GUIDE TO MOVING INWhat needs to happen before youget the keys to your pub

1 INTRODUCTION 31.1 Becoming a Greene King Licensee 3

2 THE APPLICATION PROCESS 32.1 Choosing the right pub 32.2 How to apply for a pub 3

3 COUNTDOWN TO MOVING IN 43.1 How long will it take? 43.2 As soon as you have received approval at final interview stage 43.3 At least 4 weeks before you take over the pub 43.4 At least 3 weeks before you take over the pub 53.5 At least 2 weeks before you take over the pub 63.6 At least 1 week before you take over the pub 63.7 What needs to be in place ready for Change Day 6

4 CHANGE DAY AND BEYOND 74.1 The Change Day 74.2 Your first 6 weeks 74.3 Your first year 7

5 PUB PARTNERS’ SUPPORT 85.1 People to help you 85.2 The tools you need 95.3 A whole world online 105.4 Support for your business 10

6 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 116.1 Your questions answered 11

TENANCY

Information for Tenancy Agreements.

LEASE

Information for Lease Agreements.

Using this document

Contents

CONTENTS

2

You should use this document as a guide only. The Greene King Pub Partners Code of Practice or theBelhaven Code of Practice as well as your Agreement will provide you with the full details of yourresponsibilities as a Licensee with us. Throughout these pages we have highlighted the difference between a Tenancy and Lease where relevant. We use the word Licensee to refer to both a Tenant and a Lessee.

1.1: BECOMING A GREENE KING LICENSEE

We look for Licensees that will behave as entrepreneurs,driving their business. Our selection process matches theright people to the right pub – creating a success for you andfor us too.

Whether you are running a Greene King pub on a Lease or

1: Introduction

1: INTRODUCTION

2: THE APPLICATION PROCESS

3

2: The application process2.1: CHOOSING THE RIGHT PUB

If you have received this guide, you will have already found apub you like. Our pubs are generally advertised using lettingdetails that outline the opportunity and history of anindividual business.

The letting details provide you with an overview of the pub,the internal and external trading spaces, the accommodationand an outline of the business.

There is a Shadow Profit and Loss Report prepared for eachpub advertised. We provide an assessment of the FairMaintainable Turnover (level of trade) that can be achievedby a reasonably efficient operator. This looks at turnover ondrink, food and gaming machines, the costs relating to thebusiness and therefore a rental assessment based on thesefigures. Some costs will be assumptions – we will tell youwhen we have used them and why.

We will tell you the likely investment you will need to makefor the fixtures and fittings, the deposit plus legal andadministration fees. You will receive a history of the pubincluding the number of Licensees in the last five years,products purchased through us over the past three years anddetails of other pubs in the area.

As well as this guide, you will receive our Code of Practice forTied Agreements which your Business DevelopmentManager will go through with you. This provides greaterdetail on our Agreements and the way we will work together.You will also receive our current Guide to Charges so that youknow in advance how much we charge for our services.

We are committed to ensuring that we place the right personin the right pub. To help us, we have developed specialistlicensee/pub-matching software.

Equally you must ensure that you make the right choice. Onceyou have chosen your pub, make an appointment to visit onmore than one occasion and visit as a customer as well as apotential operator.

2.2: HOW TO APPLY FOR A PUB

Complete our Application Form – available online atwww.GreeneKingPubs.co.uk for pubs in England orwww.BelhavenLeaseAPub.co.uk for pubs in Scotland.Prepare and complete your Business Plan – a BusinessPlan template is available on our website.Provide your consent for us to perform a credit check –this will be provided by you through completing ourApplication Form.

Agree on your Designated Premises Supervisor/Manager(DPS/DPM) – you must ensure your DPS holds a PersonalLicence. To obtain a Personal Licence, attendance on anappropriate Personal Licence Holders course is required. Formore information please see our Guide to Training or contactour Training Team on 01284 714375.Organise your source of funding and provide proof – proofof funding can be:

• A recent bank statement with available funds.

