Watering Holes Drying Up

Figures published last month showed that local pubs are closing across the country at a rate of 16 per week and the Government is being urged to do something to halt this alarming trend.

MPs have called on the Government to give licensees better protection and reform practices such as the beer tie, under which large brewers can force tenants to buy all of their beer from the company that owns the pub.

And CAMRA is doing its bit to help by launching a new national pubs campaign, Community Pubs Month, in April, to champion local pubs which are at the heart of countless communities across Britain.

The aims of Community Pubs Month are to increase footfall in pubs, to encourage more publicans to promote new or existing events to attract further trade, and to spread awareness of community pubs throughout the media.

Hardest hit are suburban pubs, which have accounted for half of all closures n the last six months of 2011, although high street pubs seem to be faring better.

CAMRA chief executive Mike Benner said: "While high street city centre venues are showing a degree of resistance in the current climate, both suburban and rural areas are under threat as wholesale pub closures deprive more local people of a community centre.

He went on to urge the Government to help halt the demise of the public house, saying: "Pubs are vital for social cohesion and cultural integration, and therefore the government must act swiftly to repair the damage inflicted upon local communities by offering genuine support for enterprising and hard-working licensees."