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1. 19 Oct 2026·Parliament·Conservative·Alex Burghart

   Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Programme) (No.2)

   I promise not to detain the House for more than a few minutes, but I think it is important to put on record the Opposition’s unhappiness with how Committee stage is being handled. Although we of course welcome a Committee of the whole House, which allows hon. Members from Northern Irish parties to contribute, the amount of time set aside is wholly inadequate for the task. This is one of the most complex and controversial pieces of legislation that the House will debate during this Parliament. It is a 98-clause Bill to which over 300 amendments—including, I think, 144 Government amendments—have been tabled, and the amendment paper is now longer than the legislation itself. The consequence of the scheduling is that this House will have very little time to spend on detailed scrutiny, or indeed on detailed discussion of the amendments tabled. Most concerningly, the programme motion makes it clear that we will have only about an hour for Report, and that hour will almost certainly be entirely ridden over by overrun.

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2. 19 Oct 2026·Parliament·Conservative·Alex Burghart

   Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Programme) (No.2)

   I entirely agree with the right hon. Member. It looks as though we will get no Report stage at all. The idea that there is not time available to the House to debate this Bill properly is laughable. On Wednesday the House is confining itself to the Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill. On Thursday we have a general debate. This House will not get to vote on any of the Government’s 144 amendments directly, or on any of the Government’s 98 clauses individually. The new Administration have done one good thing here, for which they should take credit: they have rolled the remedial order into this legislation. We strongly support that. It is something that those on the Conservative Benches have been calling for throughout the progress of the Bill, but we think that, as the right hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) said during the carry-over debate, it would have been far better for the Government to have adopted their own amendments and created a new Bill, and brought that to Second Reading. It would have presented a far more coherent picture of what the Government are now up to. The extremely messy way in which this legislation has evolved means that that would have presented the House with a clearer picture of what was going on, and there could have been greater time to consider the new Bill in its entirety. As it is, and as the right hon. Member for Belfast East has pointed out, the main scrutiny will have to be done by the upper House. Although their lordships excel at such work, this practice is becoming far too common.

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3. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   When people think about pubs, they often think first about beer, but while great beer certainly matters, pubs have always been about much more than what is poured into a glass. They are meeting places, employers, community hubs, cultural institutions and, in many cases, living pieces of local history, as we have heard a lot about today. In Warrington South, we are fortunate to have a rich pub culture, a growing independent hospitality sector and local breweries that continue a tradition stretching back generations. From Stockton Heath and Grappenhall to Latchford and Appleton, and across the wider constituency, pubs remain places where friendships are formed, local fundraising takes place, sports teams celebrate victories, families gather for meals, and communities come together in times of joy and challenge. Because pubs matter, we have a responsibility to approach legislation affecting them with care, precision and a proper understanding of the law as it already exists. The question before the House is not whether historic pubs deserve protection—of course they do. The question is whether the measures proposed in this Bill are necessary, proportionate and effective alongside the protections already available, and whether they will genuinely help pubs to survive as living businesses, rather than simply preserving bricks and mortar. That distinction is particularly important in Warrington South. Warrington has a remarkable brewing history. For generations, Greenall’s was one of the names most closely associated with our town, connecting brewing with local employment, industry and the network of public houses through which beer reached our communities. Many local people also remember the famous Tetley Walker brewery on Dallam Lane.

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4. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   We do indeed. We have the famous Sankey Canal, which is one of the oldest, if not the first, canal in this country. We also have the Manchester ship canal, which I am sure everybody here has heard about. For decades, the Greenall’s brewery helped to define the character and economy of Warrington. The distinctive smell of hops became part of daily life for generations of residents, and the brewery was an important local employer. Although that era has passed, brewing remains very much alive in our town. One example is the 4T’s brewery, based in Latchford and founded by John Wilkinson, who previously worked at the historic Tetley Walker brewery. Having started in a garage, 4T’s has developed from a small operation into an established independent brewery producing cask, craft, bottled and canned beers, and it is exceptional. That continuity matters. It demonstrates that heritage need not be frozen in time; it can be carried forward by people who possess the skills, knowledge and determination to adapt an old industry to new circumstances. Local breweries do far more than produce beer; they support employment, buy goods and services, supply pubs, attract visitors and strengthen Warrington’s identity. When residents choose a locally brewed pint, more of that spending remains within the local economy. Independent breweries and pubs form part of a wider network of businesses that support one another. Across Warrington, CAMRA recognises venues that champion quality beer and community spirit, including the Lower Angel, the Tavern and the Hop Emporium, among many others. Such establishments remind us that a pub’s value is not measured solely by the age of the building. It is also measured by the landlord who knows the regulars by name, the community group that meets in the back room, the local team that celebrate a victory there, and the family that has gathered around the same table for decades. A historic building may retain architectural interest after it ceases to operate as a pub, but a historic pub that continues to serve its community combines architectural, cultural and social value, and our policy should recognise all three. I am concerned that debates about heritage can sometimes become too focused on labels: we discuss whether a building is listed, whether it appears on a register or whether it meets a particular statutory definition. Those questions matter, because legal protection often depends on them, but a community’s attachment to a pub does not begin on the day a local authority adds it to a list, and neither does a pub’s cultural significance disappear because it falls just outside a definition drawn up in Westminster. Warrington has some wonderful examples of historic public houses. The Barley Mow, whose origins date back to 1561, is a remarkable timber-framed building where the ancient beams and historic panelling connect us with earlier generations. The Ferry Tavern, which was first licensed in 1762, occupies a distinctive setting between the Mersey and the Sankey and alongside the trans-Pennine trail. There are many, many more—too many to mention. These are not simply commercial premises; they are part of the character and story of our area. Once a historic building has been demolished, no subsequent register can bring it back. That is why early identification, good information, effective enforcement and timely decisions are so important. However, the lesson should not simply be that every pub requires another statutory designation. Local authorities need the knowledge, resources and confidence to use the powers that they already possess, and communities need meaningful opportunities to influence decisions before it is too late. Pubs are already protected by the planning system. Proposals to demolish a pub or change its use require a planning application, because pubs are deliberately excluded from the relevant permitted development rights, so an owner cannot simply assume that a pub can be demolished or converted without scrutiny. The local planning authority has an opportunity to consider the proposal, assess its impact and apply the relevant planning policy.