• A letter from your Solicitor or Bank stating availability of funds.

Seek independent professional advice – you must seekindependent advice from Solicitors and Accountants with experience of the licensed trade. They can help you prepareyour business plan and advise you before entering into anAgreement and, if necessary, during the term of theAgreement. We will require proof that you have takenindependent business advice.

Attend interviews – your Business Plan will be discussed indetail with one of our Business Development Managers at aninterview, to ensure your plans are realistic and appropriate.Your proof and source of funding must be demonstrated in theinterview.

Attend a final interview – with an Operations Director.

Notification of your success – if you are the right person forthe pub, you’ll be notified of your success. You will be sent aHeads of Terms Letter and a copy of your Agreement. Youmust seek independent professional advice about yourAgreement.

Attend Mandatory and Pre-Entry Training – you mustcomplete the British Institute of Innkeeping Pre-entryAwareness Training (PEAT) online, as well as attend the Gofor Growth programme, which can be completed as aresidential course or as individual modules. Please see ourGuide to Training for course details and charges. The cost ofthese can be deducted from your Training Fund which youpay when you enter your pub but you will need to pay fortraining in advance and offset the costs later when your Fundhas been set up.

Attend the Pre-Agreement Meeting – to ensure that youhave a clear understanding of all aspects of the Agreement, ourCode of Practice and all other terms of trading with us. Youwill be required to sign your Agreement at this meeting. It will be binding on the Day of Change.

Tenanted basis, you will have an outstanding opportunity togrow and develop a business with enormous potential, backedby the support and training you would expect from one of theUK’s leading pub operators. This guide is specifically designedto take you through the process of becoming a Pub PartnersLicensee, from selecting a pub, through to the day when youopen the doors of your business for the first time.

3: COUNTDOWN TO MOVING IN

4

3.1: HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

The length of time between now and the day you move intothe pub will vary according to individual circumstances, but itis likely to be 4 -10 weeks. This will be an extremely busyperiod.

We will work closely with you to provide the support, adviceand guidance you’ll require. You must seek professionaladvice about your Agreement.

3: Countdown to moving in

3.2: AS SOON AS YOU HAVE RECEIVEDAPPROVAL AT FINAL INTERVIEW STAGE

To ensure everything runs smoothly, you’ll need to appoint anumber of other people to act on your behalf:

• A Licensed Property Broker/Valuer – who will provide arange of professional services essential to ensuring thesmooth running of changes in Tenancies / Leases.

• An Accountant – who will advise you on the financialaspects of your future business. We have a list ofrecommended Accountants who will guide you throughyour first year and provide good advice specific to the pubtrade.

• A Stocktaker – who will act for you on the day you takeover your pub and throughout the period you spendoperating your pub business.

• A Solicitor – as there will be a number of legal documentsand contracts for you to sign.

TENANCY

If you choose not to appoint a Solicitor, your PropertyBroker may be able to act on your behalf and advise

you accordingly.

LEASE

You must appoint a solicitor as Lease Agreements canbe complex and it is important that you take legal

representation.

• Website and intellectual property rights – the websitedomain name, email addresses and membership of any bookings/reservations websites should be provided as theseare likely to be included in the business transfer or sale.

• Vending and other machines, TVs, games and otherequipment – lease terms and conditions etc.

• Local maintenance contracts.

• Licensing Information – including PubWatch details, localresident issues and due diligence logs.

• Employees’ details – TUPE (Transfer of UndertakingsProtection of Employment) Regulations 2006. These cameinto force in April 2006 and place responsibility on both thetransferor (present employer: the outgoing Licensee) andthe transferee (you). If the information is available for thismeeting, you should go through it with the outgoing Licensee. If it is not available you MUST have it in writing atleast a fortnight before a transfer of a business takes place.Remind the outgoing Licensee they must provide:

- name, address and date of birth of all employees- details of when employment commenced- job title and duties- rate of pay- pay intervals (hourly, weekly, monthly etc)- breakdown of hours of work- any outstanding holiday entitlement- details of holiday entitlement and when holiday yearcommences

- any break in employment- all employees' terms and conditions- details of any pension scheme in operation- sickness scheme- details of any staff on long term sick/maternity leave- details of service with previous employers which count- any grievance and disciplinary action that has taken placeover the past two years

- any court or tribunal cases from the last two years or anypossible outstanding case that you consider could bebrought.

