The BBPA does not support the use of Article 4 Directions for Pubs, given there is now national legislation in place that supersedes their use, and prevents unintended consequences.
03 January 2018
29 November 2017
BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds: “I welcome the fact that the draft plan recognises the great contribution that pubs make to the economy and social life of London. “In particular, the agent-of-change proposal is one that we have long argued for, and would ensure that pubs are not threatened by new housing developments through complaints about noise from pubs which have been trading for hundreds of years. “We will certainly be responding to the consultation as there are also some aspects that will need careful consideration, including a proposal around the need to market a pub for a specific period of time before any change of use and how this might work in practice.”
10 March 2017
Brigid Simmonds comments: "We certainly want to see as many thriving pubs as possible, but this is not the right approach. "It is right that there are laws to protect pubs that are of real value, to local people and local communities. This can be done by using the laws that make a pub an asset of community value (ACV). "However, as each pub’s situation is different, this should be looked at on a case by case basis. We are against Southwark’s blanket approach, as every case should be judged on its own merits. "In some cases, a pub might not be viable. A measure like this then makes it very difficult to sell and restricts investment, having a huge financial impact. This could be devastating, particularly for independent pub owners, for whom the pub might be their only major asset. "We would like to see the debate around pub closures focusing on policies that would support pubs, such as lower taxes on beer, and fairer business rates, creating a climate for innovation and investment that ensures our great pubs can attract customers and prosper."