Councils consider giving cash to community pubs

Vital cash grants could be on the way from local authorities to help struggling rural and community pubs diversify into new income streams.

Rural regeneration group Pub is the Hub has revealed that nine county councils have agreed to consider funding requests from licensees who want to open shops, post offices or set up other services.

Hub director John Long-den said councils were at last realising the threats posed to the future of thousands of pubs, which need to diversify in order to stay in business. "The dreadful plight of the pub industry is now hitting home and councils are beginning to appreciate licensees need help.

"The realisation that pubs are increasingly the last remaining service in their community has struck a chord with them," he said.

Longden said the nine authorities had all agreed to consider rural services grant requests from pubs and other businesses for capital funding. The vast bulk of the approved grants would be for match-funded schemes where a council or other grant provider contributes 50% of the cost with the licensee or pub operator paying the other half.

"Local authorities we have spoken to all recognise the importance and value in maintaining community services and they recognise pubs are often the last commercial business in a village," Longden explained. He said councils also recognised that a multi-purpose community pub ensured local supply was maintained via farmers and other rural businesses.

It also means a significant reduction in local carbon footprint if residents are not forced to drive miles to visit shops and other services.

The nine authorities which have opened a dialogue with Pub is the Hub are in Yorkshire, Suffolk, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Denbighshire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Devon and Cornwall.