- any collective agreement that will have effect after thetransfer (this might be in place when a managed housetransfers to Leased).

- it is also important to provide details of any staff trainingachievements.

If the required information is not made available two weeksbefore the change over, you could take the outgoing Licenseeto a tribunal (the award is a minimum of £500 per employee).

A transferor or transferee will be held jointly responsible forthe failure to consult with employees’ representatives, TradeUnion officials or, if not available, then all staff.

A decision by an appeal tribunal ruled that the maximumaward should be thirteen weeks pay for failure to consult withemployees in a transfer.

3.3: AT LEAST 4 WEEKS BEFORE YOU TAKEOVER THE PUBYou will need to meet with the outgoing Licensee. This is anessential requirement for an efficient transfer of the business.You will need to obtain details of:• Current trading levels.• Current suppliers.• Advance bookings – reservations and deposits, plus names,

addresses, phone numbers and amounts collected/charged.

5

3: COUNTDOWN TO MOVING IN continued

You will also need to:

• Agree your Designated Premises Supervisor/Manager(DPS/DPM) – ensure your DPS/DPM holds a PersonalLicence.

• Set up business bank account – you will need to arrange asuitable account with your bank. It is only possible to applyfor a credit card machine when you have a business account.

• Set up card payment facilities – register with Streamline(our PDQ supplier) as early as possible and get preferentialrates through the Bar Gains buying service. It will take atleast four weeks and is a priority for the day you open aswithout it your customers cannot pay with debit or creditcards.

• Recruit any necessary staff – any vacancies should beadvertised so that the recruitment process can begin andensure staff are available on the Change Day. Be aware ofany TUPE obligations you may have before you recruit newstaff. Also make sure you brief the staff that are alreadyemployed to ensure they are engaged with your plans forthe business.

• Arrange training – contact our Training Team to arrangeany training needed, some elements are mandatory (seesection 2.2). Your Change Day will be unable to take placeunless you have attended Mandatory and Pre-EntryTraining.

• Set up sessions with our Specialist Tenant Trainers –providing individual on-the-job training, coaching andmentoring to give you the skills you need to run a successful pub. This is a must if you have never run a pubbefore and you can find out more online atwww.PubPartners.net.

• Set up insurance – contents, stock, Public and Employer’sLiability insurance will need to be set up. Your insurancemust cover:

- damage to your fixtures and fittings, contents, stock andwines/spirits/beers etc

- loss of your Licence- loss of your income- Employer’s Liability (minimum £10 million)- Public and Products Liability (minimum £5 million)- new for old replacement- loss due to neglect or lack of maintenance- utilities (electricity, gas, water, telecommunications)during any closure

- all associated business expenses during any closure.

It should also include:

- money and goods in transit- money held in gaming machines- personal and domestic contents.

As a Greene King Licensee, preferential rates on insuranceare available through the Bar Gains buying service.

• Notify all services/utilities and agree transfer – water,electricity, gas and telephone suppliers will need to benotified that you are the new Licensee going into thebusiness. It is the outgoing Licensee’s responsibility toensure they end the contract in their name and pay thebalance on outstanding bills. You should not agree anyutility services on the phone as this is a binding agreement.Greene King can provide a recommended utility broker onyour Change Day to help you set up utility contracts atfavourable rates to you.

• Register for Rates, Business Rates and Council Tax –notify your Local Authority.

• Get online – you will need to have a computer withInternet access to enable you to place your beer orderonline, see your invoices and statements and access thesupport we have available on our online facility.

