West London sites, such as the White Horse in Longford and the Five Bells in Harmondsworth, both near West Drayton, are likely to face closure to create space for the new runway.
A public consultation will now be held to discuss the plans before the Government makes a final decision at the end of 2017-2018. The new runway, however, is unlikely to be built before 2020 or 2021.
The news has received a mixed reaction from operators in the area. Christine Frangleton, manager at the Five Bells, said: “It’s horrific, everyone in the village knows the devastation this decision is going to create if it goes ahead.
“We’ve got another long wait to find out the end result,” she added.
‘Breath of Fresh Air’
However other operators were less concerned. Cliff Hare, general manager at the White Horse said: “I think it’s fantastic.”
While the new runway could spell the end of his pub, Hare has welcomed the decision as he said the years of uncertainty surrounding the controversial airport expansion had damaged his business.
“At the end of the day, it’s a bit of fresh air at the end of a long journey. It’s about time they made a decision, it’s been too long,” he added.
Hare, who has been in the While Horse since 1987, said the dynamics of his business had changed over the past few years, with the loss of its lunchtime trade when Terminal 5 was being built.
Hare said: “I can relocate somewhere else and buy a pub in a different area. It would give us all a new start. We’ve been putting up with indecisions for the last 15 years.”
Step in the right direction
Meanwhile Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, “welcomed” the Government’s endorsement for the building of a third runway at Heathrow.
She said: “British beer and pubs are right at the heart of our national tourism offer, which stands to benefit from the additional capacity promised in the announcement today.
“British beer is world-renowned for tradition and quality, and visiting a pub is third on the list of things to do when tourists come to the UK, with seven out of 10 overseas visitors coming to a pub while they are here.
She added: “More capacity means more opportunity for tourists to visit Britain, and this decision represents a great chance for our pubs to benefit economically from this announcement.”