Campaign sparks move to protect all borough's pubs

Article in Waltham Forest Guardian 15.10.2104

The Leytonstone Save The Heathcote Campaign has prompted the council to start a process of ensuring the community has a say on the future of every pub in the borough

Local councillors Khevyn Limbajee, Anna Mbachu and Chris Robbins are being accused of making policy on the hoof and exposing the local authority to financial threat for taking decisive action to protect this pub from conversion to alternative use.

Politicians doing nothing, not acting for fear of 'compensation' for not allowing short term private equity interests get away with exactly whatever they want to do to develop property against public interest is one serious factor that is leading to communities losing vital amenity and social hubs all over the country.

This is a good move by a council where there are inadequate planning tools available to protect buildings that are most certainly community assets - and pubs particularly - from being quickly converted into shops or residential to the permanent detriment of the social fabric of Britain.

Far too often councillors are risk averse and will not stand up to inappropriate development - very often so that even the last pub available to a community gets rolled over to development to alternative use such as this story today from Wyke Regis in Dorset:

http://www.theygotmeoverabarrel.co.uk/2014/10/councillors-approve-plans-to-turn.html

There needs to be a radical, well funded market led alternative to the disaster that is taking place to pubs all over the UK - a pub company that is well financed that can take on developers and buy pubs for the right reasons - to remain pubs and preserve, enhance and invigorate them so they're fit for contemporary purpose www.peoplespubpartnership.co.uk