Forum of British Pubs announces Member Trustee Board to drive support for pubs sector
Pubs lobby organisation the Forum of British Pubs has announced the formation of its new Member Trustee Board, drawing on extensive experience across the full sector.
Chairman of the Member Trustees, and co-founder of the Forum, Dave Mountford said, “ I am delighted to announce such a highly experienced and diverse group, who can add so much value to The Forum of British Pubs.”
The Forum of British Pubs was founded by publican Dave Mountford and CEO of the Forum of Private Business, Ian Cass, as a membership body dedicated to representing the interests of both tied and free of tied pubs in the UK.
The Member Trustee Board comprises present and former pub tenants and owners with a collective experience of over 100 years in the industry.
Dave Mountford built up a highly successful business at the Boat Inn at Cromford in the Peak District and has become known as a passionate campaigner for fairness, having been one of the key contributors to the construct of the Pubs Code.
He is joined on the Member Trustee Board by regular witness at Parliamentary Select Committees, Simon Clarke, a chartered surveyor, and publican who has successfully exercised his right to exercise a Market Rent Only Option allowing the business now to operate Free of Tie.
Charlie Piper-Hodgson is a key member of the NoPubNoRent campaign and is committed to levelling the playing field for tenant landlords.
Having suffered at the hands of unfair PubCo practices, Thais Robertson now divides her time between developing her private therapy and counselling business, and lobbying for better support for publicans.
Commenting on joining the Member Trustee Board, she said, “ ‘This Forum is not just about lobbying and making noise; it is designed to reach out to individual publicans and help them when they are at need. Being a Landlord/lady can be extremely isolating at times, and it’s crucial for our mental health to know there is a forum of like-minded, understanding, individuals with helpful advice.’
Having had successful & profitable pubs with Enterprise (now Ei/Stonegate), Fullers and Star (Heineken) Mark Edgell brings
hands on experience in all pub practices; cellar, accounting, marketing, cooking, bar tending, stocktaking and training.
Completing the Board, brewing and pub industry veteran, and former Leader of Salisbury City Council, Matthew Dean brings extensive knowledge of both the sales and operating side of the industry.
Notes to Editors:
Fuller details of the Trustee Members:
Dave Mountford
With an HND in Hotel Management and Institutional Catering, Dave took on his first Pub in 2007 with Punch Taverns. After a few short months, he realised he was being lied to, just about every aspect of his business relationship and after a five year, very public battle he left the Pub bankrupt with six figure debts.
Taking on the privately owned Boat Inn, his family turned this closed Pub to one of the most successful operations in the area, at its peak achieving ¾ Million sales.
His, very public, battle with Punch taverns bought him to the attention of a group of campaigners who were fighting for reform of the industry, on the back of two Government enquiries.
Dave became heavily involved in the campaign, giving evidence to the Business and Industry Department on a number of occasions and direct evidence to the Committee in 2015.
He was one of the stakeholders who was responsible for the introduction of the Pubs Code legislation and has been a constant critic of the way that the Pubs Code Adjudicator has implemented the legislation.
Alongside Ian Cass, Dave was one of the Founder Members of The Forum of British Pubs and works tirelessly to assist others in their battles with their Pub Owning Businesses.
Simon Clarke
I’ve been in a chartered surveyor for over 30 years and a tied publican for around 15 years, having just managed to initiate the Market Rent Only option, effectively allowing us to now trade Free of Tie.
Due to my varied experience I have a unique knowledge of the relationship between a pubs reasonable trading potential and rental value.
I was invited by the original founders of the Fair Pint Campaign to become involved in the drive to alter the environment and seek radical change to the tied pub model, which ultimately resulted in the Pubs Code.
I have been called as a witness to almost every Parliamentary Select Committee inquiry into the tied pub model over a period of around 8 years.
I'm the first to admit the legislation and Pubs Code leave much to be desired but we must treat the recent developments as the beginning of better things to come and I'm delighted the Forum of Private Business have stepped up to challenge to build on what has been achieved.
Charlie Piper Hodgson
Charlie Piper-Hodgson has worked in the hospitality industry for nearly 20 years, from pot washing at her local village pub, to AA rosettes, managing hotels and consulting for pub start-ups.
Until very recently Charlie was a tenant of a tied Ei Publican Partnership pub, so is all too aware of the flawed pubco model and its questionable practices.
A key member of the #NoPubNoRent campaign, she is passionate about levelling the playing field for tenants, resolute in the belief that hard working publicans should be able to make a fair living whatever their lease may be, free from fear of their landlords’ manipulation.
Amongst a myriad of campaigns and pubco-funded trade bodies, clear messages about ‘real’ life in hospitality are getting lost, diluted and usurped. The Forum for British Pubs can be the united voice we need… speaking the truths of new generations of publicans, breathing fire into stagnant arguments and truly supporting the individual, not the cause.
Thais Robertson
Thais Robertson worked in various pubs throughout her 20’s whilst training to become a qualified Psychologist. She then utilised her skills in ‘understanding people’ and experience within the food and beverage industry to forge a career in hospitality Marketing. After 5 years in Central London, Thais decided it was time to move back to her roots in rural West Sussex, taking on a tied leased pub. Unfortunately, Thais came to realise that unfair practice by Pub Owning Businesses was worryingly commonplace within the tied pub model, which inspired her to start campaigning for tenants – including being a founding member of the #NoPubNoRent campaign. Thais has consequently surrendered the lease on her pub; and now divides her time between developing her private therapy and counselling practice, and campaigning for better support for publicans. Thais was inspired to become a trustee of the Forum of British Pubs because of the focus on providing direct support and unity to pub tenants. ‘This Forum is not just about lobbying and making noise; it is designed to reach out to individual publicans and help them when they are at need. Being a Landlord/lady can be extremely isolating at times, and it’s crucial for our mental health to know there is a forum of like-minded, understanding, individuals with helpful advice.’
Mark Edgell
West Oxfordshire, Married with 3 Children 2 of which are in the hospitality trade.
13 Years a Tied publican having had successful & profitable pubs with Enterprise (now Ei/Stonegate), Fullers and Star (Heineken).
Hands on experience in all pub practices; cellar, accounting, marketing, cooking, bar tending, stocktaking and training.
I am a qualified training professional & trained Stock taker and able to consult in checks & balances, good & safe operating practices & procedures in pubs.
I am determined to see a better deal for tied publicans in this industry.
Matt Dean
Matthew Dean has been involved in the brewing and pub industry for over thirty years. He has worked in sales for both local and national brewers as well as running pubs in the South West of England. Matthew is also a local government councillor and was Leader of Salisbury City Council at the time of the Novichok incidents.