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5. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   I absolutely agree. I think we need to focus on ensuring that the current legislation is more robust and is enforced, rather than adding extra layers, as my hon. Friend says. The current policies already act as an important safeguard, so creating another legal requirement will not necessarily produce a better practical outcome. Local planning authorities already have powers to issue enforcement notices where there has been a breach of planning control, and non-compliance with an enforcement notice can result in an unlimited fine on conviction. That is a substantial sanction. The challenge is ensuring that breaches are identified, investigated and dealt with promptly. There is an important difference between a lack of legal power and a failure to use existing powers effectively. Local planning authorities can also create local lists of buildings of historic architectural interest, including heritage pubs. These non-designated heritage assets receive consideration through the national planning policy framework when relevant planning decisions are made. That matters, because heritage is not restricted to nationally famous landmarks. A pub can be central to the identity of a neighbourhood without meeting the criteria for a statutory listing. There is also a building preservation notice; where a local planning authority considers that a building of special architectural or historic interest is at risk of demolition or harmful alteration, it can serve a notice and apply for the building to be considered for listing. These are already meaningful tools. The practical question for Warrington South is whether our council has the information and the resources it needs to identify vulnerable historic pubs and make effective use of those powers. The importance of a pub is often best understood by the people who use it. The assets of community value scheme, introduced through the Localism Act 2011, allows communities in England to nominate buildings or land that further the social wellbeing or social interests of their community. The local authority considers whether the nomination meets the statutory definition and decides whether the asset should be listed, giving residents a formal way of saying, “This place matters to us, and its importance should be recognised.” Residents are often best placed to explain why a particular pub matters. It might provide a meeting place for older people or host organisations and all the other great things that have been identified before, but an asset of community value listing is not an absolute guarantee that a building will remain open as a pub. The existing scheme provides a process for community involvement when a listed asset is put up for sale, but it does not generally compel the owner to sell to a community group or to accept its offer. That distinction matters.

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6. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   Absolutely, and I will move on to the community right to buy, which is incredibly significant here. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 is intended to give communities the first opportunity to purchase an asset of community value. As a Labour and Co-operative MP, I am incredibly passionate about giving power to communities to run things, as they know how they would serve and fit in their areas. That is incredibly powerful, and I would love to see more of that.

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7. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   Absolutely, and I am a big advocate for communities taking over things like leisure centres. In Warrington South, the community is taking over sports pitches as well, because they are better able to access the funding they need, and they know what the demands are in the area and are best placed to support and reinvest in those things. I encourage all local authorities to get behind this incredibly powerful provision. As we have said, the Bill could represent a substantial change in the opportunities available to communities seeking to acquire their local pub. The purpose of the legislation should be to make it easier for residents to save a valued pub, not leave them navigating an unnecessarily complicated set of rules. For Warrington South, that means listening to residents, community groups, publicans and local businesses about what would genuinely help them.

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8. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   It is an incredibly valued and unusual pub, which is very much loved in the community. I would welcome anyone coming along to see it. If we want to understand why pubs and brewing matters to Warrington, we have to look beyond buildings and planning applications to the events that bring people together. One example of that is Warrington Oktoberfest. Last week, I sponsored a barrel at this year’s event.

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9. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

   Heritage Public Houses Bill

   Yes, and it was excellent. Many people know Oktoberfest as a chance to enjoy great beer, live music and time with friends, but Warrington Oktoberfest is much more than that. At its heart, it is a community-led charity event that has brought people together for nearly three decades while raising money for good causes locally and internationally. The festival, held at the local Parr Hall, began with a relatively small gathering of real ale enthusiasts 30 years ago. The idea came from Cliff Houghton, a member of Warrington rotary club who was also a master brewer at a local brewery. Through the commitment of volunteers, that modest initiative grew into a major fixture in Warrington’s calendar, offering a wide range of beers, ciders and entertainment, and opportunities for people to come together. Since the festival’s inception, it has raised more than £350,000 for charity.

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10. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I echo those comments. Our event has been supporting incredible charities in our town such as St Rocco’s hospice and the homelessness charity Room at the Inn, as well as many international charitable projects.

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11. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    Yes, that is a wonderful thing. It is also a great way for the local community to see what is on offer locally that they might not otherwise know about. Our event is organised and hosted by rotary members and volunteers; there is no large paid workforce behind the scenes. Its success depends on people giving their time and energy to support their community. That is something worth celebrating. Warrington rotary will soon mark its centenary, reflecting a century of service to the people of Warrington and beyond. Oktoberfest is a powerful example of that spirit of service in action. The festival illustrates that beer and hospitality are not simply about what is served across the counter; they are about volunteering, local identity, charitable fundraising, entertainment and friendship. It also demonstrates the connection between brewing and the wider community. A brewery supports suppliers, distributors, retailers and pubs. A pub provides a place where those relationships become part of everyday life, and events such as Oktoberfest bring people together and demonstrate how hospitality can support wider charitable and economic activity. The festival also highlights the important distinction that heritage needs to be sustained, not just celebrated. Its success depends on organisers, volunteers, sponsors, customers and a programme that people actually want to attend. A historic pub faces the same basic reality. If we want pubs to remain part of our communities, we must consider how heritage protection fits alongside measures that help businesses trade successfully. The objective should be a living heritage: buildings that are cared for, businesses that can operate, and communities that continue to use and value their local spaces. All that matters because a pub’s survival can depend on the relationship between its rent, turnover and operating costs. If a business faces a period of weaker trading, an inflexible rent review mechanism can make an already difficult situation harder to manage.

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12. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    That is incredibly important. Such measures will make a big difference to businesses, and any little bit of help would be fantastic at this time. I speak a lot to publicans in my constituency about the issue. The fundamental question at the heart of this debate is what exactly we are trying to preserve. If the answer is an architectural asset, the planning and listed buildings systems provide important tools. If the answer is a building with historical significance for its community, local heritage lists and assets of community value provide routes for recognition. If the answer is the opportunity for a community to take ownership of a pub when it is sold, the community right to buy is directly relevant. If the answer is a business that needs to operate on sustainable commercial terms, tenancy rules and wider economic conditions also matter. The answer is often all those things at once, but different problems may require different solutions. A pub can retain its exterior while losing its historic interior; it can retain its architectural character while ceasing to function as a pub; and it can be purchased by a community group and still struggle to cover its costs. Equally, a pub that is not nationally listed may remain a thriving centre of community life for generations. The challenge is to design legislation that recognises those differences, rather than treating every heritage pub as if it faces identical risks. The question is not whether heritage matters—it plainly does; it is how Parliament can best protect it. I want to bring this debate back to the people and places of Warrington South. When we speak about the borough’s brewing heritage, we are discussing a history of work, enterprise and community. When we speak about 4T’s Brewery, we are discussing the continuation of brewing traditions and the entrepreneurial spirit that keeps them alive. When we speak about historic pubs, from the Barlow Mow to the Ferry Tavern, we are discussing buildings that connect us to earlier generations. When we speak about Warrington Oktoberfest, we are discussing volunteers, charities and residents coming together to turn community spirit into practical support for others. Those things deserve attention from Parliament. But the best way to protect them is not necessarily to create the largest possible number of new legal requirements; it is to identify the risks accurately, use existing powers effectively and ensure that any new powers address a genuine gap. It is to support independent brewing and the hospitality businesses that give local products a market and to consider a building’s heritage alongside the economic circumstances that determine whether a business can continue to operate. Warrington has a proud brewing history and its pubs are part of the social and architectural story of our town.

