A MAJOR roadshow to help brewers, pub tenants and others in the industry to understand coming changes is heading to the region.

The Volunteer Arms in Holgate, York, will host the north-eastern leg of a national tour, aimed at helping those in the industry to adapt when reforms come into effect next summer.

Last November, Parliament backed the introduction of a new code and the appointment of an adjudicator, to regulate the relationship between the large companies that own thousands of Britain's pubs, and their tenants who run the pubs day-to-day.

The changes give tenants a legal right to opt-out of the "beer tie", a long-standing and highly controversial system that has allowed the companies owning the pubs to force tenants to buy their beer through them alone.

A new "market-rent only" option would allow tenants to still pay rent to the parent company but to buy beer from brewers directly - which supporters say would reduce their costs and enhance their businesses prospects.

The Pubs Advisory Service is representing tenants through the drafting of the code and is holding five roadshow events nationwide, in Exeter, Leicester, Liverpool, London and York.

The meeting at the Volunteer Arms is on June 8, from 10.30am for an 11am start.

Tickets are £5 each and can be bought at http://pubs.expert/mro-and-the-future-of-pubs.html