RUNNING your own pub is a pipe dream for many people, but it can become a reality with the launch of a new web-based vacancy service.

The Punch Pub company, one of the UK's largest operators with more than 4,000 outlets, has put together a step-by-step introduction to signing up for a leased or tenanted pub.

Available at www.punchpubs.co.uk, it gives potential landlords all the information they need to decide if a career behind the bar is right for them.

Dozens of Lancashire pubs are currently on the market.

These include the Marsden Cross, New Inn and Prince of Wales in Nelson; The Swan with Two Necks and the Waggon and Horses in Chorley; the Royal Butterfly in Burnley; the Railway at Adlington; the Queens at Bamber Bridge; and the Wrights Arms at Egerton.

Stephen Gould, director of recruitment and training at the Punch Pub Company, said the guide took the mystery out of entering the licensed trade.

"The pub industry can be very confusing for a newcomer, so we decided to set out, in plain English, the different avenues available," he said. "This involved explaining the difference between becoming a pub manager and taking a freehold or signing up for a lease or a tenancy. For those people interested in a lease or a tenancy, which is what we as a company offer, the website then goes through every step of the application process."

The guide explains what is required in terms of capital and experience to run a pub and what a potential licensee can expect prior to starting trading and during the first six months in business.

Other support is available in areas such as business and financial planning, help from a business development manager along with a service standards charter which Punch commits to deliver for its licensees.

The site enable people to apply for one of the hundreds of pubs featured online and to receive e-mail and text message updates of new vacancies as they become available.

"We wanted to make all the information a potential pub licensee could need available at their fingertips from a single source," said Stephen.

"People no longer want to spend hours at open days being exposed to what they feel is a hard sell - they much prefer to look online and take their time in considering any information.

"Our website makes this possible and allows us to constantly update the information on the site giving the most current and relevant news to people looking for a career in the pub industry."