3.4: AT LEAST 3 WEEKS BEFORE YOU TAKEOVER THE PUBMeet your Business Development Manager – to arrange aPre-Agreement Meeting. This will take place once we haveyour Agreement prepared and will be around 3 weeks beforeyour Change Day. At this meeting your Business DevelopmentManager will go through your Agreement and our Code ofPractice so you fully understand your responsibilities andours, your trading terms, price list etc. We will also provideyou with a Lease plan which will show the boundaries of theland to be included in your Agreement. You should allow atleast three hours for this meeting in your diary. This is a veryimportant meeting as it will provide you with all theinformation you need to sign your Agreement with us.

Set up Direct Debit mandates – you will need these so thatyou are able pay your rent and invoices for the products youpurchase from us. We will require your bank details to assistus in setting up your account.

Register for food (if applicable) – if you will be selling food,you will need to register your premises with theEnvironmental Health Service at your Local Authority at least28 days before opening – registration is free. You will also berequired to hold the relevant Food Hygiene certificationwhich can be obtained by completing the relevantEnvironmental Health/ Food Hygiene examination. For moreinformation please see our Guide to Training or contact ourTraining Team on 01284 714375.

Book a removal van (if required) – ensure you prepare earlyfor the move.

Plan a marketing campaign – consider flyers, a pressrelease, mailers and banners to coincide with your arrival.You can access these on www.PubPartners.net

Meet the local police – establishing an early, goodrelationship with local police is highly recommended.

3: COUNTDOWN TO MOVING IN continued

6

3.5: AT LEAST 2 WEEKS BEFORE YOU TAKEOVER THE PUB

• Return legal paperwork – all legal paperwork mustreturned to our Agreements Team. Please act instantly onreceipt of legal documentation or your Change Day may bedelayed. Your signed Agreement is not binding until theChange Day.

• Send cleared funds to your Broker/Solicitor – fundsmust be in place to ensure a smooth entry into your pub. Werequire these funds to be cleared 7-10 days before theChange Day.

• Obtain a Gaming Permit – our Machines Manager willorganise this for you. You can download clear advice ongaming machines, the rules and how to increase your saleson www.PubPartners.net.

• Prepare & print menus – access to wine and food menuswill be available via www.PubPartners.net as part of your Licensee Support Package. You can either print your ownusing the menu templates or pay via your credit card for professionally printed food menus. Professionally printedwine menus are free of charge.

• Order food stocks – ensure you have necessary foodsupplies available for the Change Day. You should ensurethat you have negotiated the best prices for food stocks witheither local suppliers or via Bar Gains which offerspreferential prices to our Licensees. You will be givendetails of this by your Business Development Manager oryou can access their details on www.PubPartners.net.

3.6: AT LEAST 1 WEEK BEFORE YOU TAKEOVER THE PUB• Ensure till floats are available for Opening Day – a pub is

a cash business so you will need change to operate from dayone.

• Order stock – you will be given a Customer AccountNumber (usually 48 hours before Change Day) and anumber to call our Customer Sales team who will place yourorder. Your order must be placed with Customer Sales oronline at least two days before your Change Day. Your orderand delivery day will be confirmed by your BusinessDevelopment Manager.

• Organise Price Lists – you must display a Price List of theproducts you sell at the bar counter. You can print your ownprice list using the template on www.PubPartners.net.

3.7: WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE READYFOR CHANGE DAY• Display Legal Notices – ensure all required signs and

notices such as Exit signs, No Smoking signs, health andsafety regulations, your Premises Licence and PersonalLicence are ready. Your Business Development Managerwill go through with you what you need to display.

• Meet staff & set up training, where required – pleaserefer to the employee information earlier in this guide. It isvery important that you comply with TUPE regulations foryour staff. It’s also a good idea to assess their skills so thatyou can organise internal and external training for themonce you take over. Your staff are able to attend our trainingprogrammes and we would encourage you to allow them totake part. You can pay for this using your Training Fundwhich will be taken from you as part of your charges to us.This is detailed in a Guide to Charges.

