The Co-op teams up with Camra to protect pubs

The Co-op has teamed up with Camra to set out new store planning principles designed to prevent the redevelopment of viable pubs that benefit the local community.

The retailer has been working with the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) over the last few months to develop the guidelines, which aim to give local communities a greater say in the development of local pubs, and prevent viable pubs that benefit the community from being closed.

It includes a commitment by the retailer to go through the planning permission process rather than relying on permitted development rights. These rights allow certain building works and change of use to be carried without planning permission and have come in for criticism in recent months, as they do not allow local residents the opportunity to challenge the plans.

The Co-op said it would also encourage any third party developers to adopt this principle and would listen to the views of the local community and discuss their concerns. It also stated it would develop new convenience store on land adjacent to an existing pub in order to enhances the viability of both businesses – a policy retail chief executive Steve Murrells said has been successfully employed in recent developments.

“These principles strengthen our existing practices to give communities more of a say,” he said. “Pub closures are not on our agenda. Our new commitments for future store developments serve to highlight the importance we place on working with communities.

Camra chief executive Tim Page praised The Coop’s for its forward-thinking and community-minded approach and urged other retailers to adhere to the new guidelines.

He said the organisation was delighted that a well-known retailer has demonstrated its commitment to communities and become the first to develop a set of principles that would guide its store development bearing in mind the needs and wishes of local people.

“The Co-op clearly recognises the value that pubs add to the communities they serve and also the fact that supermarket developments can not only co-exist alongside pubs, but that both benefit each other,” he said.

“We’d urge all retailers to be as forward thinking and community minded as the Co-op when it comes to planned developments which might have an impact on valued community locals.”

Last year The Co-op announced it was set to open around 100 new stores a year.