Chesterfield: Local Libdems lead charge to save local pubs

Local residents in Chesterfield will be aware of recent attempts by larger supermarkets to take away community autonomy and drive through their application to turn underused pubs into supermarkets. In at least one area of town this has been of great benefit, but the opinion of councillors is that this move is not necessarily entirely altruistic. It is refreshing therefore to see our local politicians attempting to redress this balance in our planning laws.

Led by local Liberal Democrats and seconded by the Labour councillors who readily offered to support the proposal, the Council recently discussed a motion to:

"Help protect community pubs…by ensuring that planning permission and community consultation are required before community pubs are allowed to be converted into betting shops, supermarkets and pay-day loan stores….or are allowed to be demolished."

Councillors from both sides accepted that sometimes the conversion of a closed building can actually benefit the community but there have been local cases where a large supermarket has tried to buy out a very active community pub prompting local councillors to campaign against it.

Under the Sustainable Communities Act and working together with CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), the council resolved unanimously to submit this proposal to Government.