7

4: THE CHNGE DAY AND BEYOND

4.1: THE CHANGE DAY

This is an important day, and there will be several essentialtasks for you to carry out:

• Solicitor consultation – we will keep you informed on theprogress of the legal documentation regarding yourAgreement. You’ll need to keep your Solicitor up to date.

• Settlement fees – all settlement fees due will need to bepaid by Change Day. These are the fees that you need to payto various parties in order to take a pub with us. This will becompleted through your Broker or Solicitor. Details of thesettlement fees are shown in our Code of Practice and Guideto Charges.

• Inventory check – it is essential that you and your Brokercheck your Inventory thoroughly on Change Day. If thereare any queries, these should be raised with your Broker.

• Stock check – your Stocktaker will check and value the wetand dry stock remaining and ensure everything is in dateand in a saleable condition. Any out-of-date stock or emptycontainers should be removed by the outgoing Licensee.

• Equipment – all equipment should be checked to ensure itis in full working order. Any problems should be dealt with immediately through your Broker.

• Utility meter readings – you’ll need to check and record allutility meter readings with the outgoing Licensee and notifythe utility companies of those readings.

• Legal Notices – your pub will have various Legal Notices todisplay, such as Licensing details and Health and Safety regulations etc. Your Business Development Manager willwalk through the pub with you to check that all StatutoryNotices are correctly displayed.

• Outgoing Licensee – make sure you obtain a forwardingaddress and phone number for the outgoing Licensee sothat you can contact them with any queries.

• Keys to the Pub – we will give you the keys to your newpub. Ensure your trading times are correct at the front door.

4: The Change Day and beyond4.2: YOUR FIRST 6 WEEKS

These weeks are critical as you will still be learning aboutyour new business. You will be contacted by your BusinessDevelopment Manager or a member of our Team. Their callsor visits will provide you with much-needed support andadvice to ensure you get off to a flying start with your pub. It’sextremely important that you get yourself online as early aspossible so that you can start to make the most of the onlinesupport that is available.

4.3: YOUR FIRST YEAR

Throughout your first year you’ll continue to receive help andadvice from our Business Support Team:

• Business Review Meetings – you will attend these withyour Business Development Manager at regular intervals inyour pub. Review Meetings are essential to the success ofyour business. At each meeting you’ll analyse how yourbusiness is developing, and agree a set of action points to beachieved prior to the next meeting. The frequency of thesemeetings will vary depending on your experience.

• Training Courses – there are other training coursesavailable via our Training Team that we would encourageyou and your staff to attend. For more information log on towww.PubPartners.net or call our Training Team on 01284 714375.

You can also speak to the Training Team to discuss how yourtraining fund can be used for any external courses needed.

• Customer Experience Research – we use an independentcompany to provide you with feedback that will give you the opportunity to see your business from the customers’point of view. Visits take place every quarter, which will be a health check for your business. You’ll receive a message on www.PubPartners.net when a new report is available and these can be downloaded from the Business section ofthe site.

5: PUB PARTNERS’ SUPPORT

8

5.1: PEOPLE TO HELP YOU

Running a pub is all about getting along with people –whether they’re your customers or your suppliers – and it’scrucial that you build great relationships. We understand thatyour success is vital for our working relationship too, so weinvest time and effort to ensure that you have the best peoplesupporting you. We’ll agree the number of times in the yearthat you’ll meet with your Business Development Manager.Rather than stick to a rigid routine, we tailor our supportvisits depending on your experience and expertise.

Business Development ManagerYour Business Development Manager (BDM) is your personalbusiness consultant, advising you on everything from pubinvestment plans to the latest initiatives and ideas. BDMshave the ability to draw on the knowledge of other experts atGreene King when discussing your needs and are your mainpoint of contact with us. Part of their role is also to ensure thatyou are complying with the obligations under your Tenancyor Lease Agreement.

