Conversion Of Pubs To Supermarkets And The Agreement Between The Cooperative And CAMRA

EDM number 1099 in 2016-17, proposed by Greg Mulholland on 21/03/2017.
Categorised under the topics of Companies, Food, Leisure, Planning and Service industries.

That this House notes that predatory purchasing of pubs by supermarkets remains a significant problem, with supermarkets targeting pubs due to permitted development rights that allow a pub to be converted into a supermarket without planning permission; further notes that these rights mean that communities and councils have no say over the closure of pubs or the imposition of supermarkets and is leading to the loss of viable and profitable pubs against the wishes of local communities and publicans; praises Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) branches around the country who work so hard to protect their local pubs, including against the threat of supermarket conversions; notes that the Cooperative are converting pubs to supermarkets against the wishes of communities up and down the country; notes the agreement between the CAMRA Head Office and the Cooperative signed in 2014; notes that a representative from the Cooperative gave a clear assurance to hon. Members in March 2016 that the Cooperative would no longer take at face value the word of pubcos on pub viability and notes with dismay that they have broken their word on this; notes that CAMRA's agreement is failing but also giving cover for the Cooperative to close and convert pubs; and believes that the continued existence of this failed agreement is letting down hardworking CAMRA branches and members and must now be ripped up by CAMRA Head Office who should instead act in the interests of pubs and CAMRA members and properly take the Cooperative to task for their deliberate destruction of viable pubs.

This motion has been signed by a total of 6 MPs.