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13. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Sarah Hall

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I suppose I can do that, but Warrington is superior—we know that. [Laughter.] Our heritage deserves to be protected, understood and passed on to each generation. For Warrington South, the stakes are not theoretical. They concern the preservation of our industrial history, the future of our independent brewing and the places where our communities continue to meet. The ultimate measure of success will not be how many pubs we place on a register, but how effectively we protect the heritage that matters, how many communities are given a genuine opportunity to save the places they value, and whether those places can continue to play a living part in our towns and villages.

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14. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Olivia Blake

    Drought Conditions: England

    I thank the Minister for her statement. Despite what the shadow Minister said, this situation is unprecedented: the first time a severe drought has ever been declared in the UK. This is incredibly shocking for what has historically and famously been our wet island. Drought has just been declared in Yorkshire. Consumers in my constituency often raise the issue of leaks with me. How can we ensure that water companies address leaks before asking consumers to reduce their usage?

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15. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matthew Patrick

    Drought Conditions: England

    I thank the Minister for her statement and the actions she is taking. It seems clear that climate change is playing its role, but, in her assessment, what else is contributing to this problem and what long-term steps are the Government taking to ensure that we are building up resilience to deal with the consequences of climate change for all of us?

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16. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    It is an honour to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and Solway (Markus Campbell-Savours) in this important debate. Watford and the surrounding area have a fine history of pubs and brewing. Indeed, the town has been associated with the production of beer, sold widely in the town’s hostelries, for many years. Benskins was the pre-eminent brewery in Watford, and Hertfordshire’s biggest brewer until its acquisition by Ind Coope in 1957. There were many tied houses, and many bore the Benskins name well into the 1990s. In fact, the part of Watford in which I reside has a close association with the Benskins brewery, in terms of housing provision for workers and managers at the brewer’s facilities. For many years, Watford football club, the town’s professional team, were known as the Brewers, and Benskins brewery sponsored the purchase of the club’s Vicarage Road ground, where they have played ever since—earning them the nickname the Brewers. It was subsequently changed to the Hornets, which I suspect had a sting in the tail for the Brewers—perhaps we will never know. The ground was leased to the club at peppercorn rent, and in 2001, the club purchased the ground from Punch Taverns, which had inherited the freehold as part of its acquisition of the Allied Domecq estate. In 2006, the club also purchased the freehold of the Red Lion pub opposite the ground, which remains a favourite watering hole for home fans, with away fans being accommodated at the nearby rebranded Oddfellows—formerly the Oddfellows Arms. In the interests of research and the pursuit of knowledge, I have attended both of those venues and can report that they are convivial, if tightly packed, venues that do the town proud as examples of heritage pubs. Other pubs further away accommodate a mixed fanbase, which generally works well. Although the M1 derby, with local rivals that cannot be named in here—my hon. Friend the Member for Luton South and South Bedfordshire (Rachel Hopkins) is no longer present, or else she could testify to this—can sometimes present a challenge. Returning to Benskins, the old offices, which are a three-story redbrick house in the Georgian neoclassical style, fronted the brewery itself. It was the former home of the Dyson family, built around 1775, with extensions added to the side in 1807. The house was bought in 1867 by Joseph Benskin, and the whole site continued to operate as their brewery until it was acquired by Ind Coope in 1957. Brewing continued in Watford until 1972, with the iconic chimney being demolished in 1977—the year of our late Queen’s jubilee. As a child, I spent that day on a balcony in the borders, ironically, although not deliberately, being sick—something that any novice attendee of our national heritage public houses may too have experienced. In the 1970s, the football club’s matchday programme would always contain an advert for Ind Coope, listing all its pubs and giving the names of mine host as “Mr and Mrs” with their initials and a surname. That is how it was done in those days. In the end, the grade II listed property became the Watford Museum, opened by the Watford-born actor Terry Scott. Thanks to Government funding, the museum is presently being moved to a newer, more modern venue. One of Watford’s multitudinous pubs was eventually named after Joseph Benskin. It was on the corner of Market Street, and these days it is a Gail’s. Less modern, however, is a small window set in the wall dating back around 300 years. It is documented as a surviving part of the original building. Many of the old pubs remain, while some more recently constructed ones have vanished. Watford’s council housing estates generally came equipped with at least one pub. Woodside had the Hammer in Hand and the Hare near Leveret Close, which is now a care home. Meriden still has the Badger. Holywell had the Highwayman, which is now Turpin Court, and in Courtlands Drive was the Beaver, which sadly has not been reintroduced there. I must relay an anecdote where I met the former Member for West Bromwich East in one of these heritage pubs. I was much impressed by the speed with which he was able to consume a pint of the dark brew of the Irish isle while within the Badger. Checking through “The Book of Watford”, compiled and edited by local historian Bob Nunn in 1987, it lists 90 Watford pubs that existed since 1900. Many are now long gone. He dedicates much of the tome to them. The distinctive Oxhey village has retained two pubs in the neat rows of Victorian terraces: the Rifle Volunteer and the nearby Villiers Arms. Sadly, the Haydon Arms—a bit more out of the way—was lost, and the Prince of Wales closed in 1955. Watford’s pubs are and remain social hubs. The Horns at the top of the town is famous for and still offers live music. I have enjoyed the music there many times, and it would be inappropriate of me not to mention a former Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre union mentor, Paul Evans, who I was lucky enough to witness playing at the venue with his band while I nervously awaited a very different impending recall for the birth of my second child. There are many countryside pubs within a short drive or walk of Watford, and in some instances a bus service remains to get people there and back. The Clarendon Arms at Chandlers Cross was a regular pit stop for walkers, and the Cart and Horses at Commonwood, Bucks Hill, was the terminus for many years of London Country’s double deckers on the 318A route, where the conductor would see the driver reverse back to the stop to lay over before the return journey to Watford. I can testify to the delights of the Clarendon Arms. My partner and I, freshly arrived in Hertfordshire’s finest town of Watford, strode our way through Whippendell wood to said hostelry and partook of its thirst-quenching delights. Perhaps less impressively, the return path was far from direct, and the sun was bidding a provocative farewell as we made our way through the snagging snicker of the woods vaguely in the right direction. It was more reminiscent of “An American Werewolf in London” than “The Railway Children”. The Sir Robert Peel was a popular pub in Watford in its own right up until 2006. CAMRA advises that the explanation for its name was its former use as the town’s police station. The Wheatsheaf does not appear to have been a particularly fortunate name for pubs locally. The one in Watford at Bushey Arches became a car showroom. Sarratt, a few miles out of town and still with a bus service, saw its pub of the same name close. There was also a Wheatsheaf in Bovingdon High Street, which has closed. It is important in this debate to namecheck a couple of my constituency’s hostelries. To that end, I mention the One Crown in Watford, which is believed to be one of the oldest pubs. In 1756, Jeremiah Friend was listed as the landlord of the venue, which suggests that is a fact. It is clearly challenging to be able to identify all these examples. I also mention the Swan, which apparently had 17th-century heritage, too. There is also the O’Neill’s, as it is now known, but to most of us it is the Flag.