We invest a lot of time and effort in training and monitoringthe performance of each BDM. Our BDM’s will havecompleted a thorough four week induction covering essentialbusiness to business training around the traditional landlordand tenant relationship, fair rent setting, the key areas ofagreement compliance and covering business to consumerareas such as sales development and the customer journey.

We are committed to ensuring that all our BDMs who havecontact with you are properly trained prior to the completionof their induction period.

We also support our BDMs with academic qualifications. OurBDMs participate in our leadership development programme,enabling them to achieve a Postgraduate Diploma inHospitality Business Management (Multi-unit Leadership)operated by Birmingham City University Business School.Further support is provided should they wish to achieve aMasters Degree. We are also committed to their continuousprofessional development.

We continue to review their training and development as partof their performance. All of our training and development istailored to meet the specific needs of our employees,depending upon their level of expertise, experience and stagein their career.

BDM performance is monitored regularly. Part of their keyperformance objectives are based on the retention of theirLicensees, the profitability of their Licensees and theirLicensees’ feedback. Their performance is recorded throughour formal Performance Development Review (PDR) process,which all employees participate in.

BDMs will qualify for exemption from training if, in ouropinion, they are qualified through prior training and/orexperience.

We appreciate how important your relationship with yourBDM is. However, they will change from time to time, butwherever possible we will attempt to minimise any potentialdisruption.

5: Pub Partners’ supportOperations Managers and OperationsDirectorsOperations Directors are responsible for the overall operationof the region that your pub is in. Working for them areOperations Managers who may be your BusinessDevelopment Manager’s line manager. These are highly-qualified business consultants and are able to assist you whenyou need additional business advice.

Property HelpdeskOur Property Helpdesk will help you with any propertymaintenance enquiries and emergencies. They will liaise onyour behalf with contractors to ensure maintenance andrepairs are completed on time and to a high standard. Theyprovide cover for this service 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

Property SurveyorsGreene King Property Surveyors are experts in providing youwith advice about and management of the structure of yourpub. If you are investing in your pub, they will ensure thework is completed to all the relevant standards and requirements.

Estates ManagersGreene King’s property experts. Here to help you withproperty-related issues such as rating appeals and boundarydisputes. The advice provided by an Estates Manager is freeof charge.

Machines ManagerOur Machines Manager will ensure that you have the mostappropriate and most profitable machines in your pub andwill advise you how you can increase your profits frommachines and ensure that you stay within the law.

Credit Account teamYou will have a Credit Account Manager who has access to allyour account details and can help you with any invoicequeries. They are able to help you manage your account andreview payment terms if you experience any difficulties.Credit Terms are agreed with you on an individual basis at the beginning of your Agreement. We may offer up to 2 weeks’credit if you pay your bills by Direct Debit.

Cellar Service teamYou have access to a Cellar Service team who are available torepair, maintain and install your beer dispense equipment.Your Licensed Property Broker/Valuer will confirm whichelements of cellar equipment are owned by us and whichyou’ll need to purchase.

Dray teamOur Dray team will deliver your beer order, weekly on a setday. They will ensure your products are in perfect condition.If you would like, they are also able to stillage your draughtproducts when they reach you.

9

5: PUB PARTNERS’ SUPPORT continued

Specialist Tenant TrainersSpecialist Tenant Trainers provide you with on-the-jobtraining before you go into a pub, from a real Licenseerunning their own pub business. You are able to work at theirpub, gaining real experience. Your Specialist Tenant Trainerwill also become your mentor during your first year. There isa small fee for this scheme – it is usually included as part ofyour initial Training Fund. If we believe that you wouldbenefit from training before you go into your pub, we willrequire you to spend a minimum of 2 days with a Specialiston-the-job trainer in a working pub to get you started.

Licensing supportLicensing support is offered through our licensing partnerTLT Solicitors, who can be contacted through Publine.

Public relations supportWe will provide you with advice should you require it inrespect of any press issue or opportunity at your pub.

