The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is launching a new initiative to support licensees running valued community locals and protect 3,000 pubs as new statistics released today show 29 pubs a week are being lost across the UK.
ACV nominations
CAMRA will be mobilising its members in England to support their local pub by nominating it as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and offer advice and guidance to other community groups and licensees themselves looking to do the same. ACV status aims to protect valued, well-run community pubs and stop them being demolished or converted to other uses (such as betting shops or supermarkets).
Importantly ACV listing doesn’t force pubs to remain open, affect pubs being sold as going concerns, nor delay sales if the local community does not object to the change of use of a pub.
With 800 pubs currently nominated, the initiative aims to raise the profile of ACVs to the pub-going public and increase the number with the status to 3,000 by the end of 2016 – an ambitious target, but one which CAMRA say is essential if England’s pubs are to be properly protected.
Commitment of the community
“We want pub-goers to value their local pub and one way in which they can show their support is by nominating it as an Asset of Community Value. ACV status really should be seen as a badge of honour by licensees as it shows a real commitment by the surrounding community to the future of the pub, as well as creating positive publicity. CAMRA are going to be promoting and highlighting pubs with Asset of Community Value status as we believe it shows a pub is valued, and deserves protection.” Tom Stainer, CAMRA’s Head of Communications.
“Ultimately our ACV campaign is about protecting pubs for the communities which currently use them, and for future generations of pub goers, as well as giving licensees who intend to carry on running pubs as going concerns as much help and support as possible.”
Valuable for licensees
CAMRA say that ACV status can be particularly valuable for licensees tied to the large pub companies as it stops the pub being sold off without your knowledge, and in can be useful for all licensees as proof the pub is valued and well-run, something which can be useful when applying for extended opening hours or planning permission for expansion.
Despite the protection afforded to pubs through the ACV system, CAMRA say this doesn’t go far enough to curb the closure of pubs in the UK and that the next logical step is to extend the same protection to all pubs across England.
For more information about the ACV campaign click here