New towns and major housing developments will only flourish if they have successful pubs as part of the community, a new report by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and think-tank Create Streets says.
The Brewing Communities report explores how new towns can be designed to foster successful pubs, vibrant high streets, and flourishing neighbourhoods.
Dubbing this approach as creating ‘pub hubs’, the report emphasises the importance of creating great places and great pubs to enhance communal life and reduce loneliness.
The report, which was launched in Parliament last week, highlights the decline in the number of pubs and high street retail vacancies in the UK, which has negatively impacted communal and neighbourly interactions.
Hosted by Chris Curtis MP, chair of the Labour Growth Group, the event saw Parliamentarians and industry experts come together to discuss key policy recommendations for the government, including business rates incentives, capital expensing, and planning reforms.
Culture Minister Steph Peacock MP spoke alongside BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin and Create Streets founder Nicholas Boys-Smith.
Social and economic benefits
“No place, person, or institution echoes through British history as joyfully as the pub,” said Mr Boys-Smith. “From Chaucer’s pilgrims departing The Tabard, to The Queen Vic in Eastenders, local boozers have always taken centre stage in British life.
“If our streets were a home, then our local pub would be its hearth, the place where we warm ourselves and where we meet and talk, relax and revive. But our pubs are troubled. Over a quarter have closed. This matters. If we desire neighbourhoods where we can come together, then we should cherish our existing pubs, manage our streets and squares so that pubs can thrive, and create new places which weave us together and don’t spin us apart.
“The good news is that we know how. The evidence on where people like to be and why is ever clearer. Let’s lift the bar and create places in which pubs can thrive and people can prosper. This report shows how.”
Emma McClarkin said the report highlighted how people, pubs, and the communities they call home suffer when town planning is poorly thought out. She warned that planning focus must be on the people who live there, rather than hitting targets and construction numbers.
“The social and economic benefits that pubs offer to the development of new towns and the expansion of existing ones are clear. Pubs are an essential part of the new government’s vision for one and a half million new homes — a focal point and key community asset that will help ensure the success of these new communities
“I hope this report serves as a call to action for policymakers, developers, and communities alike to prioritise the creation of vibrant, connected spaces where people can come together, and feel they’re at home.”