Commercial teamThe Commercial team develops and communicates theessential information you need to ensure that you operateyour pub effectively and within the law. Every month theynegotiate with our suppliers to give you additional deals anddiscounts on products as well as promotional supportmaterials and branded support merchandise.

Mystery visits We have an external company who conduct mystery visits tocheck your trading standards and legal compliance. Theseresults are very important because they give you a customer’sview of your business and service. Your BusinessDevelopment Manager will discuss the results with you soyou can plan for improvements, eg: training, offer etc.

5.2: THE TOOLS YOU NEED

We pride ourselves on providing first class support for yourbusiness, so we’ve developed specialist tools that can help youto make more of your business, earn more money and savewhen you are buying day-to-day items from suppliers.

Award winning training programmesWe believe training is one of the most important things youshould do before you enter a pub and during the period ofyour Agreement with us. An extensive range of courses isavailable on all aspects of running a pub business – many tonationally recognised qualifications.

You must complete the Pre-Entry and Mandatory Training,which includes the online BII Pre-Entry Awareness Training(PEAT) and Greene King Safe Start, as well as the Go forGrowth programme. You must set aside a Training Fundwhich will be collected at the start of your Agreement. Pleasesee our Guide to Training for more information.

We are committed to providing ongoing training support foryou and your staff and will discuss your training needsthroughout the term of your Agreement. Ongoing trainingcosts are usually charged to your Trade Account.

Bar GainsOur Bar Gains service provides our Licensees withpreferential prices for everything needed to run theirbusiness. You are able to access discounted prices on food,furniture, cleaning materials, banking, insurance, exteriorplanting, outdoor furniture and utilities.

Award winning beers and guest alesAs brewers we are very proud of our award winning ales.Alongside our famous brands such as Greene King IPA, AbbotAle and Old Speckled Hen, and our Scottish flagship brand,Belhaven Best, it is our policy to offer an extensive range ofseasonal ales throughout the year. We also work closely withother UK brewers to offer 2 other guest ales on a bi-monthlybasis.

Business Rates AdviceWe provide a ‘free of charge’ business rates advisory servicethrough a national ratings specialist company, who will act onyour behalf to ensure that your rates are kept as low aspossible. This service is free of charge, whatever the outcome,and confidential. All rates appeals must be made using thisservice. Please refer to your BDM for more information.

Flow monitoring equipmentYour pub may have dispense monitoring installed. This willhelp you to manage your business and save money. Pleaserefer to section 6.3 in our Code of Practice for moreinformation.

Head Brewer’s Cask ClubBy invitation only – our Cask Club is available for thoseLicensees who are passionate about real ale and serve beer toa consistently high quality.

Value promotionsWe have developed value promotions that you may be able toparticipate in, where you can buy featured products at acheaper amount and are guaranteed a minimum margin onyour sales whilst you take part in the promotion. You alsoreceive point of sale for both inside and outside your pub tohelp you advertise the discounted prices to customers.htproducts when they reach you.

5: PUB PARTNERS’ SUPPORT continued

10

5.3: A WHOLE WORLD ONLINE

Online support is available at www.PubPartners.net, whichoffers you a wealth of information. It’s a one-stop shop foreverything from booking training courses to placing yourweekly beer orders and viewing your invoices and statements.You also have easy access to historic sales information to helpyou manage your pub more efficiently.

Marketing adviceFrom press release templates to advice on targeting the rightcustomers and managing a public relations campaign. Weshow you how to set up and use a website and how you canmake social media sites work for you (eg: Twitter andFacebook). Use our expert tips and help to make it easy topromote your pub and build your own Marketing Plan.

Promotions supportUse our unique instant online art studio – Go Create – toproduce professional promotions support that’s personalisedto your pub. You can design your own banners, posters andflyers using our templates and launch your pub business withour invitations, customer feedback cards, bounceback promotions and newsletters.

Business helpUseful advice and help for everything you need to know aboutrunning a pub. From legal advice to Health & Safety andproperty information, it’s there for you in an easy-to-understand format.

