Some of the pubs around Northamptonshire are facing permanent closure
With the cost of living an energy bills rising astronomically, many local services are finding themselves unable to cope. This includes a number of pubs around Northamptonshire, some of which are facing permanent closure.
This includes Miranda Richardson, landlady of the Live and Let Live pub in Harpole. Richardson announced last week that she would be shutting up in August after her energy bills came to a shocking £112,000 ($137,849).
But a group of Northamptonshire pub-goers and beer-drinkers are taking a stand for their beloved locals. They have written to a local MP to fight for help for local pubs from the Government.
Chairman of Northamptonshire Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA), Bernie Peal, has written to Daventry MP and Government Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris. He wrote on behalf of more than 2,000 CAMRA members to ask the MP to lobby for a support package for pubs.
In the letter, Peal said: The closure of any pub is an immense loss to the community that frequents it. Pubs and social clubs are valuable community assets that foster cohesion, combat loneliness and social isolation and boost local employment and economies.
The pub trade suffered greatly during lockdowns and restrictions in 2020 and 2021. To now see those businesses closing due to rising energy bills is devastating and an insult to the resilience of the trade, he stated.
Peal concluded by asking Heaton-Harris to raise the issue with the Government and tell them about Richardson’s struggle. He also asked for action to ‘stop other licensees having to walk away from their pubs for the same reason.’
Nik Antona, CAMRA National Chairman said: I fully support our Northants members in raising the issue of skyrocketing energy bills for pubs. Not being able to go to the pub during periods of pandemic restrictions has made many of us realise just how valuable our community locals are as a part of our social fabric – bringing people together and tackling loneliness and social isolation.
Antona said: It would be a national scandal if pubs that have survived the pandemic are forced to close for good because they can’t cope with sky high energy bills. That’s why we are asking local MPs and the Government to offer some support to local pub businesses so they can continue to survive and thrive at the heart of our local communities.
