Welsh Assembly Members highlight pub closures in Newport

From Brew Wales

Above: Pictured outside the former Corporation pub in Newport are, left to right, Nick Ramsey AM, Dawn Parry (Conservative Parlimentary Candidate for Newport East) and leader of the Conservatives in the Welsh Assembly, Nick Bourne AM. 

The list of pubs closed since Labour came to power is a large one, with Newport losing more pubs than Cardiff since 1997. Brew Wales have previously highlighted the loses here and more recently here and although recently we have seen a few reopenings, the Engineers in Baneswell and the Carpenters Arms in High Street, the trend is still downward with the Corporation Hotel being given change of use by the local council only last week.

Joint-Chair of the Welsh Assembly Beer Group and Conservative leader in the Welsh Assembly, Nick Bourne AM, today joined up with fellow Assembly Member Nick Ramsey and Newport East Conservative Parliamentary Prospective Candidate Dawn Parry to highlight the pub closure epeidemic that has hit Newport with 45 pub closures in thirteen years of Labour Government.

According to Newport East Conservative PPC Dawn Parry, "The pub is at the heart of the community, when that is gone where are people going to meet? Drinking in a pub is more sociable than drinking at home and we have seen a loss to the communities of Newport East of fantastic old pubs that will never be rebuilt and never open again as pubs. We have seen the destruction of our communities over the past 13 years with pubs and post offices closing in the constituency and the forthcoming general election is a chance for change for the people of Newport"

Elsewhere today, Shadow Communities and Local Government minister, Caroline Spelman said: “Under Labour there has been a surge in alcohol-fuelled violence in our high streets, while local community pubs go to the wall.

“Conservatives will stand up for local community pubs and give residents new rights to protect them, whilst giving police and councils strong powers to tackle the binge drinking violence that ruins our towns at night.”

The Tories also highlighted figures showing there had been a net closure of 3,500 pubs across England since Labour came to power.

Whereas Newport, Cardiff and Monmouthshire have lost around 150 pubs since 1997.