Food supportAccess to our food support online to create a menu from adishes bank and develop and price your own menus. You canalso use our templates to professionally print menus to helpsell your food to customers.

Cellar supportInformation about our core brands as well as our Seasonal Aleselections along with advice on cellar craft so that you canserve a perfect pint every time!

Wine supportProviding you with a choice of pre-selected wine lists, or theability to choose and create your own. You can have your list professionally printed or print it for yourself. This sectionteaches you about how to sell, stock and serve wine.

Online shoppingYou can order your beer and stocks from us online as well asoff-the-shelf promotions and branded merchandise. You areable to access your invoice information and account details too.

Please note that online ordering is currently unavailable inScotland.

You’ll receive a username and password when you moveinto your pub.

5.4: SUPPORT FOR YOUR BUSINESS

If your business experiences difficulties that are beyond yourcontrol, we will work with you to help resolve it. Wherefinancial assistance is requested, in order for your BDM tounderstand the level of support that maybe required you willneed to provide the following information:

• Full disclosure of your Certified Accounts including Profit& Loss, Balance Sheet and VAT Returns.

• Stocktake results.

• Bank statements.

• Your marketing and e-marketing plans.

• Disclosure of all debts and outstanding warrants on thebusiness.

Your Business Development Manager will discuss with youthe information you provide and assess what support isappropriate. Each case is decided on its individual merits. Wewill confirm in writing the outcome of any request forsupport.

11

6: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Do I need a Personal Licence?A:Yes, unless you have authorised a person who works at

your pub to hold this for you. All Licensed venues musthave a Designated Premises Supervisor/Manager(DPS/DPM) who holds a Personal Licence.

For more information, contact our Training Team on01284 714375.

Q: What is the role of the BusinessDevelopment Manager?

A:The Business Development Manager will be a permanentsource of support, guidance, help and advice wheneveryou need it.

They develop close working relationships with ourLicensees, using their knowledge and experience to helpyou grow your business.

Your Business Development Manager can help youidentify and develop new ideas and opportunities tomaximise your pub’s potential, offer advice on aspects ofthe business such as staff or financial management, or theycan just be a friendly ear when you want to talk about howthings are going in general.

6: Frequently asked questionsQ: Why do I need to appoint a Broker, Solicitor,

etc – can I not do this work myself?A:Taking over a pub means taking over a business and that

brings with it a number of legal requirements, covering ourAgreement, Employment Law, accounting requirements,Licensing Laws, Health and Safety and a range of other issues. It is essential that you obtain the advice andguidance that only qualified, licensed professionals canoffer.

Q: How much will taking over a pub cost me?A: Inevitably, taking over the running of a pub will involve a

number of costs. These can vary enormously dependingon the type, size and location of the pub, the terms of theAgreement and many other factors. You should refer toour Guide to Charges which will be given to you. Thisdocument is also available online at www.PubPartners.net.

Q: How long does the process of taking over apub take?

A:This will vary considerably according to individualapplicants and the pub – four to ten weeks is normal.

CONTACT INFORMATION

12

VERSION 2.0 AUGUST 2013

GREENE KING PUB PARTNERS PUBLINETelephone: 0845 6080715

WEBSITEwww.GreeneKingPubs.co.uk

Greene King Pub Partners, Abbot House, Westgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds,

Suffolk, IP33 1QT. Telephone: 01284 763222.

Website: www.GreeneKing.co.uk

Greene King Pub Partners is a trading division of Greene King Brewing and Retailing Ltd

and of Greene King Retailing Ltd, both companies in the Greene King group.

CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAMTelephone: 0845 6075325

WEBSITEwww.BelhavenLeaseAPub.co.uk

Belhaven, Atrium House, 6 Back Walk, Stirling,Stirlingshire, FK8 2QA.

Telephone: 01786 463074. Website: www.BelhavenPubs.co.uk

Belhaven is a trading division of Greene King Brewing and Retailing Ltd

and of Greene King Retailing Ltd, both companies in the Greene King group.