Changing pubs into offices or homes to be made harder under new rules

Turning pubs into housing or offices in England will become harder under a government planning update that takes effect Monday. The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires developers to show there is no reasonable prospect of keeping a pub running before they can change its use.

To get approval, owners must prove the pub was marketed for sale for at least 12 months. The rules also aim to stop operators from deliberately running down a business to justify closure, protecting pubs with a history of viability. Councils will assess the impact on the local community of any conversion, a government spokesperson told the BBC.

The Campaign for Real Ale has said pubs are being lost forever to conversion or demolition because developers look to cash in on desirable locations and unique architecture. The British Beer and Pub Association and UKHospitality have also pushed for stronger protections.

Hospitality groups argue that taxes and employment costs are the real drivers of pub closures, not planning loopholes. Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality, said the biggest issue facing the sector is costs like VAT and business rates that push pubs out of business in the first place. He welcomed any move that makes it harder to take these assets away from communities but said the government should focus on fixing the harm done to hospitality over the past two years.