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PCA working with Hive IT to carry out research of Pubs Code users

The PCA has procured a user research team to talk to tied tenants and the wider industry about the most effective ways to communicate Pubs Code rights

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What is it about?

We are carrying out this research project to understand how to reach and communicate effectively with the full range of tied tenants covered by the Pubs Code. This includes ensuring they are fully aware of their Pubs Code rights and how to exercise them.

The PCA is looking to improve tenant communication and Code awareness. The findings from the research will address this by gathering a full range of facts and opinions from throughout the sector, especially from tied tenants of the pub-owning businesses (POBs).

Hive IT will be talking directly to tied tenants, tenant representative groups and relevant trade bodies. The research will inform an evidence-based plan and recommendations report which will be made public at the end of this project, with all information anonymised.

Why are we doing it?

As part of the PCA wider awareness and transparency strategy, this project will be crucial to develop a thorough understanding of the breadth of tenants and the barriers to information sharing that currently exist. It is about understanding the most effective ways to interact with users and where there is potential for improved communication.

Timings

The user research project will restart on the 24 August and run until 02 October.  

Restarting the research at this time has been informed by some initial engagement, conducted by Hive IT, through a screener survey and contact with stakeholder groups.

How to get involved

There is an initial survey, available here, which will run before the research begins to allow anyone who is interested in helping with our research to get involved, give us a bit of information about themselves and when is the best time to contact them. Hive IT will start some of their research with those who respond to the survey but will also separately reach out to other tied tenants to make sure we have a comprehensive understanding of the tied industry’s needs.

Who is Hive IT?

Hive IT is an independent and impartial design and research agency, with extensive experience carrying out discovery projects. At the end of this project they will produce an evidence-based report with recommendations, including detailed information on how to address the needs of all users.

Discovery projects are research projects, designed to understand the problem to be solved, the actions needed to solve it, and the users of any service to address it, what they’re trying to achieve and their needs. They do this by talking to those users, and those who interact with them, using structured interviews, surveys and workshops.

You can find out more about them at www.hiveit.co.uk

Project mission statement

“By completing this research, the PCA will understand what’s important for the full range of tied tenants in their relationships with their pub company. This will provide an evidence-based plan to provide clarity on what the Pubs Code can do for them and give confidence in how the PCA can promote, ensure compliance with and enforce the Code.”

Updates to this page

Published 7 July 2020
Last updated 5 August 2020 + show all updates
  1. Update to timings

  2. First published.