Pub closures threaten local communities

By debbigg | Thursday, January 26, 2012, 21:08

Pub closures are threatening local communities, especially in suburbia, St Albans-based CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) revealed earlier this week.

Pubs have an important role within local communities but they are closing at a rate of 16 per week and half of these are in the suburbs.

CAMRA report that 16 pubs are closing every week and of these eight are in the suburbs, two are rural and two are high street establishments. In the past two years, they say 1,078 pubs have closed in suburban locations, as a result of the increased taxes on beer, low-priced supermarket deals, and disposable incomes being tight.

Here in St Albans, we've lost a couple of city centre bars in the last year, Barneys and Harry Smiths off the top of my head. I wonder whether that seeing these are bars rather than traditional pubs they would count within CAMRA stats or whether that makes the overall picture even bleaker? The Great Northern next to the old cinema on London Road is currently closed but hopefully a new leaseholder will see the future potential of this stretch of road and it'll breathe new life. And recently the owner of the Black Lion received planning permission to turn the old inn back in to three homes. But what about the communities these pubs and bars have served, what happens to them?

Our historic pub culture is something that CAMRA want to see the government protect and this is further backed-up with a new report by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) into the social value of community pubs.

CAMRA Chief Executive, Mike Benner said: "While high street city centre venues are showing a degree of resistance in the current climate, both suburban and rural areas are under threat as wholesale pub closures deprive more local people of a community centre. Pubs are vital for social cohesion and cultural integration, and therefore the Government must act swiftly to repair the damage inflicted upon local communities by offering genuine support for enterprising and hard working licensees."

CAMRA is calling for business rate relief for pubs acting as 'centres of a community', reform of planning laws, which prevent pubs from being demolished without the need for planning permission, and encouraging greater flexibility from the big pub companies.

What's your view on this story? Have you got a local in St Albans or one of the outlying villages? How is it faring in these tough times? What would the impact of its closure have on you? Please let us know what you think below.