Pubcos and councils criticised over pub closures

Pubcos and "uncaring" councils have come under fire in Parliament over accusations they are contributing to the rise in pub closures.

During the second meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub group today, outspoken Lib Dem MP Greg Mulholland said councils, pub companies and developers were all adding to the problem.

"There are some pubcos closing pubs who want to cash in on a site, and developers, and we are fighting against uncaring, unhelpful and all too often ignorant councils," he said.

Some councils are accepting arguments that a pub is still a viable business, he added, but others are not.

Mulholland also claimed some pub companies were using the "difficulties" around the trade - such as beer tax and the smoking ban - to sell pubs.

"People are using these facts as an excuse to close pubs, who are some of those who purportedly want to save pubs, which is an irony at the heart of the pub trade," Mulholland said.

However the British Beer & Pub Association, which represents pubcos, claims the majority of recent pub closures have not been pubco-owned outlets and tax hikes and "excessive regulation" are the cause of the problems.

Mulholland also called for a change in planning law, so a pub could not be changed into another business, such as a café. He also previously criticised pubcos for placing restrictive covenants on pubs they are selling, meaning it cannot be used as a pub in future.

Earlier at today's meeting Campaign for Real Ale representatives gave a handful of MPs some tips on helping to save pubs. This included getting locals to form an action group; getting the local press on-board and asking people to write to planners.

Jason Barlow and Sue Grocott of the Coachmakers Arms, in Hanley, Stoke, also explained the tactics in their on-going battle to save their pub from demolition - including developing a relationship with the local press and launching an on-line petition.

And Rachel Thomas, who is part of a group campaigning to save the Vulcan, in Cardiff, also said getting celebrity supporters on-board and raising money through a Star Trek-themed night had helped their cause.

For more information on trying to save an under-threat pub visit: http://www.camra.org.uk/