Ei Pubs – Proposed Rent Holiday
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6th May 2020 Dear Mr Longbottom, RE: Ei Pubs – Proposed Rent Holiday The current pandemic represents perhaps the greatest threat the pub industry has ever faced. We write as Members of Parliament deeply concerned about the future of pubs in our constituencies. Pubs play a vital role in our communities, and during the COVID-19 crisis we have been heartened by our incredible publicans who across the country are providing free meals to vulnerable community members and offering important local services. We are determined to make sure that pubs can reopen after the crisis ends, and that the temporary closures do not become permanent. These worries have been alleviated somewhat in recent weeks by Government support measures and the announcements of Adnams, Everards, Admiral Taverns, Timothy Taylor’s, Hall and Woodhouse, Robinson’s, Wadworth’s, and Palmer’s Brewery, among others that they will be offering rent-free periods for their pubs during the COVID-19 lockdown. Similarly, we are heartened by the news that the Pub Code Adjudicator has indicated that all Code pub-owning businesses should announce plans to support pubs if they are not currently waiving rent. However, we are dismayed that Ei Pub Company has not made any public undertaking to provide a rent-free period to its tenants and is instead simply deferring the rent to be paid off after the pandemic ends. This is despite being one of only five companies adhering to the Pub Code to not have announced measures. This will put many tenants deep in debt, making it financially more difficult for them to reopen. Ei is ignoring the normal guiding principle that pub rents reflect their profitability, and it is unfair of you to require tenants to take the entire financial burden of the lockdown. We urgently call on you to offer a rent holiday, or an equivalent level of support of some other kind, to all pubs in your group. Supporting your tenants now will ensure they are still there after this crisis is over, and save you having to go through the administration and costs of finding alternative tenants. We have all taken a great interest in making sure our local pubs owned by Ei get the support they deserve, and we will ensure that our constituents are not forgotten. We look forward to working with you to resolve this matter at the earliest opportunity, and our shared endeavours to support Britain’s great pubs and publicans. Yours Sincerely, Alicia Kearns MP, Rutland and Melton Anthony Browne MP, South Cambridgeshire Stella Creasy MP, Walthamstow Stewart McDonald MP, Glasgow South Christine Jardine MP, Edinburgh West Houses of Parliament Debbie Abrahams MP, Oldham East and Saddleworth Royston Smith MP, Southampton Itchen Sir David Amess MP, Southend West Greg Smith MP, Buckingham Lee Anderson MP, Ashfield Alex Stafford MP, Rother Valley Richard Bacon MP, South Norfolk Jane Stevenson MP, Wolverhampton North East Paula Barker MP, Liverpool Wavertree James Sunderland MP, Bracknell Aaron Bell MP, Newcastle-under-Lyme Desmond Swayne MP, New Forest West Tom Crispin Blunt MP, Reigate Tugendhat MP, Tonbridge and Malling Steve Brine MP, Winchester Martin Vickers MP, Cleethorpes Feryal Clark MP, Enfield North James Wild MP, North West Norfolk Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Bassetlaw Munira Wilson MP, Twickenham Daisy Cooper MP, St Albans Will Wragg MP, Hazel Grove Rosie Cooper MP, West Lancashire Jacob Young MP, Redcar Robert Courts MP, Witney Iain Duncan Smith MP, Chingford and Woodford Green Laura Farris MP, Newbury Tim Farron MP, Westmorland and Lonsdale Nick Fletcher MP, Don Valley Mark Francois MP, Rayleigh and Wickford Richard Graham MP, Gloucester Chris Grayling MP, Epsom and Ewell Damian Green MP, Ashford Lilian Greenwood MP, Nottingham South Andrew Griffith MP, Arundel and South Downs Jonathan Gullis MP, Stoke-on-Trent North Mike Hill MP, Hartlepool Wera Hobhouse MP, Bath Tom Hunt MP, Ipswich Daniel Kawczynski MP, Shrewsbury Andrew Lewer MP, Northampton South Julian Lewis MP, New Forest East Tim Loughton MP, East Worthing and Shoreham Stephen McPartland MP, Stevenage Ian Mearns MP, Gateshead Andrew Mitchell MP, Sutton Coldfield Grahame Morris MP, Easington Kieran Mullan MP, Crewe and Nantwich Bob Neill MP, Bromley and Chislehurst Sarah Olney MP, Richmond Park Kate Osbourne MP, Jarrow Nicola Richards MP, West Bromwich East Mary Robinson MP, Cheadle Andrew Rosindell MP, Romford Andrew Selous MP, South West Bedfordshire Houses of Parliament .