BBPA: What's the impact of a Tory majority on pubs?

One feature of the Conservative manifesto was that, in comparison with other parties, it contained fewer policy proposals affecting our sector. But there are still measures to look out for. As part of reforms to the community asset register, there is a plan to create a pub loan fund to enable community groups to bid to run a pub. The manifesto also pledged to review the timetable on the community right to buy, strengthen the community right to bid, and extend the length of time communities have to purchase assets, requiring owners to set a ‘reserve’ price. 

We will engage with the review of the community right to bid legislation. We have always supported Pub is The Hub, which helps community groups to take on pubs. We must make sure pubs on the register really are community assets and locals who vote to put them on do use them.

There is to be a review of business rates, where we must make our campaigning voice heard. There will also be a focus on employment measures such as the living wage and apprenticeships.

One area that presents an opportunity is the pledge to cut a further £10bn of red tape, where we already have a range of proposals that will help brewers and pubs.

In government, people matter as well as policies. There will be continuity under George Osborne at the Treasury, so let’s hope it results in continuity, in terms of beer duty policy. We are hugely grateful for the 9% reduction we achieved in the last parliament, but compared with a 42% increase during the previous four years, there is more work to do.

The new business secretary, Sajid Javid, has been a great friend to our industry; so much so we gave him our Chairman’s Award in 2013. Now he has responsibility for secondary legislation, which affects pub companies, skills, support for small businesses and exports.

Within the Home Office there is little sign the election outcome will steer policy in a different direction while Theresa May remains Home Secretary but we will build new relationships with incoming minister Mike Penning. New Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport John Whittingdale has a very good track record in understanding and supporting tourism.

Of our ‘Beer Champions,’ the vast majority were re-elected. While we said goodbye to 11, we will looking to new champions to stand up for our sector.

Brigid Simmonds is chief executive of the BBPA​