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Keeping Local: How to save London's pubs as community resources

Intro

Steve O’Connell, London Assembly Member, is today launching a report ‘Keeping Local: How to save London’s pubs as community resources’. In it, he calls for London’s borough councils to adopt stringent criteria when considering the redevelopment or demolition of pubs, and a limit to the number of high street shops selling alcohol.

London has seen over 400 former pubs demolished between 2003-2012 – the South East has fared consistently badly with a net annual loss of more than 30 pubs on three occasions during this period. Lewisham has lost 36% of its pubs in the last decade.
 

“Good pubs are vital, vibrant centres for their communities. The social impact of the community minded pub impacts beyond its walls. It is a place where people can congregate safely as part of a community and can help rid our streets of anti-social drinking in public places, drunken violence and intimidation. As well as fostering a sense of community, the pub industry creates tens of thousands of local jobs and acts as ‘anchors’ drawing other businesses into the area.

“Unfortunately, a high number of these pubs are demolished or converted to other uses such as residential, retail, and professional services which radically alter community spaces and change the tone of the high street. Borough councils and pub managers should work together to make sure these community hubs continue to serve their local areas.”

 
 

Report

Read the Keeping Local Report Here

 

Mayor's Question Time

 

Press

Sunday Express – Pubs call on local heroes
Video: ITV London – Saving London's Pubs
Londonist – Saving London's Pubs
Sutton Guardian: Croydon and Sutton GLA member Steve O'Connell launches new report in pubs
Huffington Post: beer duty escalator
Daily Mail Online
Mayors Question Time Question: With Mayor support for Keeping Local
Standard: Pubs listed as community assets to protect them from developers
 

4 Comments to “Keeping Local: How to save London's pubs as community resources”

• March 12, 2013 at 13:35
  Saving London’s Pubs | Londonist says:

  [...] new report from London's Conservative Assembly Members looks at the state of the capital's pubs, and comes up with ideas for how to save [...]

  Reply
• March 12, 2013 at 16:28
  Kin_Free says:

  There is absolutely no doubt that the main cause of the decimation of the pub trade is the smoking ban! The evidence is clear and has been repeated in other countries too, (relative to the degree of coercive state control). Continuing to deny this will only increase the lack of trust in politicians.

  There may be other reasons too, such as the above-inflation tax escalator that was instituted in 2008, but these are only really small side issues, possibly even expressly intended to blur the reasons for the decline of our once envied pub sector caused by the smoking ban experiment in social control. Politicians do depend upon advisers but unfortunately these would seem to be almost exclusively ANTI-tobacco advisers who can only provide biased advice. Politicians have NOT been given the full facts about tobacco.

  It is still impressive that so many politicians and other people accept without question that 'everyone knows' the bad effects, yet very few know of any beneficial effects of smoking! (and there are many!)

  eg. http://www.sott.net/article/226999-Smoking-Helps-Protect-Against-Lung-Cancer

  Facts; Cancers are increasing DESPITE the reduction in smoking over a generation (why do you think other lifestyle choices such as eating processed meat, drinking alcohol etc. are now being cited as major causes for what used to be known as 'smoking related' illness?). 80% of new lung cancers in USA are now diagnosed in NON smokers (Dr Lynne Eldridge, 2012) and new lung cancers increased by over 30% in less than a decade to 2008! (ACS 2010): Countries with the LOWEST % of smokers invariably have the HIGHEST % of lung cancers, child asthma, Alzheimer's etc. (eg Burden of cancer in Asia 2008)

  The anti-smoker agenda has compromised genuine medical science so we need to use common sense to begin to understand what is happening with regard to our worsening public health. Smashing our hospitality industry to shreds has NOT improved health but it HAS caused unmeasured economic and social damage and the public know it, or strongly suspect it. Take courage, stop funding the tobacco CONTROL industry, NGO’s and lobby groups. Start doing what Cameron promised before the election to roll back the intrusive ‘nanny state’ and give back some individual liberties that were seized by labour, pandering to single issue activists. THEN, maybe you will see people begin to trust politicians again.

  Reply
• March 14, 2013 at 09:49
  Conan Sense says:

  A huge factor in the closure of pubs is the stupid ber escalator. I am late 30’s in a professional job like most of my circle of friends, in the past we thought nothing of going to the pub and have a round of drinks. Now with the price of a pint in the £4-5 pound bracket we have to cut back or think before starting a round. Its pretty obvious if this continues people just will not go to pubs, even successful ones. Why pay £5 for a pint when you can buy a crate of beer for a little bit more in a supermarket. Once all these long established pubs are closed , converted to Tesco.s , poor accommodation then that will be another excuse not to go to the high st.

  In France they cut duty to 5% and the sector has boomed and contributed more than when duty was higher.

  The Millionaires that run the government and stuff the cabinet are clueless to the effects of price rises to the rest of us.

  Ending the subsidy on bars in the HoP and actually force them to pay what the rest of us pay might inject a dose of reality on policy makers.

  Reply
• March 16, 2013 at 11:16
  Cheers, mate | latenightsandcitylights says:

  [...] O’Connell, London Assembly Member launched a report on ‘Keeping Local: How to save London’s pubs as community resources’, this Monday. In the report he calls for London’s borough councils to adopt stringent criteria [...]

  Reply