Pubs minister hints at more powers to rescue community pubs
The community pubs minister has hinted that an upcoming Government bill could make it easier for local communities to take over the running of their local pub if it is faced with closure.
Conservative MP Bob Neill said he hoped the Localism Bill, which is expected to be introduced to Parliament "very shortly" as part of the Government's plans to create a "Big Society", would make "good Christmas reading for all those concerned".
Speaking in a House of Commons debate on the future of the pub on Friday, he said: "We want to provide people and community organisations with a fair chance to take over facilities and assets that are important to them. We will use the Bill as a vehicle to address that and certainly envisage that it could include local pubs."
But he offered licensees little prospect of help with the impending rise in VAT, which goes up to 20% in January 2011. "In a difficult economic situation it is not possible to deal with all of these issues. We want to give pubs not so much a hand-out as a level playing field."
He pointed to a "more generous" small business rate relief scheme, which was introduced in October, as well as proposals to give councils the power to levy discretionary business rate discounts to support particular types of businesses, which could include pubs.
Neill became community pubs minister in October this year, following on from a similar position created for John Healey in the last Labour Government. The debate was called by the Save the Pub Group, chaired by Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland.
Government appoints Bob Neill as new pubs minister >>
Tories attack Labour over decline in community pubs >>
Shepherd Neame's chairman questions pubs minister role >>
By Neil Gerrard
E-mail your comments to Neil Gerrard here.
Caterersearch.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Caterersearch.com jobs
|
