Tories attack Labour over decline in community pubs

The Tories have launched an attack Labour for failing to support community pubs.

The party claims that Treasury figures show 3,500 pubs closed between 1997 and 2009 - the period over which Labour has been in power - as they faced a "perfect storm" with the beer duty escalator pushing up tax on alcohol by 2% above inflation every year.

Shadow local government minister Bob Neill said: "Under Labour there has been a surge in alcohol-fuelled violence in our high streets, while local community pubs have gone to the wall."

The Labour Government installed housing and planning minister John Healey as pubs minister earlier this year in a bid to deflect criticism that it had not done enough to protect community pubs.

In March the Government told pub companies to relax the beer tie as part of a wide-ranging Government package to help struggling pubs.

Government tells pubcos to relax the beer tie as part of new action plan for pubs >>

John Healey becomes minister for pubs >>

John Healey becomes minister for pubs >>


By Neil Gerrard

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