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17. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    Yes, the legacy of pub names should be celebrated. It is sometimes disappointing to see the generic nature of venues in high streets. We can but hope that the interiors of those pubs continue to be sites of convivial and lively memory that can live on beyond the names. I mentioned that O’Neill’s was formerly known as the Flag. It was originally a hotel to service Watford Junction station, and I must confess to have occasionally made use of its facilities, including once when it provided much-needed sustenance to a delegation from a previous abode of mine in Hammersmith and Fulham. They, too, were delighted to avail themselves of its excellent food and drink. The Railway Arms in Bushey, which has close associations with the railway and those commuters who use it, once provided me with an opportunity to be sounded out about electoral issues in the run-up to the 2015 general election, in which I stood. In that election, I was able to relegate the Liberal Democrat mayor of Watford to third place, as Labour began its ascent back up the polls—a task that I fully intend to better at the next election. The Moon Under Water on the high street is a peculiarity as a heritage public house in that it was opened in 1995, but it has an awareness of its history that far transcends expectations. Many informative items decorate the pub, revealing the history of the town. The pub is run by Wetherspoons and is named after George Orwell’s fantasy pub. Wetherspoons’ website reveals: “In 1536, Richard Morison, the future owner of Cassiobury estate returned to England from his studies in Italy to work for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Thomas Cromwell.” Richard was granted the manor of Cashio in 1546. His wife, Bridget, founded the Bedford almshouses in 1580 to house poor women from Watford, Langley and Chenies. They remain standing to this day, and I was able to enjoy hospitality at them on one of my visits there. Heritage comes in many forms, and it would be negligent not to mention the town’s famous nightclub, Pryzm, which closed a couple of years ago. The club has known many forms, and indeed names, and rather like which Doctor Who one grew up with, it dates residents of the town to an era—for me, it was Paradise Lost. Many patrons would emerge from that nightclub in the early hours of the morning, blinking in the artificial lamppost light, seeking either a kebab or a cab—an act that has now sadly past into history. I have also been able to attend a beer festival in St John’s church, an unlikely but enjoyable setting for the consumption of fine ales. As other hon. Members have said, it is important to remember that even as we pass on, heritage is still being built today. The Mad Squirrel, where I was delighted to take a delegation of SPD members from Watford’s twin town of Mainz in Germany, was a particular favourite. I will close by reflecting that last Saturday I was in the Estcourt Tavern in Watford, which is now run by Steven and Mel, formerly of the Southern Cross, to drown my sorrows following Watford football club’s lamentable defeat. One of the town’s long-established pubs, the refurbishment has been amazing, and I wish them every success with it. That venue was the site of another political interrogation, when I was quizzed about which Miliband I had supported in the Labour party leadership election of 2010—and so began a trajectory that delivered my election to this place.

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18. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    Of course, I would be happy to give an answer: the right one. Figures I have seen show that in 2015 there were over 55,000 pubs, but by 2024 there were a staggering 10,000 fewer, which is sobering thought and a reminder to us all that pub closures did not begin in 2024. Pubs are the focal point for a community—public houses serving the public. I am pleased that the Government have recognised their loss over many years and that this needs to be tackled and addressed.

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19. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    My hon. Friend mentions the new town status of his constituency. I wonder if he shares my thought that it presents a model for how new towns may be able to be rolled out elsewhere in the country.

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20. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    Having been an attendee at that concert in 1996, I wish to ask my hon. Friend whether he is aware that Liam Gallagher also frequented pubs in the neighbourhood where I grew up, and his favourite pint was a Guinness.

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21. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    My hon. Friend mentions that his father, too, was a physician. I wonder whether their opinions differ on whether more healthy benefits are to be derived from lager or bitter, based on their experience?

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22. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Matt Turmaine

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    Has my hon. Friend succeeded in that task?

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23. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Markus Campbell-Savours

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I congratulate the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood) on bringing forward the Bill, and I bow to his superior knowledge of pubs both heritage and modern. I do not doubt how thorough his research methods have been. This is an issue of enormous importance, particularly for rural constituencies such as Penrith and Solway, where the village pub is often much more than simply a business. The Bill would establish local authority registers of heritage public houses, introduce restrictions on their sale, and create additional protections in the planning system. In many of our villages, the pub sits at the heart of community life. It is where neighbours meet, local groups gather, funds are raised for worthy causes, and people maintain the social bonds that hold communities together. The loss of a village pub can be devastating. It can fundamentally change the character of an area and leave a void that is never truly filled. I therefore understand entirely the motivation behind the Bill, and the desire to ensure that valued pubs are not unnecessarily lost. However, I wish to focus my remarks on provisions in the Bill that contain similar principles to the asset of community value framework, particularly the restrictions on sale and the opportunity for community acquisition. As I understand it, under the Bill owners of a registered heritage public house could be subject to a process including a full moratorium period of up to 12 months before a sale can proceed in certain circumstances. My question is a practical one: what happens when a community wishes to buy a pub, has local support and a business plan, but needs time and financial support to complete the purchase?

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24. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Markus Campbell-Savours

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s intervention. My criticisms of the Bill may go beyond this Bill and into some of the existing provisions. The success of these protections will ultimately depend not only on the rights that Parliament creates, but on whether communities can realistically exercise those rights. That brings me to a case in my constituency—hon. Members may be relieved to hear that it is the only pub I will mention in my speech. In the village of Ireby, local residents have spent years attempting to secure the future of Emily’s Black Lion, the last remaining pub serving a rural area of around 15,000 hectares with a population of only a few hundred. The importance of the Black Lion cannot be overstated. Public transport has been withdrawn from the village, there are few remaining public amenities, and the pub supports community events, fundraising for local institutions and the neighbouring, community-owned Globe Hall. For many residents, it is the principal social and community hub.

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25. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Markus Campbell-Savours

