University of York academic to investigate the role of village pubs in the community

Dr Ignazio Cabras from the York Management School will look at the importance of the village pub as a place to meet and talk, and will analyse the impact of pubs on the level of socio-economic activity generated in rural parishes.

The 14-month £7,700 study will also investigate and test the relationship between rural pubs and factors such as individuals’ health, wellbeing and crime rates in local communities.
Dr Cabras, a lecturer in Economics, Business and Management, has been researching community cohesion and village pubs for the past five years.
He said: “In rural England, pubs are often the nodes and centres of the local social network and perform important social, economic and community functions in maintaining village life. They play an important role in enhancing and stimulating socio-economic activities inside local communities, such as business activities, volunteering organisations and charities, and leisure services. These initiatives contribute to enhancing quality of life and wellbeing at a local level.
“Despite their important function, the number of village pubs has been constantly declining during the past decades. The loss of pubs for rural communities often means the disappearance of the only place for local people to meet and engage. It also results in the disappearance of social, economic and cultural benefits arising from initiatives that frequently have an origin in the village pubs, which work as a network tier for the entire area.”