Health & Safety
The health and safety of our team members, guests and the general public is treated with the utmost importance. Audit performance, compliance and accident rates for all areas of the business are routinely reviewed by the Executive Committee and the Board. Some key features of our health and safety management system are set out below.
Auditing
An extensive system of auditing is deployed in our pubs and offices in order to measure safety performance and identify areas for continual improvement. We have expert safety advisors to assist the audit process, monitor legal compliance, develop safe working practices and provide training to our pubs.
Our pubs are subject to a bi-annual external audit of their food hygiene and health and safety standards, the results of which feed into the evaluation our pub manager’s performance.
Monitoring and recording
We operate sophisticated electronic systems for incident recording, accident analysis, auditing and self-assessment in order to better understand the nature of accidents and incidents and to take the necessary action to prevent them recurring. We constantly monitor enforcement officer visits to ensure that we pick up on any trends and make improvements across the business where possible. In particular, we track the Food Hygiene Ratings awarded to our pubs by Environmental Health Officers at routine food safety inspections and these results feed into our manager’s appraisal process.
Each month the Executive Committee considers a report of the Company’s safety performance and each year, the Company’s record on health and safety is presented to the Board by the Head of Health & Safety.
Training and design
The safe operation of our pubs depends upon safety training, documented safety instructions, safe design and engineering and routine monitoring and self-assessment. All new team members are trained from the outset to ensure a high degree of awareness of safety is sustained.
The operators of our tenanted, leased and franchise pubs are themselves primarily responsible for health and safety with their pubs. However, Marston’s provides documentation and training on health and safety to support them in carrying out these responsibilities effectively.
Food Safety
Food safety is fundamental to how we operate our pubs and serve our guests. Our Food Safety Manual sets out the standards, controls and procedures that apply across our estate, helping ensure food is sourced, prepared and served safely and consistently.
The manual is underpinned by our Primary Authority partnerships with local authorities and is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains aligned with current legislation, regulatory expectations and recognised best practice. It provides clear guidance for pub teams on critical food safety controls, personal hygiene, temperature management, cleaning, pest control, record keeping and responding to inspections.
Food safety performance is supported by structured training, documented due diligence systems and routine monitoring. Compliance is overseen by our Safety and Food Technical teams, with performance reviewed regularly at senior management and Board level.
Allergen Management
We want everyone to feel confident and safe when eating and drinking in our pubs. Our Allergen Strategy sets out a comprehensive approach to managing food allergies, designed to reduce risk, support our teams and build trust with guests.
Allergen safety is considered from the very start of menu development. Ingredients are sourced from approved suppliers, with detailed allergen information verified by our Technical team before recipes are created. This information is then built into our menus and systems, ensuring clear, accurate allergen declarations are available to both guests and pub teams.
Our approach is supported by robust training, clear communication at every stage of the guest journey, and ongoing review to continuously improve allergen awareness and practices across the business. Together, these safeguards help create a more inclusive dining experience while maintaining the highest standards of care.
Marston’s initial work (meeting our obligations as a landlord)
The Initial Work policy operates in our Franchise, Retail, tenanted and Leased pubs. Initial Work is intended to ensure that our pubs are legally compliant on commencement of a new agreement, that the pub is wind and water tight and that the living areas provide suitable accommodation. This process ensures that we are fully compliant with the Pubs Code 2016.