Once we’ve received your application, we’ll review the information provided and give you a call for an informal chat to discuss your business and location preferences. If you’re happy to proceed, one of our Business Development Partners (BDPs) will call you to discuss your application and with your permission, we’ll also run a credit check.

If you’d like to continue with your application to run a pub, the relevant Business Development Partner will arrange to meet with you at the pub site you’re applying for.

The BDP will explain what it means to be a Business Partner with H&W and will be keen to answer your questions and find out more about you.

After your first meeting, if your application for a specific pub is progressed, the Business Development Partner will send you a follow-up email with a Business Plan template, Fair Maintainable Turnover and Profit & Loss figures, a price list and a sample agreement.

We then ask that you complete a Business Plan which details your vision for the business as well as your forecast P&L and cash flow.

Once the Business Plan is submitted, the BDP will arrange a second meeting with you to talk it through and understand more about your Business Plan. If the Business Plan is agreed, you’ll progress to a final round.

The final round will be with our Head of Business Partnerships, and usually your BDP. You’ll be asked to complete and sign a Business Partner interview checklist to ensure you’ve been given all the relevant information required to make an informed decision about signing a Business Partnership agreement.

If your final interview is successful, you’ll receive an electronic offer letter from us which we ask that you sign electronically and return.

Once we’ve received your signed acceptance of the formal offer, we will send you an electronic copy of your Business Partnership Agreement and associated documents for signing.

Approximately two weeks before you take over your new pub business, you’ll meet with your BDP for a Pre-Change Meeting. Your BDP will make sure that you understand your agreement in detail, as well as the year one support package, training, and the Hello & Welcome document. The change date and details of the pub’s handover will be confirmed.

On this day you’ll start your new journey as a H&W Business Partner, and you’ll receive the keys to your pub and your new home. It will be a busy day, but your BDP and other professionals will be there to ensure everything runs smoothly.

You will need to complete Pre-Entry Awareness Training (PEAT), this is an e-learning package provided by the British Institute of Inn Keeping (BII).  PEAT will help you to identify the main issues which need to be considered and investigated before signing a tenanted agreement.  It will help you to prepare for your interview and subsequent meetings and give you an understanding of the professional advice you should seek to enable you to make informed commercial decisions.

On successful completion of the PEAT training you will be awarded with a BIIAB Certificate. The average duration of PEAT online training is 90 minutes. The cost of PEAT training in England & Wales PEAT is £100+VAT and can be obtained directly through the BII.

The codes of practice for leased and tenanted pubs govern the business relationship between pub companies and pub tenants operating tied public houses. As a member of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB) Hall & Woodhouse adheres to the Voluntary Code of Practice.

We strongly advise that you review the Voluntary Code of Practice, along with our Hello & Welcome document to prepare you for what to expect when entering into a Business Partnership Agreement.