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I agree with my hon. Friend. Sometimes we can underestimate the similarities between rural areas and inner cities, where community spaces are limited. I followed the campaign of Emily’s Black Lion for a number of years, including during my time as a parliamentary candidate, when I had the opportunity to visit the Black Lion and meet members of the community group. What struck me then, and continues to impress me today, is that this was never simply a campaign to save a pub; it was a campaign to sustain a community. Local residents spoke of ambitions to develop the pub further as a café, drop-in facility and community hub serving local residents throughout the day. That ambition has only become more important as other services have been lost. During the course of the campaign, Ireby also lost its bus service. In a city, losing a pub may mean walking to the next one—although I welcome what my hon. Friend the Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) has just said—but in a village such as Ireby, losing the last pub can mean losing one of the last places where people regularly come together. When the future of the pub was threatened, local people did exactly what Governments of all colours have encouraged communities to do: they organised. They established a community benefit society, commissioned surveys and valuations, prepared a business plan, achieved the community share standard, launched a community share offer and raised more than £100,000 from around 200 investors, with further pledges available. On a modest estimate, the core volunteers contributed more than 1,300 hours of unpaid work to the project, including more than 800 hours from one individual alone. Think about that for a moment—more than 1,300 volunteer hours from local people who simply wanted to keep their pub alive. Most importantly, they did all of that in good faith. They pursued the route laid before them through the community ownership fund. They incurred costs, undertook surveys, assembled evidence and met every requirement asked of them, then just as they were preparing to submit what they believed was a completed application, the general election was called. The process was interrupted, and the funding scheme was subsequently closed. The Government have since confirmed that the community ownership fund is closed and there will be no further application rounds. This was devastating for the campaign in Ireby. Where are we now? I am not here to referee a dispute between the owner and the community group, nor am I here to put a value on the pub—those are matters for negotiation between the parties involved. However, the position in Ireby illustrates a wider policy question. The community group believes a purchase remains achievable with sufficient support. The owner has expressed concerns about the effect of restrictions and uncertainty on the future marketability of the property. The argument advanced by the owner in Ireby is that restrictions intended to support community ownership may, in some circumstances, discourage other purchasers from coming forward—purchasers who may wish to run a pub and secure the future of the asset. Members may or may not agree with that assessment. My point is that the argument exists. Some may argue that it is irrational, but potential buyers often are not rational. It is an argument that becomes more significant when communities do not have access to the funding required to complete an acquisition. The most effective response is not necessarily fewer protections. It may be better funding, better access to finance and a clearer pathway from community interest to community ownership. The challenge goes beyond this Bill. Parliament has recently strengthened community acquisition rights through the new community right-to-buy provisions in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act. Those reforms extend the moratorium period and create stronger opportunities for communities to acquire valued local assets. I welcome the ambition behind those reforms, which are motivated by many of the same objectives that underpin the Bill before us today. However, I am interested in how Ministers see those rights operating in practice where communities face significant difficulties accessing capital.

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26. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Markus Campbell-Savours

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I will. The Government are hopefully hearing the message that, if there are intentions to open any funds, we sometimes need seed money to develop business cases and feasibility studies, because that is an important part of the process. The concerns I have raised have also been highlighted by CAMRA, which has welcomed stronger community acquisition rights while warning that their effectiveness is reduced in the absence of replacement funding following the closure of the community ownership fund. The experience of the people of Ireby demonstrates precisely that point. The obstacle they have encountered is not a lack of commitment, a lack of organisation, a lack of local support or even a lack of a mechanism by which to do it. The obstacle has been uncertainty around access to capital. If Parliament is prepared to introduce a 12-month moratorium on the sale of heritage public houses, Parliament should also consider how communities are expected to use that opportunity in practice. Time alone does not buy a pub. A right to buy does not buy a pub. Financing buys a pub. I therefore ask Ministers to look again at support for community acquisition of pubs and other vital rural assets. As the Government continue the implementation of the community right to buy, how do they intend to ensure that communities have access to the finance required to exercise those new rights?

    Hansard source
27. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Markus Campbell-Savours

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    As I have already commented, the community in Ireby did a community share offer and have been through that process. Having gone through that process, it made it all the more disappointing that they were unable to access any additional money. But they keep fighting on—and will keep fighting on until they have secured what they need. For isolated rural communities, those pubs are not luxuries; they are infrastructure. At a time when bus services are disappearing in rural areas, village amenities continue to decline and opportunities for social interaction are becoming increasingly limited, the local pub can be among the last remaining public spaces that bind the community together. The people of Ireby have done everything that could reasonably be expected of them: they organised, volunteered, raised the money, built a plan and secured community support. My question to the Minister at the end of my boring speech, if it has not been clear, is, “What comes next?” If we are serious about helping communities save heritage pubs—or any pub—we cannot simply give them more time. We should also ensure that they have a realistic opportunity and funding to succeed.

    Hansard source
28. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    Custard pies!

    Hansard source
29. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Drought Conditions: England

    Not many people know that the Westmorland part of my constituency includes part of the Yorkshire Dales national park, so to see our neighbours in Yorkshire going into drought, and a lot of the rest of the country in severe drought, is very worrying. I welcome the statement about protecting public water supplies. Does the Minister share my disappointment that we continue to see in this House arguments against tackling climate change, which is fundamentally the cause of the drought?

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30. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I thank the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood) for raising the important issue of heritage pubs. I grew up in a small village in north Cumbria. We were lucky enough to have two pubs, both of which I worked in as a teenager—most memorably one Christmas day, when I was presented with a Mrs Santa Claus outfit to wear. As a teenager more interested in heavy metal, I was not very pleased. Those pubs were important community hubs. I feel lucky to be representing the constituency of Morecambe and Lunesdale, which has many more excellent pubs than I could possibly mention in one speech. Before this debate, I went on Facebook to ask my constituents what their favourite heritage pub was. The comments section was absolutely inundated—it was fantastic to see the passion that my constituents have for their locals. Morecambe and Lunesdale has dozens of great public houses, many with beautiful heritage features or important heritage settings. The Old Hall Inn in my town of Heysham is apparently the oldest dwelling in the borough, having been built in 1598. People can go from the Black Bull in Sedbergh to the Royal in Heysham, perhaps via a cheeky pint of Wainwright in the Albion at Arnside, looking across at the lakeland fells. They could even engage in a “west end wobble” in the heart of Morecambe, usually starting at the Exchange, possibly popping into the Constitutional Club and finding their way to the newly opened Prince Albert on Albert Road, which has a fantastic cellar that no one could guess existed from the outside. We are spoilt for choice. I invite any hon. Member here to come on a little pub crawl with me. I maintain that I have the most beautiful constituency in the country. Any visitor to our pubs will get to see every corner of it.

    Hansard source
31. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I have not tried that ale. I wonder whether those of us on the correct side of the Pennines would welcome a Yorkshire pint or not—but I am sure it is delicious. Pubs are vital community assets, whether in Yorkshire, Lancashire or Westmorland. British life often happens over a pint and maybe a bag of Scampi Fries or—even better—a packet of Lancashire crisps. My tenuous claim to fame is that Wainwright Beer is named after my great-great uncle Alfred Wainwright, who was a fell walker and writer. He did enjoy a pint at the end of a walk, although I have to say that his mother, who was a strict teetotaller, would be turning in her grave at the idea of her son having a beer named after him. I have spoken before in this place about the need to have spaces in our community where people can drop by, see a mate, run into people they know or even make new friends. Much as I love the great coffee shops in my constituency like the Salty Bean, or maybe something a bit more traditional like Lewis’s, which has many heritage features, you cannot beat a swift half at the Dispensary at the end of a long week. It is about not just community—I will come back to that—but conserving important architectural and cultural buildings. The Tivoli Bar in Morecambe, which was named after the Tivoli gardens in Copenhagen, closed a few years ago, but I remember the inside of it being stunning. The Tivoli and the Queen’s Hotel in Morecambe could be fantastic assets to our town and examples of heritage buildings being preserved and put to good use; instead, they lie neglected. The Tivoli is owned by Samuel Smith’s Brewery, and despite Morecambe BID and I trying to get it and other absent landlords to engage on how we get more buildings open and working again, unfortunately we did not get any engagement from the brewery when we wrote to it back in February.

