Question Author
Thanks again. Sorry to be a pain but surely the fact that they MUST buy through the pubco means that they are 'tied' to that pubco and therefore they are not a 'Free House'? Also, Enterprise, amongst others, will not deal with smaller brewers which does limit thier tenants' range. I do agree that in a situation where those tenants take a free of tie lease they would qualify as a Free House.
My reason for asking the initial question is that it annoys me that I can go into a pub displaying a sign saying Free House outside but I go in to find the same range of 'national' beers because the licencee is not allowed to buy from the local brewery and it seems to me that it might be contrary to trading standards legislation to state that that pub was a Free House. ie. What is the true definition - or do I mean legal definition?