Pub Saviours

3rd March 2010, 12:03pm

Locals in communities across the country are joining together and investing in cash shares in a desperate bid to save British pubs, closing at an alarming rate of 39 a week. Les Leonard investigates this business-saving route of co-operatives.

The great British pub, the envy of visitors from around the world who love sitting in the warm surroundings of a traditional beamed lounge bar and being served appetising food and unique real ales and wines, is under serious threat.  But one group of saviours – Cooperatives UK - feels it has one answer to the problem and has compiled detailed plans showing how groups of community regulars at their village or town inn can club together and prevent closures.

It may be a small measure in the overall depressing market of failing businesses but at least there will be a batch of hostelries run by community peers that will be open for the next generation of pub-goers.

The Co-operative's Ed Mayo calling for action with a campaign Calling Time on Pub Closures said: "Communities countrywide have been getting together to stop the closure of local shops and now is the time to turn their attention and energies to providing a lifeline to pubs.

"We want these priceless jewels in our heritage bought as community assets and run by co-operatives. The campaign illustrates the strength of our model enabling communities to get involved and do even more for the area in which they live.

"Community ownership is the only way of saving or re-introducing a service or amenity. But while shops being saved are reaching new highs, thanks to government support, the same is not happening for pubs with only a few on the co-operative route.

"Village shops can draw on advice, support, grants and loans through the well-regarded Plunkett Foundation, but there is no direct equivalent for pubs, which is why we are spearheading our campaign." John Longden, of the Pub is the Hub, was founded with support from Prince Charles in 2001, since when it has given expert advice to some 28 pubs acquired by community cooperatives.  He says such ventures are gaining support from a number of national and regional pub companies.

"This is a new departure in the co-operative process where we have a good rapport with a number of pubcos such as Enterprise and Punch who will lease their houses to community groups where we are giving our backing by sitting in with them and carrying out negotiations.  "So people have woken up to the fact that pubs, particularly in rural areas, are the heart and sole of the community."

"But I should stress that the pub business model is not an easy one to operate. Community groups may have a somewhat romantic view of running a pub but there are a really high number of businesses that are closing and there is a reason why they are failing. Unless operators have 60% of their turnover in food sales they are going to find it really difficult.

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