Janet Finch-Saunders; Today’s debate is about supporting your local pub. It is about noting the positive, economic and social impact that the pub has on our own local communities. It is about recognising the impressive work done by schemes such as the Pub is The Hub and the Campaign for Real Ale, and their important studies that we can learn from, while acknowledging that, sadly, three pubs a week are closing in Wales currently. It is about us calling on the Welsh Government to support and work more effectively with our pub industry in Wales to ensure their future sustainability and success. I would also like to highlight the immense success of the community right to bid, which again supports those within our communities fighting to save their very own pub and hub. We do call on the Welsh Government to end its opposition to the right to bid in order to sustain our local pubs. The right covers private as well as public assets: the village shop, community centre, children’s centre, allotment, library, cinema, recreation ground and the pub. Local authorities are required to keep a list of all of these assets of community value. If an owner of a listed asset wants to sell it, they have to notify the local authority and, in turn, they have to notify any interested party. The community right to bid came into effect on 21 September 2012, and over 3,500 people have used the right to date.  With its List your Local campaign, CAMRA—the Campaign for Real Ale—has set a challenge of getting 300 pubs listed as assets of community value by the end of the year. Well-run pubs play an invaluable role at the heart of our local communities, often providing a safe, regulated and sociable environment in which people can enjoy a drink responsibly and interact with people from different backgrounds. Despite their popularity pubs are currently under threat as never before. A combination of factors has led to more and more pub owners shutting down pubs and seeking to convert the buildings to other uses. However, there are many examples of communities successfully fighting to save their local pub and winning. CAMRA’s own research shows that 84% of people believe that a pub is as essential to community life as a shop or post office. Listing your local as an asset of community value provides communities with the power to stop the clock. Using the right to bid when faced with a pub going up for sale earns valuable time for local people to explore options to save the pub. Brandon Lewis, the Minister for community pubs, announced at the Great British Beer Festival 2013 that 100 pubs have now been listed. If you love your local pub and think that it adds lots of value to your community, you now have the opportunity to give it extra protection from developers and you can list it with the council as an asset for community value—but not in Wales, you cannot. That is across the border in England. The Ivy House pub campaigners were successful in listing the pub and raising the finances to buy the Ivy House for the community. Local people now have shares in the pub. In Scotland, a recent report says that men—but I would hope women, too—now have the perfect excuse to sneak off for a crafty pint with their mates. Research has found that going down the pub can be good for mental health. The study revealed that men drinking with friends in the pub reported positive effects on their mental wellbeing, allowing them to open up and talk about their emotions—traditionally a masculine taboo in Scotland. Sharing a round of drinks also helped them look out for each other and lifted their spirits, according to research in the west of Scotland.  Our motion is about the principle of giving people more power over what happens in their own neighbourhoods—not just about place-making, but about the product, the experience and the socioeconomic benefits of looking before we lose these great institutions. In recent years, we have seen growth in microbreweries across Wales, such as Conwy Brewery, Great Orme Brewery and Monty’s Brewery, which I had better mention with my colleague Russell here. That is to name but three of a total of some 60 local breweries that are spawning numerous annual beer festivals, all helping the local economy and all contributing to the ‘Vibrant and Viable Places’ agenda. The multi-award-winning Albion Ale House in the vibrant historic town of Conwy, where we launched our Support your Local Pub campaign, has had new life breathed into it, with hard-working, enthusiastic owners, supported by three microbreweries, providing a wide variety of unique-tasting and speciality ales. However, the Albion is just one pub locally known as the place to be, the place to meet, the place to chat and the place to drink responsibly. Sadly, however, we do not have a consistent approach across our local authorities in Wales as to how they support small businesses, and, in particular, our pubs. Business rates are a nightmare. One such example is the rate for a traditional pub in Llandudno, at £22,000. A shop of that size would be considerably less. As Welsh Conservatives, our message is simple: support your local; support your pub. The recent budget, for the second year running, saw a penny off the pint. This measure, by the UK Government, was to help our local pubs and those working in them. Beer duty was cut by 1p. Mike Hedges; Can you name me any pub that reduced the price of a pint of beer by 1p following that change?

Janet Finch-Saunders; What I know is that this is the second year running, so it is now actually 2p cheaper. The escalator for all alcohol duties has been frozen, and duties on ordinary cider, whisky and other spirits have been frozen. The duty escalator for wine has been frozen. With pubs closing at a rate of 18 every week in Britain as a whole, CAMRA is working harder than ever to support local pubs through these difficult times. Through the community right to bid, there are many examples of communities successfully fighting to save their local pubs, and winning.  Many, but sadly not all, changes of use need planning permission. The planning system often represents the best chance to save a pub from oblivion. If the local planning authority is on your side, this campaigning becomes much easier, so it is said. That needs greater consistency here in Wales. Despite all the threat to pubs, the good news is that, thanks to the UK Government and the community right to bid, there are numerous pubs up and down the UK now thriving, which left would now be private houses or possible heaps of rubble, but for the efforts too of local campaigns. The Welsh Conservatives believe that our pubs are an important part of local life in all communities, protecting jobs. Many pubs are sourcing local Welsh produce and, again, are supporting our Welsh food tourism industry. In August last year, the UK Government announced grants for saving local pubs, and the good news is that many pubs that were threatened with closure have been saved through this and through effective local campaigns. In its eagerness to support those campaigning to save their local pub, CAMRA states: ‘If a particular pub is under threat in your area you can also contact your local MP and ask them for help’.  Well, as Assembly Members, we should have the same ability, and Wales should have the same power in order to protect our pubs. That is why I urge the Minister to look again at the localism agenda that is working so well across the border. Cherry-picking some parts, without analysing the overall benefits is holding Wales back. I strongly urge you to fully recognise the benefits of the community rights agenda and, in particular, the community right to bid. It is about putting back power, putting back choice and putting back the chance for those wanting to do so to save their own local pub and hub.