Co-Operative Pubs Advice Line

Yesterday, the Community Pubs Minister Brandon Lewis launched an advice line in conjunction with the Plunkett Foundation for local people who wished to keep their local public houses open by operating them as a co-operative. The hotline is run by the Plunkett Foundation and has a funding grant of £20,000 from the Department of Communities and Local Government. The intention is that the helpline will promote the use of the Localism Act and the Community Right to Bid. The former enables local groups to bid to buy community buildings and facilities that are important to them and the latter provides power to local people who wish to become involved in local ventures by providing access to information, expertise and the tools they need to convert a local pub into a co-operative enterprise.

Additionally, the Plunkett Foundation has also launched a website (http://www.plunkett.co.uk/whatwedo/co-operativepubs.cfm) which provides access to information and advice particularly in the establishment of the co-operative and the mechanisms by which co-operative pubs are run. The advice line and website should provide the support required by communities in rural and urban areas to save their cherished pubs.

The hotline number is 01993 810730.

For licensing of co-operative public houses or shops, please contact our team to ensure the application is correctly submitted and recites the correct applicant.