Campaign to encourage rural pubs to diversify given boost

A campaign to encourage rural licensees to diversify and offer services such as a post office or newsagents alongside food and drink is proving a success.

The Pub is the Hub report, published last month by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and supported by HRH the Prince of Wales, discovered that rural pubs were closing at the rate of six each week.

But it also found that the best way to make sure pubs survive is for them to provide other essential services.

The BBPA said last week that many licensees and pub companies were already taking the initiative and finding out more about how to expand their businesses.

Spokesman Mark Hastings said: "We've already had a number of requests from licensees and pub companies wanting to find out more."

The Pub is the Hub report includes ideas for "best practice", for example selling newspapers and stamps, renting videos, cashing pensions or letting pub rooms for religious services or other similar events.

In his foreword to the report, the Prince of Wales said: "Rural communities are facing unprecedented challenges. Now they must draw on their resourcefulness and resilience to meet changing circumstance and find new ways to help themselves."

Traditional pubs have suffered from young drinkers' preference for large, town-centre outlets as well as greater concern over drink-drive laws.

Related stories:​

To survive high closure rate rural pubs must diversify, says report (18 December 2001)

New initiative enables residents to collect parcels from local pubs (18 December 2001)