Struggling pubs and cafes to get lifeline under new rules - and you can help

Struggling pubs, cafes and clubs around the country could be rescued under new a new law to let locals take them over - in a big victory for the Mirror's Save our Pubs campaign.

Changes to the Devolution bill, to be revealed on Monday will give community groups first refusal when cherished community hubs are put up for sale - giving locals the power to prevent high streets becoming ghost towns.

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, said: "Pubs, clubs and other social hubs are the beating heart of communities right across the country.

“But every day more and more of them are shut down and sold, leaving people isolated and high streets like ghost towns.

“As part of our Plan for Change, we want to see these places thrive again. Our commitment to devolution is built on the belief that local people know what's best for their areas.

“That's why our upcoming English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will give residents the power to rescue the venues they love - and build a brilliant future for them."

The changes in the Bill will mean when an Assets of Community Value goes on sale and a community group attempts to buy it, they will have a strong chance of succeeding.

Changes to rules around sports clubs and venues will also provide a clearer, quicker pathway for local communities to take ownership of them and reduce their risk of closure under the Community Right to Buy programme.

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Monday’s announcement is a victory for The Mirror, which has been campaigning for more support for community groups who want to buy their local pub to stop it from closing and proper recognition for pubs that are the heart of our communities.

More than 400 pubs in England and Wales called last orders last year as landlords struggled with rising running costs and falling spending by cash-strapped pubgoers.

Industry experts CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners found 3,000 pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs risk closing in 2025.

The Mirror’s campaign also calls for a fighting fund for hard-hit boozers.