Welcome to the comprehensive guide on navigating the Applicant Channel with Stonegate Pub Partners. This guide will assist you through the Applicant Channel and support you with the application steps, including scheduling your induction, comprehending the provided materials, offers valuable advice and highlights the advantages of partnering with Stonegate.

You will have received an e-mail with a link to the Applicant Channel – a dedicated platform where you can submit all required personal details, gain comprehensive insights into the pub opportunity, present your business plans, review agreement documents, and monitor the progress of your application.

Below is a video on logging into the applicant channel

Upon your initial visit to the Applicant Channel, you will be prompted to activate your account by creating a password. We encourage you to activate your account promptly so that we may advance your application together.

Please be aware that the application process is optimized for completion on a desktop or tablet device and is not suited for mobile phones.

A complete step by step guide to using the applicant channel can be viewed here and below you can watch a video on navigating the Applicant Channel

First Steps

Once you've logged into the Applicant Channel the first thing to do is to check your details are correct and consent to a credit check. If you have lived at your address for less than 3 years you will need to provide your previous address.

Once this has been completed you will need to upload some key documents.

Top Tip: Before uploading make sure all the documents are saved as a PDF, JPEG, PNG or JPG

1. Personal Licence

   To take a tenancy or lease with Stonegate Pub Partners, at least one person on the agreement will need to hold a personal licence. This allows you to sell alcohol and authorise the sale of alcohol under the authority of the premises licence. If you don’t have your Personal Licence please click here for further information on how to apply Personal Licence Application Online | Get Licensed UK (get-licensed.co.uk)

2. Personal ID

   A passport is recommended as photo ID. If you don't have a passport, a driving licence or Photo ID card is acceptable

3. Right to work

   If you would like more advice on this please visit Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

4. PEAT (Pre-Entry Awareness Training)

   If you don’t currently have your PEAT certificate you can find out more information here PEAT (bii.org)

5. Proof of Funds

   A bank statement or a screenshot of your bank account showing cleared funds

6. Publican Induction Confirmation

   You can book your space on the induction by completing this form Publican Induction Booking Form

A guide on all the applicant tasks can be viewed below

Publican Induction

As part of our Stonegate onboarding experience we ask that you attend our (2 day) induction which will help you ensure you are set up for success and can make the most of the support Stonegate can offer.

The workshop is designed to support you and your new pub by providing the skills and knowledge for a long term, profitable business. During the workshop you will be introduced to best practices in marketing, social media, recruitment and cellar management to name a few.

You can find more information about the workshop here

You will also have received an e-mail confirming your complimentary membership with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII). The BII is a rich source of independent information for prospective publicans on all aspects of running a tied pub. You will receive contact from a BII representative inviting you to take up this membership to assist you in the application process.

For more information visit here Accredited Advisors (bii.org)

Pub Information Documents

As part of the recruitment process, you will need to make sure you have read and understood a number of important documents before completing your business plan.

Please watch this video which will walk you through each of those documents and explain what they are.

Sustainable Business Plan Preparation

Once you have read and understood all the documents you will need to acknowledge all the information you’ve received by ticking each of the statements. All of these documents should be considered when completing you business plan.

A guide for preparing a sustainable business plan can be found here

It is important to ensure you are fully aware of the legal and financial obligations when entering into a tied agreement with us. We advise that you consider taking independent professional advice such as legal and financial from qualified advisors, to ensure you are making the right choice when choosing to operate one of our pubs.

As a member of the BII you will have access to a network of independent accredited advisors which you can find here Accredited Advisors (bii.org)

As part of the recruitment process you will need to add the details of your appointed accountant. They will receive an e-mail with a link to the Applicant Channel so that they can view your application and can also upload your business plan. We recommend that your accountant is accredited by the BII.

For guidance on submitting your Business Plan please watch the video below

Final Interview

Once your business plan is uploaded it will be reviewed by the regional Manager. If your business plan is approved the next stage is a final interview with the Operations Manager or Operations Director.

The Regional Manager will confirm the final interview with you, you will also receive a confirmation e-mail confirming the date, time and location. The Operations Manager or Operations Director will Confirm the outcome of the Final Interview and you will also receive a confirmation e-mail.

Heads Of Terms

If you are successful at the final interview the Heads of Terms will become available to view in both the "Documents" and "Contract" sections. Your Regional Manager will contact you to talk you through the Heads of Terms and it is important that you discuss with your Regional Manager before signing.

DocuSign

The Heads of Terms is sent to you via DocuSign e-mail, when you receive it click on the link and follow the prompts to sign. You can download a copy of the document and set up a DocuSign account. When the document had been sent to all applicants for signing it will show as "out for signature". Once everyone has signed it will change to "signed".

Provisional Completion Statement & Deposit

At Heads of Terms stage the provisional completion statement is also available to review and can be found in the "document" section. This confirms the deposit you are required to pay and your account number for the payment reference.

One of our credit team will contact you to arrange payment of the deposit. If you have any questions regarding the pre-completion statement please ask your Regional Manager or the Credit Team.

Customer Contact Call & First Order

Its at this point that the contact centre will arrange a call with you to check that you are able to place your first order on Trade on Tap (our online ordering platform). They will also check that you are confident in using Stonegate Support, Pub Hub & My Pub and will direct you to where you can find some short help videos and guides.

Pub Hub

You now have access to Pub Hub through the applicant channel which is our one stop shop for information and advice on how to run a successful business. You can find lots of information and ideas on how to:

• Grow Sales

• Reduce costs

• Ensure you are operating your business safely and legally

• Make the most of the support Stonegate offers

Through the Pub Hub you can access Trade on Tap (our online ordering platform) and Stonegate Support (our support platform for any questions and queries)

Contract Stage - Statutory Declaration & Notice

Once the Heads of Terms are signed these will be available to view and print in the "Contract" and "Documents" sections. This statutory declaration cannot be signed by DocuSign therefore will be posted to you. Each applicant must sign and be witnessed (by a solicitor). Please take a photo of the signed document and text or e-mail it to your Regional Manager.

Please keep the hard copy safe and either post it to our office or give it to your Regional Manager.

The Agreement and any additional letters are available to view and print in the "Contract" and "Documents" section and will be sent to all applicants and if a Limited Company Guarantors via DocuSign, witnesses also sign via DocuSign but must be in the same location.

The Big Day!

Change Over Day as we call it at Stonegate!

In addition to ensuring you are set up for success your Regional Manager will support you with the following:

Change Over Signatures

• Pub Safe

  This document is signed via DocuSign. A copy of Pub Safe is also available in the documents section

• Fixtures & Fittings Rental or Conditional Sale Agreement (CSA)

  This document is signed vis DocuSign

• Change of Designated Premises Supervisor

  The Regional Manager will complete the form with you if required

• Alarm Checks

  Your Regional Manager will check all alarms are working correctly

• Utilities

  The Regional Manager will log the readings for gas, electricity and water

• Statutory Declarations

  Your Regional Manager will take the original signed copies of these from you