to you at the end of your time as a Hall & Woodhouse Business Partner.
• Working capital – you will need an amount of money to support your cash flow during your first few weeks at your new pub.
• We will require you to complete our BII-approved Cellar Training Course and we also expect you to complete the BII Award in Introductory Licensed Retail Operators. These courses cost a total of £1,000 plus VAT, but once you complete them we will send you two complimentary 9 gallon casks of Badger Best, worth in excess of £140.

What if I do not have the money required?

Each pub vacancy will have a minimum investment figure quoted as a guide to the funds you will require. If you need additional money for your investment we can offer brewery loans as long as you have at least £30,000 of your own money to invest. Read more on the agreement before you apply.

How long will the application process take?

From receipt of your completed application to being offered a pub will normally take 8-12 weeks, it is then typically a further month until you take over the business. These time scales will vary depending on us being able to match you to a suitable pub and how long it takes you to complete the application process. We will always keep you up to date with your progress and advise you of the key milestones through the process.

How long will my pub rental agreement be for?

The agreement is usually 3 or 5 years in duration and is protected under the 1954 Landlord & Tenant Act. This means that if you would like to extend your stay at the pub you have the right to renew your agreement at the end of each tenancy period.

How will the rent I pay be calculated?

Your initial rent will be based on the Fair Maintainable Trade of the pub. This is the level of turnover that we agree the pub is capable of achieving on an annual basis. Using industry standards we will be able to forecast the level of profit the pub will generate and the level of rent. We will show you how we have calculated your rent during the recruitment process.

When you come to renew your agreement at the end of the third year there is no rent review. You rent will only ever change on an annual basis by CPI.

Do I have to buy my food from you?

No. You are free to decide on the menu at your pub and from where you source your ingredients.
However, we can help you with your menu development and design, as well as kitchen best practice and purchasing if you require it. Visit our Food & Drink page for more information.

Will I have to maintain the property?

You will be jointly responsible with Hall & Woodhouse for the maintenance of the property.
Broadly speaking, Hall & Woodhouse will be responsible for all major and structural repairs whilst you will have responsibility for minor repairs. You will be provided with a schedule of maintenance responsibility as a part of your Business Partnership Agreement.

Where can I browse pubs for rent?

View our pubs for rent page or get in touch with us for more information. We are always happy to help.

Do I need to have experience of running a pub?

Not necessarily , it’s more important to recruit Business Partners who have the drive and ambition to run their own pub. With a range of induction, online and on-going support and training available, we recruit Business Partners from a range of backgrounds and experience levels. 

Unlike managing a pub that someone else owns, we allow you to take control of your business. If you want to make a success of running your own pub, then we’d love to hear from you.

Do I need to have qualifications?

There are specific qualifications we need Business Partners to complete before they can run their own pub. We will guide you through every step on how to complete these, but essentially it’s the following qualifications that you’ll need to run your own pub. 

 

  • BII Pre-Entry Awareness Training Course (PEAT)

 

This online package identifies the main issues and considerations that you should take on before signing up to run your own pub, whether that’s through a pub tenancy or lease agreement. If you are looking to run your own pub in England or Wales then taking PEAT will give you all the necessary knowledge to evaluate the agreement you decide to sign up for. 

Working with Hall & Woodhouse you’ll find there are a few different ways you can run your own pub so it’s best to consider all options. 

 

  • Award for Personal Licence Holders

 

You will need to nominate a person to be the Designated Premises Supervisor at your pub and they must successfully complete this course to be issued with a Personal Licence by your local authority. This person will ideally be a Hall & Woodhouse Business Partner at the pub. If you don’t already hold this qualification, we will advise you on how to obtain this as part of your agreement with Hall & Woodhouse.

Whether you’re new to the industry, or highly experienced, a great benefit of working with us is that you can decide on the support and training you believe you’ll need. Every pub is assigned a Business Development Partner who will be on hand to offer guidance on how to run the pub successfully. 

As a Business Partner, you’ll also have open communication groups where you’re free to ask questions or share recommendations with colleagues, as well as the chance to attend at least one event per year to facilitate networking.

How much does it cost to run a pub?

