South East pubs face development threat

Pubs in the South East are under threat says a new report from Tourism South East (TSE).

The tourism body, which represents an area of 19,000 sq km, says that many pubs are in danger of closing because the value of residential property is tempting pub companies and licensees to sell up and release buildings and land for housing.

It argues that pubs are not simply in the business of selling beer but are a "vital community resource and a key tourism asset with enormous potential".

Part of the problem according to the report is the fact that pubs with accommodation are facing strong competition from hotels.

Paul Jeffries, TSE's development manager, said: "Traditional pub accommodation is fragmented with huge variations in quality and price. There is a lack of consumer awareness on how to find out about accommodation in a good pub.

"Even some of the large pub companies sometimes fail to give this sector sufficient marketing resource."

TSE says pubs are facing a number of property obstacles to develop their pub and add or refurbish accommodation. The report says that there are problems related to listed pub buildings ranging from the costs of upkeep to planning constraints. This means developing and making the most of pub accommodation is hard for licensees.

The survey reveals that 70 per cent of the region's top performing pubs by yield are located in rural areas "indicating that, with the right product, management and location, rural pubs can be very successful".