The pub has been a cornerstone of communities in England for many years. Soap operas, such as the long running Coronation Street, have revolved around the pub.
Pubs have tracked and illustrated the socioeconomic evolution of England. In more recent times, with the advent of other forms of entertainment, access to cheap alcohol in supermarkets and monoformat pubs not to everyone’s taste, the popularity of pubs has reduced.
The economic difficulties have also taken their toll.
In England, pub closures are now running at 39 a week, down on the 52 pubs a week closing in the first half 2009.
At the end of 2009, a total of 2,365 pubs were closed, with 24,000 jobs lost in sector.
The situation has got so bad that the Government has appointed a Pubs Minister. This Minister has announced a 12 point action plan to give practical support to community pubs backed by a £4 million funding package.
Part of this plan is to provide businesses with support and to help communities to buy into pubs to keep them running.
Interestingly, there will be support for a three year pilot program of up to 50 community owned pubs. This program will provide direct support to local communities, enabling them to keep the local pub open.
Licensing requirements for music are to be reviewed, along with the power for councils to intervene through the planning system before a pub is demolished – ultimately giving the community a say.
Research has illustrated that pubs with restaurants or those that serve food have not suffered as much as those just serving alcohol.
It is a fact that a closed pub in many locations has had a value greater if planning consent could be gained to convert the building and its car park into housing.
This has particularly been the case in rural locations, where traditionally pubs have been located at the centre of a village.
It is also proposed that the planning system will be changed to allow pubs to branch out into other areas of activity.
Indeed, initiatives by entrepreneurial landlords have already seen pubs taking on the role of village shops and post offices.
The approach being adopted is that the ‘Pub is the Hub’ for communities.
Central Government is supporting proposals for councils in the Sustainable Communities Act that will stop large pub and retail companies from imposing restrictive covenants that prevent the property continuing as a pub when it is sold. It is also reviewing the ‘beer ties’ that exist to restrict the beer and so forth that can be sold in pubs.
Clearly pubs are closing because they are not attracting sufficient paying customers. Cutting red tape to enable pubs to reduce costs, widen their service portfolio and improve the attractiveness of the offer, along with giving the community the opportunity to get involved in this process, will hopefully pay dividends.
Councils are the cornerstones of their communities. Perhaps there are parallels for councils? But does the slogan ‘Council is the Hub’ sound as good?
*Malcolm Morley is Chief Executive of Harlow District Council and can be contacted via the Editor, email info@lgfocus.com.au The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of his employer.
