Becoming a Publican

Your first step is to find out as much as possible about what's involved in becoming a Publican and how to run a successful pub business.

There are 3 activities that you must complete which will help you do this:

• Pre-Entry Awareness Training (PEAT) run by the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) - this course is available online, takes around 2 hours to complete and is compulsory for those who have not previously held a lease or tenancy agreement.
• Personal Licence: you need a Personal Licence, which is separate to the Premises Licence held by the pub. The applications for both are dealt with by your local authority.
• Building Your Business (BYB) - run by Enterprise at venues across the country, this 5-day course covers 3 qualifications: the Level 2 Award in Food Safety (completed online in advance of the course), the BII Introduction to Licensed Hospitality Operations, and the BII Award in Beer and Cellar Quality. You can book a place now and you will need to complete the course before signing an agreement with us.

Our support teams are on hand to provide advice and guidance through the journey to your own pub business.

To begin your journey with us, you can register with our Recruitment Team now by calling 0800 953 0072. You can also email the team or request a call back via our website.

The next stage is to find a pub opportunity that's just right for you.

Finding the right pub for you is the most important part of the journey towards becoming a successful Publican. It will become your business and could well be your home, so it is worth taking the time to think about the lifestyle you want, as well as your vision for the business.

It's easy to find information about which pubs are available using our online Pub Search page. You can narrow your search based on location, pub type, agreement type or the pub’s features to help find a pub that is just right for you.

For each pub business opportunity you can view photos and find out about the pub's trading area, living accommodation, local area and competition. You can also read the local Regional Manager's thoughts on the pub and see an estimate of the rent and ingoing funds required so you can compare opportunities.

The online browsing will help you shortlist your preferred pubs before you request more information and an initial meeting by calling the Recruitment Team.

We will send you a Pub Fact Pack with more information about the opportunity and your Regional Manager will be in touch as soon as this is sent out. The pack will help you think about your initial ideas and vision for the business before meeting your Regional Manager.

It's time to develop your ideas and plan your business.

Your meeting with the Regional Manager will provide fresh thoughts and ideas as well as further detail about the pub that will help you shape your business plan. They will be able to share more details about the Pub Condition Report, the fixtures & fittings and any investment that may be required.

With all the information at your disposal, the next step is to prepare a business plan, outlining how you would like to run the business. This will include information about the day-to-day running of the pub, as well as your plans for marketing and your financial forecasts. Our straightforward Business Blueprint template will guide you through the information required and your Regional Manager will be on hand to help if you have questions.

You will need to work with a qualified accountant to complete your business plan. We have a list of recommended professional advisors across England and Wales and can put you in touch with an accountant in your area. We will pay £250 towards your accountancy costs if you use one of our recommended accountants.

You should send your completed business plan to our Recruitment Team. You will also need to complete an Application Form online. This will detail your experience, skills and qualifications as well as allowing us to complete a credit check.

If you intend to make available AWP or SWP machines in your pub it is a legal requirement that you register for Machine Games Duty (MGD). Registration can be done either online at www.hmrc.gov.uk/machinegamesduty/registering.htm  or you can request a postal application form by telephoning the Excise Helpline on 0845 010 9000.

We work together to discuss all of the options and the terms of your agreement.

Using your business plan, we will assess the pub's potential performance and your potential profit opportunity. Your Regional Manager will discuss our Pub Business Assessment with you and this will be used to negotiate and agree the rent for the pub. We will then work together to shape an agreement that best suits the needs of your business, looking at the type of agreement and potential discount structure available for the pub. There may be tie release options for wine, spirit, packaged beers & ciders or gaming machines which you might wish to consider, and we will discuss the financial impacts of these options in greater detail.

The following documents are then completed and signed by both parties:

• Your Pub Business Plan Summary - a one-page summary of the assumptions included in your business plan and the key terms we have agreed
• Pre-Contract Form - a summary of the terms of our agreement. These terms and conditions form the basis of our legal agreement

We recommend that all of our Publicans take legal advice to ensure that you understand all aspects of the agreement and the terms and conditions of the contract before signing. The Law Society website provides some useful information about seeking legal advice.

The final step is for us to sign our agreement marking the completion of our negotiations and the start of your exciting career as a Publican.

With your agreement signed, it’s time to put your plans in place and prepare to launch your pub business.

From day one, you have access to our award winning support packages and free training for you and your staff. Our Welcome Pack provides more information about the support available to help you get started and introduces some of your key contacts.

Your Regional Manager will be your main point of contact at Enterprise and will be in touch regularly to provide the help and advice you need to grow and shape your business. You will also be given a dedicated Customer Account Manager to support you with purchasing and advise you of our current offers and promotions.

You can find out more about the range of Support and Training available by clicking on the Support page link to the right.