Punch Taverns has defended its decision to help draft some of the letters sent by tenants to the Government in support of the pub company for the consultation into plans for a statutory code for pub companies.
The Sun reported yesterday that the letters, which were sent to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), came from a template sent by Punch to its licensees.
A Punch spokesman said: “We make no apologies for encouraging and helping partners who wanted to write to Government in support of us. We will only get a fair outcome to the consultation if all points of view are reflected in the process and indeed BIS have been keen to promote just that.
“Many of those who wrote understand the benefits of the tie and their positive relationship with Punch. They also understand the adverse impact the proposed state-backed Pubs Quango would have on them and their livelihoods.”
Speaking at the Tenanted Pub Company Summit last month, Punch’s external affairs and central operations director Andy Slee said hundreds of its licensees have written to the Government in support of the company for the consultation.
