Local pubs deliver invaluable socio-economic value, ministers must act to save them – new report urges
Government must overhaul a counterproductive regulatory and tax landscape that threatens the future of the ever-popular British local pub as a vital social and economic anchor for communities across the country, a study published by the think-tank Localis today warns.
In a report issued today at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool entitled ‘Inn-Valuable 2: unlocking the socio-economic potential of our nation’s pubs’, Localis urges the government to launch a taskforce to clear obstacles that endanger the beer and pub sector which cumulatively supports more than one million jobs, generates £34.3bn in GVA to the economy and delivers £11.4bn in tax revenues to the Exchequer annually.
According to polling undertaken by YouGov for the report, 72% of people felt the impact of pubs to community life to be positive. When asked if pubs are important in bringing people together, more than four-in-five (81%) of British adults agreed they are, with just 14% feeling that they are not.
Polling carried out for the report showed nearly three quarters (73 percent) of British adults felt that pubs help combat loneliness in their local area. Among pro-community activities supported by local pubs, nearly half (42%) of people were aware of pub events that bring the community together, more than a quarter (27%) knew of local pubs that supported charitable causes and close to one in five, 19%, knew of local pubs that supported vulnerable people in their area.
The research identified from case studies taken pubs across the country some dominant themes on how the sector supports local people and communities, namely by:
- combatting isolation
- supporting local causes
- bringing local business together
- keeping prices down so pubs remain accessible social spaces for communities.
Pollsters also found that among those who’ve ever visited a pub more than half (53%) had met a friend in one, while nearly two-in-five (38%) of people had visited the pub to meet up with family, a quarter (26%) had enjoyed Sunday lunch in one and 11% of the public had attended a pub-held birthday party in that timespan. In addition, 7% of the public had used pubs for dating purposes and 20% watched a sporting event.
A key recommendation of the report calls for short-term support by extending business rates relief for hospitality and to increasing the window for this to three years in line with the spending review period to give long-term certainty to pub landlords.
The report authors also call for a government taskforce to arrest the decline of the Great British pub which would identify policies to ensure long-term sustainability for the sector, including:
- reviewing business rates and excise duty;
- providing employment incentives so pubs keep employing younger members of staff;
- examining planning policies to support the night-time economy and preserving the role of local pubs as social, cultural and economic anchors in towns and villages.
Report author and Localis head of research, Joe Fyans, said: “Pubs are more than just businesses; they are the heart and soul of our communities.
“To ensure their long-term survival, we need a policy framework that recognizes their value and supports their continued success.”
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “This research cements what people up and down the country know and believe – that the pub is a home from home, the beating heart of our towns and villages, and offers a warm welcome to people from all walks of life.
“As this research proves, pubs aren’t just about a pint – people know that pubs stave off loneliness, support the vulnerable in their communities, and raise millions for charity.
“While we know that brewers and pubs invest billions into the economy, their huge contribution to our communities and society is priceless and they must be supported.
“Government must use this Budget to cut beer duty, reform business rates, and maintain 75% business rates relief so that pubs and brewers can remain a cherished part of society.”