‘Warm words will not save our pubs,’ warned Anne Main MP during a debate in the houses of parliament on the future of British pubs.

The St Albans MP spoke of the particular challenges facing local public houses, which often reside in old or listed buildings.

Mrs Main fully supported a full business rates review and petition from local pub owner Sean Hughes, which calls for a, ‘fundamental review on the business rate system to stop pubs disappearing from our villages, towns and cities,’ and for an immediate ‘pub cap’ which would limit the increases in rates bills to 12.5% in England.

Anne said that, ‘warm words will not save our pubs’ and that, ‘we do not want to be lamenting the loss of our pubs because we didn’t take this seriously and do something about it.’  Anne urged the chancellor to take action now, and said that she hoped that he was listening. 

After the debate Anne remarked there was a ‘consensus’ that pubs are ‘struggling to swim upstream.’  ‘The pub industry is vital to St Albans.  It supports over 1600 jobs and adds over £30 million to the economy.  We must continue to look at ways that government can keep alive this great British institution, and help it flourish.’ 

Minister, Andrew Jones, said that the government ‘hugely valued’ the pub industry and has taken many steps over the years to support our public houses.  Mr Jones added that he has listened carefully to the debate and will take forward the representations made by MPs in anticipation of the Budget later this month.