The amount of capital required varies on a pub-by-pub basis, but will consist of the following elements:

 

  • Purchase of fixtures, fittings, stock, glassware etc. from the outgoing Business Partner.
    •  A £7,500 deposit for the duration of your Business Partnership Agreement with Hall & Woodhouse – you not only earn interest on this, but it’s also returned to you at the end of your time as a Business Partner with us.
    • Working capital – you will need an amount of money (working capital)  to support your cash flow during your first few weeks at your new pub.
    • We will require you to complete our BII-approved Cellar Training Course and we also expect you to complete the BII Award in Introductory Licensed Retail Operators. 

Find out more about running your own pub with Hall & Woodhouse now.

What if I don’t have the funds required?

Each property will have a minimum investment figure quoted as a guide for you to understand how much investment is needed upfront. If you need additional funds to start your business, we can offer Brewery loans for fixtures and fittings provided you have at least £30,000 of your own money to invest. Read more on the agreement before you apply.

How long does the application process take?

From receipt of your completed application to being offered a pub usually takes 8-12 weeks, and up to another 4 weeks until you take over the business. These time scales can vary depending on individual circumstances and matching applicants to the most suitable pub, but we will always keep you up to date with progress.

How long will my tenancy agreement be for?

A business partnership agreement with Hall & Woodhouse usually lasts for 3 or 5 years and is protected under the 1954 Landlord & Tenant Act. This means that if you would like to extend your stay at the pub, you have the right to renew your agreement at the end of each 3 or 5 year period.

How much rent will I pay?

In line with the business partnership agreement we make with you, your initial rent will be based on the Fair Maintainable Trade of the pub. This is the level of turnover that we agree the pub is capable of achieving on an annual basis. Using industry standards we will be able to forecast the level of profit the pub should generate and the associated rent amount. We’ll show you how we have calculated your rent during the recruitment process. When you come to renew your agreement, there is no rent review and your rent will only ever change on an annual basis by CPI.

Do I have to buy my food and drink products from you?

Although your agreement will include a full Drinks Tie, you are free to decide on the food and drinks menus at your pub, so this includes your food offer, where you source your ingredients, and the drinks that you purchase from us. We can help you with your menu development and design, as well as kitchen best practice and purchasing if required.

Will I have to maintain the property myself?

Depending on the business partnership agreement you have with us, you will be jointly responsible with Hall & Woodhouse for the maintenance of the property.
Broadly speaking, Hall & Woodhouse will be responsible for all major and structural repairs whilst you will have responsibility for minor repairs.

Where can I find pubs for rent?

Take a look at our pubs for rent or get in touch with Julie from our BP Marketing team at julie.barlow@hall-woodhouse.co.uk, who will be happy to answer any questions you may have on how to run your own pub with us.

How much money can I expect to earn?

Salaries vary depending on the type of pub business you’re running, but it also takes time and hard work to build a successful business and to start earning money as a publican. We’ve taken a look at how much publicans can earn and along with our top five things to consider before running a pub, we definitely recommend reading these articles before you decide to apply.

What background information will I receive for each pub?

Each of our pubs to rent listings contains as much information on the building, accommodation (if applicable), location and trade as we are able to provide. However, if you have any further questions on a particular vacancy, please contact Julie from our BP Marketing team on julie.barlow@hall-woodhouse.co.uk and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Do Hall & Woodhouse offer any training?

Yes, in fact, when you run your own pub with Hall & Woodhouse we offer as much or as little support and training as you believe you need. This is why it doesn’t necessarily matter if you don’t have any former experience of running a pub, providing you have relevant transferable skills.

What’s the difference between a tenancy and a lease?

A tenancy is typically held for a shorter period of time, while a lease is longer with more personal obligations to maintain the property. There are three key ways you can run your own pub

 

  • Tenancy

This is where a pub is rented from a brewery or pub company for a shorter period, typically 2-5 years. A tenancy agreement with Hall & Woodhouse Business Partnerships will usually last for 3 or 5 years. 

  • Freehold

A freehold pub means you buy the pub outright, but this won’t include any training or support from the brewery or pub company and you will be responsible for all costs and maintenance.

  • Leasehold

This is usually a long-term agreement and means that you take full responsibility for the maintenance of the property. Ingoing costs depend on the property, and for an overview of potential costs you can take a look at our pubs to rent page.

What insurance do I need to run my own pub?

In line with your business partnership agreement, Hall & Woodhouse arrange buildings insurance for each of their pubs to provide cover against damage by certain insured risks. Each Business Partner is recharged an annual premium for the buildings insurance based on the rateable value of the business, and will be advised on the current annual premium for the property during the recruitment process and each subsequent year.