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32. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    My hon. Friend puts me on the spot—of course I cannot remember a single example right now, but I know they are everywhere. However, the point he makes about reuse of buildings is really important, and one that I will come back to. While we can keep pubs as pubs, times change and things change, and what is important is to preserve those buildings for the use of the community, whether as a pub or not. I thank the group in his constituency for doing that. The Queen’s Hotel in Morecambe recently changed hands, so I want to wait and see what happens with that, but it sat neglected for a long time. That has a huge impact on how people feel about the town and on the businesses and landlords who make a huge effort to keep their buildings in really good condition; it is not fair that they should have to be next to those eyesores. I want to take a moment to talk about the business community across Morecambe and Lunesdale, and in particular Morecambe BID’s work in the town. I meet local businesses every week, and without doubt they are a key part of what makes a community thrive. We have loads of local businesses who are wedded to the community. They are part of it and do a lot to support it. For example, I recently met Vicki Edwards, who is a breast cancer survivor. She is raising money for CancerCare, a fantastic local charity that supports families affected by cancer. Vicki was supported in her campaign by 14 local pubs. Every venue had a collection box and leaflets on “know your normal”, which is a Breast Cancer Now campaign to help people detect suspected breast and chest cancers earlier. Many of those pubs also ran their own fundraising events for CancerCare. I want to recognise the Morecambe pubs that supported Vicki, which are the Pier Hotel, Soul Bowl, Palatine, the Bull hotel, Fisherman’s Square, the Chieftain Hotel, the Royal Bar and Shaker, the Crown Hotel, Harry’s Bar, the York, O’Nellys, Brittlestar Wine Bar, the Pestle and Mortar and the Hurley Flyer. I think even more pubs might have helped out, but that was the list in my local newspaper, so I am sticking to it. They, as always, showed the best of British businesses. I want to talk about the staff who work in these pubs. Heritage pubs often have narrow staircases and low-levelled cellars. I have worked in many a pub, and met my husband when he was running the Britannia in Lancaster, a Victorian pub that is now a block of flats. Staff in pubs work very hard, often with antisocial hours, and sometimes have to deal with some interesting customers. That is why I am proud that they now have much better employment protections through our Employment Rights Act 2025, in particular the improved sick pay situation and, of course, the increase to the minimum wage. I spent many years working on the minimum wage, and that increase is an absolutely essential part of ensuring that everyone who works hard for a living is rewarded for that. I remember the long hours, the hard work, the occasionally tricky customer, the glasswasher breaking on the busiest day of the week, of course, and the beer delivery being late. But I also remember the joy: not only meeting my husband, but the wider friendships we built, the flatmates above the pub—Stephie, Jay, Jade and Chris—and the late-night chats—definitely not lock-ins; we never did that. I still occasionally pop over to Lancaster and drop into the Gregson centre, which was originally built in 1889 for the community. I worked there twice and, 20 years later, I still see regulars who I used to serve. In fact, one of those regular’s toddler sons—who should, I swear, still be three years old—was recently on “University Challenge”. I am sure that Aliki is very proud of her son. That work history also came in handy when visiting local pubs in my constituency, where they set me up with a pint glass, a real ale pump and a glint in their eye, clearly expecting the local MP to make a right frothy mess of the pint. I particularly remember a visit before the election to the Royal, in Bolton-le-Sands, with my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds West and Pudsey (Rachel Reeves). I have to say, I do pour a better pint than my right hon. Friend, and it is a proper northern pint with a creamy head, too—none of this southern nonsense with no sparkler tap. I am not having that; it is just absolutely wrong. I will turn now to the provisions in the Bill. The Bill obviously has good intent, and I share the desire of the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to protect our heritage pubs and buildings. I mentioned the Tivoli in Morecambe and the Victorian pub where I met my husband now being flats, and they are just two examples. I do have some concerns about certain aspects of the Bill, as I do not want to create more bureaucracy in the planning system. I think one of the great achievements of this Government will be having a planning system that works to protect our assets without being overly complicated and expensive. About 70% of planning authorities in England already have heritage lists, and 11,000 of the listed buildings are pubs or inns, so pubs are already afforded strong protections through the planning system.

    Hansard source
33. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    That is an interesting and important point. I will go on to mention the importance of retaining those additional features when pubs, or any buildings, are renovated. The hon. Gentleman makes an important point there. However, as he knows, proposals to demolish or change the use of pubs already require a planning application, as they are deliberately excluded from relevant permitted development rights. That allows local authorities, through the planning committee, to consider the full impact of the proposals. Local authorities have the power to issue an enforcement notice for a breach of planning control. I appreciate that in the hon. Gentleman’s case, with the Crooked House, that came far too late, and I really do share the despair he must have felt at that happening. We have talked about the heritage lists. Pubs that are formally designated as listed buildings are afforded additional protection, with listed building consent needed to demolish or undertake any works of alteration or extension that affect the listed building’s character or appearance. Failure to obtain listed building consent is, of course, an offence. I just want to say that I thoroughly support local authorities’ fully enforcing all planning consents and building regulations. There is a pub in the area where I was a county councillor that was changed into flats where the developer, frankly, had no respect for the planning process or local people and consistently and flagrantly breached the planning consents he had been given. I would support much stronger powers to prevent people like that from being able to develop in the future.

    Hansard source
34. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. His case reminds me of my visit to a block of flats in Arnside just a couple of weeks ago. The balconies have been deemed unsafe and the developer and property management company are both trying to charge residents a huge amount of money because they have not created a proper sinking fund. They are also dragging their feet on everyday maintenance and safety issues. There is more we could do, although we are bringing in great reforms to things like leasehold and other matters. The principle is that if someone is responsible for something, they should take responsibility and fix the mess they have made, so I support my hon. Friend’s point. Communities can also take measures through the assets of community value scheme, which was introduced by the Government in 2011. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the scheme is run in accordance with the legislation. Rather than adding to the planning regime, it is more important to make sure that we support pubs to thrive through everyday policy. Ask any pub owner and they will talk about rising operating costs, particularly for energy, and changing alcohol consumption habits, which make it harder to make a profit. The Government are taking action on that. I am a member of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, which often speaks about business energy costs. I would like to flag the importance of the clean power 2030 mission to the survival of pubs and other businesses. When we go into pubs, we want them to be nice and warm, which means that they have very high energy costs. The Government are doing important work to decouple the price of electricity from the price of gas, which is set internationally and is damaged by international events. For pubs specifically, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 will ban the use of upwards-only rent review clauses in commercial tenancies. Those clauses have meant that rents can only ever stay the same or rise, regardless of market conditions. Pubs that are signed up to the pubs code already receive that protection, but the ban will extend it to heritage pubs, further increasing support for these important institutions. I was pleased that the Government announced the 20% business rates discount for pubs, clubs and entertainment venues, which has helped to give them some breathing space. I would point out that there are other businesses very similar to pubs, like the Avanti restaurant I visited in Kirkby Lonsdale, whose owner kindly brought together a group of local businesspeople for me to speak with. They would like to see parity on that tax relief. I encourage pubs to check whether they are eligible for the £61 million community right to buy fund rolled out by the Government, which funds people in deprived areas to take over community assets—something my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) talked about. Rather than relying on planning protection, which can be slow, those measures give communities agency over a place and the opportunity to operate those assets successfully. There is also the Pub is The Hub programme, which helps pubs in rural areas like mine to diversify and is backed by £3 million of Government funding. Community ownership and engagement are really important to the Government. They are strengthening them further through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, which will introduce a new community right to buy and give communities real power of ownership. Communities will have the first opportunity to purchase and 12 months to raise funding, which is a significant improvement. Local communities should determine which spaces and places are most important to them. A growing number of local residents across the country are stepping into the gap and saving heritage assets. There are some brilliant groups like that in Morecambe and Lunesdale. I want to give a specific mention to the Save Our Sun campaign in Dent. Dent is a beautiful village nestled in the Yorkshire Dales national park—I have three planning authorities in my constituency, which is always fun. The Save Our Sun campaign has pulled the community together to save the Sun Inn, and I wish to put on record my thanks to the group. They have done a fantastic job, and I was pleased to hear recently that they have progressed a little further.

