Neill's vow on community pub ownership

The upcoming Localism Bill will "make good Christmas reading" for those who want to save pubs by making it easier for communities to take them on.

That was the message from community pubs minister Bob Neill during the debate on the Future of Pubs in Parliament today.

He promised that Bill would be introduced "very shortly", saying it "will make good Christmas reading I hope for those who have those concerns".

"We do want to provide community organisations with a fairer chance to take over community assets that are available to them. The could and would include the local pub, where appropriate."

He said no details are available "but I assure the issue of community right to acquire something we have taken on board."

Neill also highlighted the "very bureaucratic" planning systems and said the Bill would be "precisely the opportunity and vehicle to deal with that."

"We are determined to give local communities greater powers in the Localism Bill to share our visions in planning terms," he added.

Elsewhere, the minister rejected calls to look again at the smoking ban, saying: "There are other issues where we can make more progress more swiftly and more successfully."

He said restrictive covenants on pubs sales is an issue "worthy of greater investigation".

On the beer tie, he reiterated previous commitments that the Government would follow the advice of the Business, Innovation & Skills Committee and will act if pubcos don't reform by the June 2011 deadline.

Neill said the Government was "committed" to ban below cost alcohol sales, despite the measure being excluded from the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill.

"We are working at the moment with retailers and other interested bodies and hope to make a formal announcement on that shortly."

This afternoon's debate, which lasted more than two and a half hours, saw MPs highlight a range of factors that are causing pubs to struggle.

The beer tie was one hot topic. Conservative Karen Bradley, who represents Staffordshire Moorlands, said her family was charged £369 for a 36-gallon of Carling when their pub was tied, and could get it for £227 in the free trade.

"Imagine any other industry where we allow such a blatant disregard of trade trade pricing," she said.

Bradley said tenants were being "squeezed twice" by high rents and steep beer prices.

Greg Mulholland, who called the debate, called for an end to the "scandal" of the "anti-free market" and "anti-community" pubs being sold with restrictive covenants.

But Andrew Griffiths, who represents Punch's home constituency of Burton, spoke up for the pubco model, saying "many people benefit greatly by being an employees or a tenant of a pub company" by the low cost of entry for taking on a pub.

He said the "elephant in the room" is supermarkets, given that 70% of alcohol is sold in the off-trade, which has given rise to pre-loading.

"I think this is the heart of the matter and what we really need to address if we are going to offer some real support for the pub trade.

Other issues highlighted included licensing red tape, particulary around live music, and the smoking ban - with calls for partial exemptions.