So, the government is apparently going to call time on the number of pubs closing down in our villages, towns and cities.
The government, via the wonderfully titled pubs minister (somehow I don’t think he spends his time on one long pub crawl), John Healey MP, has produced an action plan to help community pubs. At the moment around 40 pubs are closing every week, which results in job losses, millions of pounds lost to the economy and the focal points of communities being ripped out.
Principal councils will now be given new powers through the planning system to intervene before a pub is demolished. This measure aims to create a ‘pause in the system’ for the local community to have their say on any proposed demolition. Restrictions preventing premises continuing as pubs once they have been sold will be also banned.
And planning laws will allow pubs to branch out the business without planning permission into new commercial ventures. This could see pubs operate gift shops and books shops, without the additional expense and time of seeking council approval.
Landlords will be able to access specialist, tailored business advice through Pub is the Hub, www.pubisthehub.org, currently a voluntary support service for community pubs.
Local (parish and town) councils up and down the country are striving hard to save pubs and possibly turn them into multi-use centres. These councils can now use the power of well-being to save pubs as community centres in a local area.
The White Horse Pub in Hitcham, Suffolk, was a dilapidated pub, which, through the support of the local parish council, local principal authority and Pub is the Hub, turned it into a highly-regarded food-led business.
The Dykes End pub in Reach, Cambridegshire, is now a community-owned one. The pub was known as The Kings, which was the last remaining amenity in this small village. It fell into hard times and then the owner applied for a change of use to residential. A local action group, assisted by the local parish council, fought this very hard and won its battle; with East Cambridgeshrie District Council saying the move contravened its local plans. The local action group changed themselves into a company and bought the pub for community gain. So a considerable number of villagers are now shareholders in the pub.
The village of Stratton in Bude, Cornwall, lost its post office in 2006. However, local owners of the Tree Inn pub saw an opportunity for multi-use of the pub if they were able to extend. So Stratton Parish Council and Pub is the Hub, along with the planning authority and South West Regional Development Agency got together to assist their proposals of a multi-use centre for the village. The pub now runs post office services, free broadband internet services, catering and accommodation businesses.
Not everyone is happy with the government’s proposals. The Tory Party has attacked Labour for allowing supermarkets to continue to ‘engage’ in loss leading on alcohol, leaving pubs less competitive.
Caroline Spelman MP, shadow Communities and Local Government minister, said: “Under Labour there has been a surge in alcohol-fuelled violence in our high streets, while local community pubs go to the wall. Conservatives will stand up for local community pubs and give residents new rights to protect them, while giving police and councils strong powers to tackle the binge drinking violence that ruins our towns at night.”
But aside from this political squabbling between the two main parties, it is important to note that given the power and influence, local people can really make difference to improve lives and well being of communities.