    Hansard source
35. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and Dent is a prime example of a place where visitors come. My constituency has so many fantastic places for visitors, whether it is the front at Morecambe, which is getting Eden Project Morecambe, beautiful Arnside, which I mentioned earlier, Milnthorpe, Kirkby Lonsdale, the whole Lune valley, or the Yorkshire Dales national park. The businesses that serve our communities all year round also serve visitors. They are fantastic spokespeople for our area, and they also show the quality of our local produce, which is important. I want to know that the provisions in the proposed statutory register would create some meaningful protection, and not add another layer of bureaucracy. I want pubs to be live assets—I spoke earlier about the fact that buildings will change over time. Our heritage and communities are not static things, and from an architectural and heritage point of view it is important that their character is not lost. If something is in its original state, but that original state is mouldering, that is not a good thing, and when preserving those features it is important that any upgrade or renovations are done sympathetically and are in keeping. I recently visited the Royal Oak in Burton in my constituency. It has done a fantastic renovation that is very sympathetic to the original building. I want us to keep our pubs open and running, to preserve those historical buildings for future generations, and to leave it possible for them to have new life when the owners so choose.

    Hansard source
36. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lizzi Collinge

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I draw my hon. Friend’s attention to what has been done in the village of Dent in my constituency, where the community has come together with a community shares approach. The point he is making about the scale of finance needed to buy community assets is really important, and I would like to see the Government provide more support, but there have been some really innovative models across the country, and I would welcome his comments on those.

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37. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Linsey Farnsworth

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I congratulate the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood) on being successful in the private Members’ Bill ballot. Having been fortunate enough to secure a place in the ballot myself in the last Session, I know what a privilege that is, but I also know quite how much work follows. My private Member’s Bill concerned football. Between me and the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, we have managed to cover two of my husband Martin’s favourite things in life: football and pubs. However, two of my favourite things are Amber Valley and its history, so it gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to speak about it today. It is a fact that my political journey to this place started in the Hunters Arms in Kilburn, a village in my constituency, when I agreed to put myself forward to be Labour’s candidate in the general election. It is an honour to represent the people of Amber Valley and to have the opportunity to speak about our heritage today. This Bill centres on the importance of heritage and protecting buildings and places that matter to communities. Whether it is because of the events that took place there, the people connected to them, their architecture or simply because they have stood at the heart of a community for generations, these places help to tell the story of who we are. In supporting the principle behind the Bill, I am conscious that heritage takes many forms. Historic pubs are one important element of our built heritage, but they sit alongside the castles, manor houses, theatres, cinemas, churches and industrial buildings that tell the story of our communities. Amber Valley has no shortage of such places. We are fortunate to be home to Wingfield Manor, one of the most important surviving medieval manor houses in the country. It was built in the 1440s, and it is perhaps best known as one of the places where Mary, Queen of Scots, was held during her imprisonment. Today, the site remains closed to the public, despite enormous local interest in seeing it reopened. That is why I am proud to be working alongside Derbyshire Historic Building Trust, which has successfully secured funding for a feasibility study to explore the future of the site, with the ambition of ultimately acquiring Wingfield Manor and reopening this nationally significant heritage asset to the public. It is an exciting project, and one that I will continue to champion. Likewise, in Somercotes, the magnificent Premier Electric Theatre remains one of the area’s most striking reminders of its cultural history. Built in 1912, it served generations as a theatre, cinema and community venue before falling into disrepair. Today, local residents and Somercotes parish council are working incredibly hard to secure its future. I have been pleased to support those efforts, and I hope to see the building restored as a multi-purpose community venue capable of hosting cinema screenings, theatre productions, live music, a wide range of community events, and maybe even a bar—who knows? It has enormous potential, and it could once again become a real asset for local people. There is also the Hippodrome in Ripley. Opened in 1913, it remains one of the town’s most recognisable landmarks. It was originally a theatre, then a cinema, a bingo hall and, latterly, a bar and nightclub called Tonkers. While much of the building has been converted into flats, the historical frontage still stands. Many residents raise with me their concerns about its condition and their hopes for its future. I share those concerns and hope that in the years ahead, we can find a positive long-term future for this important part of Ripley’s heritage. All those campaigns differ slightly in their details, but they share a common principle with the Bill before us today: communities should have a stronger voice in protecting the places that matter to them. That is why I am particularly supportive of measures that empower local people. Historic pubs already benefit from a range of protections. Demolition or change of use requires planning permission. Listed pubs enjoy additional statutory protections, and local authorities have powers available to them through measures such as local heritage listings and building preservation notices where appropriate. Communities can also act to protect the places that matter to them through the assets of community value regime, which ensures that valued local institutions receive proper consideration before they are lost. Many aspects of this Bill build upon that existing framework and the wider direction of travel established through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. In particular, I welcome the Government’s introduction of the new right to buy. Communities know their local assets best, and it is only right that they are given a meaningful opportunity to step in where an important community asset may otherwise be lost.

