Pubs with ‘locals’ on both sides of the bar

To combat closures, rural communities in the UK are buying their drinking houses, says Oliver Moore.

A PUB a day is closing in Ireland, and in the UK 40 rural pubs are closing each week, but there lateral thinking is arresting the slide.

In the UK, the closure of rural pubs has been offset by government support for community-owned pubs, and MP and minister, John Healey, last year announced a 12-point action plan to give practical and financial support to community pubs.