Tougher regulations for pubs may help stem some pub closures – but an MP who has campaigned on the issue says Ministers have been slow to act.
Wrexham MP Ian Lucas has welcomed news that Ministers are hoping to bring in statutory regulation for the pub industry. The proposals were outlined by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as part of its response to a consultation on pub reform.
Pub landlords had been urged to respond to the consultation by Mr Lucas when it was launched last year. Mr Lucas has also raised the issue with local independent brewers and brought the Chairman of the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee Adrian Bailey to Wrexham to hear from the town’s publicans direct.
Mr Bailey and his committee have long advocated pub reform and have brought out a series of reports calling for a statutory code to be implemented – something Mr Lucas has also called for.
He said: “The news that the Government is going to act over some aspects of pub reform is welcome. There are other aspects – such as reform of the Beer Tie, which forces pubs to serve particular kinds of beer – which I would have liked to have seen included but at least pub landlords will see some movement now.
“It is a shame that it has taken so long for the Government to act – while pub closures have, sadly, continued.”
