Pubs once played a central role in the community, but a combination of factors have left many struggling to attract custom in recent years. This has led to widespread closures across the country, with the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) frequently expressing concern at the number of landlords being forced to shut up shop.
Yet fortunately, there are organisations battling hard to reverse this worrying trend, with one of the most significant being Pub is The Hub. The organisation was established in 2001 by HRH The Prince of Wales and, thanks to the ground breaking work it has put in to supporting community pubs, has become the most recent recipient of the Prime Minister’s Big Society Award.
Pub is The Hub aims to aid pubs in once again becoming the heart of the community in rural areas by installing other community services on the premises. This can see rural pubs gain shops, cinemas and book clubs in order to push up footfall and increase profits, meaning they can remain open even when consumers are not visiting to purchase alcoholic beverages.
Community Pubs Minister Brandon Lewis broke the news of the award at the Publican Awards, held this week at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
He said; “Pubs are at the heart of so many of the country’s villages and towns and I congratulate Pub is The Hub on their well-deserved Big Society award recognising their work in helping rural pubs get involved with their local community.
“Right across the country, pubs provide not just hundreds of thousands of jobs but a valuable place for millions of people to get together.
“The government is playing its part doing everything we can to support pubs, including by abolishing the last government’s cider tax, cutting red tape on live music in pubs and, as the Chancellor announced in the Budget, by taking another penny in tax off a pint.”
To date, Pub is The Hub has assisted over 400 community pubs in England and Wales. Some of the most notable achievements include the opening of a heritage and history centre in the Prince of Wales, Bridgend, and establishing a school meals provision programme for the Black Swan Inn in Ravenstonedale, Cumbria.
Pub is The Hub now also operates a Community Services Fund, which was set up 18 months ago with government backing to extend the organisation’s reach and help more country pubs. This fund has recently received an additional £20,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on top of the existing £150,000 funding until 2015.
Pub is The Hub chief executive John Longden said; “This award is fabulous recognition for all the hard-working licensees running pubs in their communities who work tirelessly in providing additional services where they have disappeared.
“At Pub is The Hub we have a great team of, largely voluntary, people who help to promote social action, encourage consultation and offer support and advice to widen the appeal of the pub – they, too, will be thrilled with this award.”
