Pub landlords in Shropshire could be given rent freezes or helped with their businesses in other ways to get them through the economic downturn.

Punch Taverns today said it was working closely with landlords to help them drive forward their trade as pubs nationally struggle through tough times.

The firm is also advertising for landlords for about 30 of its pubs in Shropshire.

Some of the pubs are closed and others are being promoted as the landlord will soon leave.

And rival pub firm Enterprise Inns, which owns some pubs in Shropshire, says it is also doing what it can to support its tenants, spending £1.4 million a month on rent reductions and discounts.

Pub businesses nationally have been heavily criticised in the past for high rents and there have been major concerns about the future of the industry.

A spokeswoman for Punch Taverns said: “Punch Taverns is genuinely passionate about its pubs.

“It is not in our interests to see our businesses fail; the success of our business depends on the success of all of our pub businesses and we work incredibly hard to ensure that, in partnership, we secure the future of our pubs.

“All rents are based on a Fair Maintainable Trade which is estimated on the turnover an ‘average’ licensee could generate in a particular outlet and this is agreed with the licensee before any agreement is signed.

“We will always work closely with our licensees and look at ways of helping them drive trade. In these challenging times this may be in the form of a financial concession or we may look to help them find other ways of improving their business, developing their retail proposition and financial stability.”

A spokeswoman for Enterprise Inns said the company “continues to work closely with licensees, not only to help them to develop new business opportunities but also to offer financial support where appropriate”.

“Enterprise is currently spending about £1.4 million per month supporting individual licensees with rent reductions and special discounts,” she added.

By John Kirk