Cameron pledges help to save sole village pubs

The new Government plans to introduce powers to give communities the right to buy the last pub in the village, David Cameron has said.

In a speech yesterday confirming some of the central tenets of the coalition agreement, the Prime Minister said: "We will be passing a law to have a community right to buy — so if communities want to come together to save the last pub, the last post office or to take over that bit of derelict land or derelict building and enable social action that way."

The coalition has agreed on some of the principles set out in the Tories "Big Society plan" which focuses on "driving power" back to local authorities and community groups.

The speech also emphasised that there would be extra "support for co-ops, mutuals, charities and social enterprises".

The policies, which will be included in next week's Queen's Speech, will give communities a greater say over their local planning system and allow residents to appeal decisions — which could affect pubs.

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said: "We need radical change that puts power back in the hands of people. Only by bringing down vested interests and giving people real control over their lives will we build a Britain that is fair."