A real partnership!

If you have never run a pub before, it can be exciting, challenging and very rewarding. Here at Iona Pub Partnership, our policy is not ‘one size fit’s all’. Each of our tenants are unique individuals with different skills and competency levels, therefore each of our lease agreements and terms are different in order to accommodate your needs and experience.

If you are thinking about running a pub for the first time, you should consider our ‘Try before you Buy’, a real working pub with real customers and a great opportunity to see life from the other side of the bar.

Why choose to run your own pub?

If you enjoy a challenge, hard working and are a social person who enjoys meeting new people and not afraid to put your back into your business, running a pub could be a rewarding business for you!

If you enjoy being part of a community and at the heart of it, have a good memory for names, faces and useless facts, ………….our pubs are the first choice for you.

How does it work?

Iona Pub Partnership is exactly what it says, a partnership between you and us! The tenancy agreement is the formal name for it.

Generally, we look at the business opportunities that we have available, we offer a variety of non standard leases which are flexible to your circumstances, finances and suitability of the site in relevance to your skills and experience.

Our usual agreement is offered with a partial tie on draught beers and bottled beers, however free of tie on wines, spirits and soft drinks.

The period of time which we assign a lease for can vary according to a variety of factors including funds, experience and skills, therefore we very much work around what will work for you and us.

How much money will I need?

The cost of taking on one of our pubs varies, on size, location, trading history, fixtures and fittings and length of time on the lease.

There is no set minimum amount we can advise, however we do suggest that you do prepare and have access to a form of accesible funds including a working capital . You will also need to provide a security deposit of between £2,000 and £6,000 as an average and have enough left over for some working capital.

Your working capital will allow you to trade comfortably during your start up period and help your cash flow. Of course, once you take over the pub you will be responsible for all of the utilities and rent so this must be included in your working capital. We do not insist that you employ an accountant but we do strongly advise the use of an experienced, qualified accountant.
Once we have agreed your application, we will go into detail with figures on each of the following:

• Stock – both wet and dry
• Previous accounts and/or ‘Z’ readings form the till receipts (these never lie)
• Consumables and cleaning materials
• Fixtures and fittings as valued on the day you take over your pub

What skills and qualifications do I need?

This may sound like an obvious answer, but have you worked in a pub before? If not, we suggest that you do, this is a big decision to take on a pub and you need to know what you are going into by getting a taste of it.

You will need a licence.

All premises selling alcohol must have a Personal Licence holder who is certificated and authorised to permit the sale of alcohol according to the licensing act and conforming to the licensing objectives.

Make sure you can hold a licence.

You can get a Personal Licence (SCPLH) as long as you are over 18 and hold no history of convictions. You can sit the course to obtain your licence with Iona Pub Partnership. You can check with the police or local council to ensure you are eligible.

You need to get along with everyone, be a real people person. and prepared for some hard graft. It can be long hard hours. Up with the cleaners and getting to bed after closing time can be tiring.

Running a pub is not just about chatting to customers and pulling a pint, you will need to know a bit about running a business. It is not essential to have experience of running your own business before, but having some knowledge of figures will be a definite advantage.

You will have people working for you so you will need to have some leadership skills in being able to direct, develop and influence your team of staff.

The staff may come with the pub or they may be people you interview and recruit but you will need to put standards and training procedures in place. The career of your staff lies in your hands.

Why should you chose Iona Pub Partnership?

Flexibility & Support

No other pub company offers the packages and flexibility that we do and the support that we provide for you to make your business work. We are different!