CAMRA comment on the release of The High Street Report

In response to the release today of The High Street Report, please find the below quote:

CAMRA National Director Ben Wilkinson said: “The High Street Report makes interesting reading but, among its recommendations, pubs are conspicuous by their absence.

“Well-run pubs which promote social interraction are essential community assets which can draw people out of their homes, away from out of town shopping precincts, and into town centres. But they face even greater pressure than shops when it comes to business rates and other challenging financial overheads.

“Sir John Timpson summarises his solution to declining high streets as ‘quite simply, making the town centre a place people want to be’. Any local authority wishing to achieve this could make a fine start by putting protection of public houses against development pressures at the heart of its planning policies.”