Public Houses: Closures

(asked on 6th March 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to safeguard pubs from developers who seek to close profit-making pubs against the wishes of their owners, occupiers or tenants of the local community; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Andrew Percy Portrait
Andrew Percy
This question was answered on 14th March 2017

The Government understands the value which communities place upon their pubs and that is why we have taken steps to support pubs directly in last week’s Budget and through other measures we have introduced which support the community ownership of pubs.

In recognition of the valuable role that pubs play in our community, the Government announced a new relief scheme for pubs that have a rateable value of below £100,000. Under the scheme, eligible pubs will receive a £1000 discount on rate bills. We have also introduced a £300 million fund for councils to give discretionary relief to target individual hardship cases in their area.

In 2013 we introduced the community right to bid scheme which ensures that no pub listed as an asset of community value can be sold without the community being informed, and be given a period of up to 6 months to buy the pub. Furthermore, in April 2015 we strengthened the position of pubs listed or nominated as assets of community value by requiring planning permission prior to any change of use or demolition. There are now 2,000 pubs across England listed as assets of community value.

We are also working in collaboration with Power to Change and the Plunkett Foundation through the ‘More than a Pub Community Pub Business Support Programme’ to provide a comprehensive package of support totalling £3.62 million to help establish 80 community owned pubs across England. The Government also continues to support the ‘Pub is The Hub’ initiative which helps pubs to diversify their offer to communities ensuring their long term sustainability as viable community hubs.

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