Hundreds of pubs doomed to closure could be rescued under Government proposals to help to fund “community buyouts”, promote local beers and cut planning red tape.
Ministers will announce today that they will match money raised by residents to buy the freeholds of ailing pubs and provide business support to help to set up post offices, shops and restaurants in the same premises. The move follows growing concern that almost 40 pubs are closing every week, costing the economy millions of pounds and thousands of jobs. Last year 2,365 pubs were forced to close, resulting in 24,000 job losses.
While I can see the merits in the scheme for villages or small towns that have only one pub, I would not be chuffed if I owned a pub and I had managed to see off my local competition to find it was re-opened with the aid of public money!
Mind you, I wouldn't raise my hopes too high. Labour seem to be bringing out one policy per day at the moment. Already flagged and kicked into the the long grass this week were the PET IN SURANCE SCHEME and the SEPERATE SLOPS BUCKET! It's amazing how quickly you can come up with policy despite being in power for 13 years when there is an election to CONCENTRATE YOUR MIND!
