The Plunkett Foundation, the national charity dedicated to supporting community businesses, has called for the government and public to take immediate action to support community-owned pubs and help save the UK’s pubs before it is too late.
Grabbing a pint at the community-owned Craufurd Arms, Maidenhead
The charity, which supports a network of 700 community businesses, including 150 community pubs across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, has seen a 53% increase in enquiries from groups desperate to save their local pub. It is currently supporting 250 community groups seeking to save their local pub.
Throughout the pandemic, Plunkett has supported community businesses, through expert advice and emergency funding, to adapt to restrictions and offer essential services to their local communities.
The foundation has now launched a campaign to put community-owned pubs at the heart of helping to save local pubs by publishing its Policy Call to Action for government support and appealing to individuals and communities themselves to take action.
Policy Call to Action asks government to ensure that community-owned pubs survive and thrive, now and beyond the covid crisis, by:
- Providing absolute clarity in all nations for every phase of re-opening pubs
- Permit the sale of take-away alcohol in closed containers until pubs are able to fully reopen
- Extend the business rate relief for hospitality for the whole of 2021/22 financial year, mirroring the support in place in Scotland
- Extend the 5% VAT rate on food and non-alcoholic drinks for the whole of 2021/2022 financial year
- Extend the job retention scheme for a further six months, or until such a time that pubs are able to trade without restrictions
- Cut the tax duties paid on beer by 25%
The Plunkett Foundation is asking the public to help save community owned pubs by:
- Writing to their MP, supporting Plunkett’s Policy Call to Action for government action
- Supporting the community pub movement across the UK by becoming a member of the Plunkett Foundation
- Supporting our advisory and training service for pubs by donating to our community pubs campaign
James Alcock, Plunkett’s chief executive, said: “We need to ensure that our communities are not decimated by the covid-19 crisis and the closure of their much needed community pubs.
“Community businesses have been at the forefront of the crisis response, with their dedicated volunteers offering the lifeline services to those most in need. We now need investment and support at a national level to ensure that they survive the pandemic and secure a bright and sustainable future for the communities that depend on them.”
• To support Plunkett Foundation’s campaign to save local pubs visit plunkett.co.uk