    Hansard source
38. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Linsey Farnsworth

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I absolutely agree. That example makes a powerful case for why it is so important to allow and equip our local communities to take community assets back into public use, so that they can celebrate them and enjoy them. Taken together, the measures that I have mentioned recognise an important principle: local people should have a stronger voice in shaping the future of the buildings and institutions that matter most to them. However, the provisions relating to the community right to buy, including the extension of the moratorium period, have yet to come into force. On behalf of the residents of Amber Valley, I would welcome an update from the Minister on when the necessary regulations and guidance will be published. Community groups across Amber Valley are keen to understand how these powers will operate in practice and, crucially, how soon they can make use of them. That is why I welcome the intention behind the Bill. While I support the objective of protecting historic pubs, I think there is a broader point worth making. The significance of a pub is not simply found in the age of its bricks and mortar; it is found in the memories made there, in the conversations held in the bar and in the communities built around it. After all, heritage is not just about buildings; it is about people. When people in Ambergate talk about the Hurt Arms, they are not simply talking about a Victorian inn; they are talking about a place that has formed part of community life for generations. Even its name tells a story, preserving the memory of the Hurt family, whose influence on the area stretches back centuries—although a lesser known story about the name of the pub involves a young me coming up with sillier and sillier names for the pub as we drove past on our way to Matlock Bath for a day out, with “The Sore Legs” being a favourite of mine back in the day. When people in Riddings talk about the Moulders Arms, affectionately known as “The Thack”, they are not simply celebrating its grade II listed status or its distinction as Derbyshire’s only thatched pub; they are celebrating a pub whose very name preserves the memory of the skilled moulders employed at the nearby ironworks at Pye Bridge.

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39. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Linsey Farnsworth

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    As the hon. Gentleman knows, I am supportive of the essence of the Bill. Woe betide anybody who tried to take the Hurt Arms away from the people of Amber Valley. Indeed, when I come to the Pentrich revolution in a moment, the hon. Gentleman will understand why I would never cross the people in my constituency. As I mentioned, the Moulders Arms is preserving the memory of the skilled moulders employed at the nearby ironworks at Pye Bridge, helping to tell the story of the industry that helped to build the modern Amber Valley. Then there is the Seven Stars in Riddings, built on the site of a former chapel and dating back centuries. It later found itself connected to events surrounding England’s last armed uprising, the Pentrich revolution of 1817. Local authorities gathered information and monitored unrest, siting themselves within the pub as the rebellion unfolded nearby. If only the Pentrich Brewing Co., which opened recently, had been around back then, maybe the men would not have gotten as far as to be arrested. Even pub names that have disappeared often linger in local memory. In parts of Amber Valley, residents still instinctively give directions with reference to the Red Admiral in Codnor, despite it becoming the Poet and Castle many years ago. That demonstrates something important: heritage is not simply found in bricks and mortar. Sometimes it survives in memories, in stories and in the names that communities refuse to let go. Of course, not all pubs with community value are centuries old. Indeed, one of my concerns in debates such as this is that we sometimes risk implying that only old pubs are worth protecting or, indeed, that measures brought in with every good intention may stifle progress, particularly with buildings that have already fallen into disrepair. The truth is that today’s community pub is tomorrow’s heritage pub. What matters most is whether it serves its community. Take the Candlemaker in Ripley. The building takes its name from its former life as a candle factory. Fortunately for the business, the owners recognised that people in 2026 have rather less need for candles than their Victorian predecessors. They sensibly concluded that wine and tapas, and bringing more people into Ripley town centre, would probably do more for our local economy than trying to recreate the candle trade. As the business owners proudly put it: “Founded in 1830. Reimagined for 2026.” That strikes me as a rather good description of what successful pubs have always done. They evolve, they adapt and they find new ways of bringing people together. The same can be said for the Groovers Arms in Peasehill near Ripley. Formerly the Beehive, a traditional Victorian pub, it has been transformed into something rather different. The main event now happens not in the Victorian building, which still exists, but in a separate building at the end of the garden, which has been transformed into something beautiful. Through live music, community events and Groovefest, the pub has found new ways of serving local people and attracting visitors into the area. That adaptation, in my submission, should be celebrated, not discouraged. Equally, some pubs thrive precisely because they combine heritage with modern community life. The Dead Poets, a village pub in Holbrook, is a multiple-award-winning pub and the current Derbyshire CAMRA pub of the year. It began life as the Cross Keys, before being extensively restored and reimagined. Today it hosts quizzes, poetry events, festivals and community gatherings, as well as serving exceptional real ale and cider. Its success demonstrates that protecting heritage is not about freezing buildings in time but about ensuring that historic places remain relevant, well used and valued by the communities around them. Newer venues such as Mary Lou’s Smokehouse & Craft Bar in Ripley demonstrate how pubs continue to innovate. From the outside, one might assume that it is a traditional micropub, but once they step inside, they will find a large and vibrant venue with live country music, comedy nights, themed events, food and entertainment alongside its drinks offering. I recently dropped in with some members of Young Labour following a campaign session; I had a quick drink and then left them to enjoy themselves. I am in no position to confirm or deny whether any line dancing took place that evening, Madam Deputy Speaker—you would have to ask them! The same is true of Amber Valley’s growing micropub sector. Whether it is Tom Said in Ripley or the Tip Inn in Loscoe, these smaller venues are proving enormously popular because they offer something that people increasingly value: character, conversation and community. Their buildings may not yet qualify as heritage assets, but they are already becoming community assets. While I support protecting historic pubs where appropriate, we must also focus on helping pubs survive and thrive.

    Hansard source
40. 16 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Linsey Farnsworth

    Heritage Public Houses Bill

    I thank my hon. Friend for her question, but it puts me in somewhat of a delicate position. I love all the pubs in my constituency, and I will probably be tactful and leave my response there. I am very lucky to have such wonderful pubs coming up, including a lot of micropubs, one of which Members will hear more about shortly. We need to focus on helping all pubs survive and thrive. When I met publicans from across Amber Valley earlier this year I found people who were incredibly proud of what they do. They were proud of the jobs that they create and the role that they play in bringing communities together—but I would not describe them as totally optimistic. They spoke candidly about rising costs, changing consumer habits and the pressures facing the sector. Many told me that they were seeing drinking patters shift, as customers increasingly use pubs earlier in the evening and less frequently late at night. They are adapting, as pubs always have, but they want the Government to recognise the challenges they face. I welcome the support that this Government are providing, including introducing community right to buy, which will give communities a genuine opportunity to take ownership of valued local assets, and banning upward-only rent review clauses in commercial tenancies, ending a practice that has too often left businesses facing rent increases, irrespective of wider economic conditions. The Government also announced a 20% reduction in business rate bills next year—a measure expected to save the typical pub around £1,000. None of those measures alone will solve every challenge facing the sector, but together they represent practical support both for pubs and the communities that they serve. If hon. Members are now thinking that Amber Valley appears to have an unusually impressive collection of pubs, I assure them that they are correct, and any Members wishing to verify that claim for themselves would be most welcome to visit. If they do, they will find a warm Derbyshire welcome, a rich industrial and social history, and, I respectfully suggest, some of the finest pubs anywhere in the country—[Interruption.] Members can come and see for themselves! After all, there are far worse ways to learn about the history of a place than spending a day exploring the pubs that have helped to shape it. For those unable to make the journey immediately, there is another opportunity on the horizon. On 3 November, I will have the pleasure of pulling a pint, in Strangers Bar, of Alter Ego’s own brewed cask ale, Mr Brown, produced by the fantastic team at the Tip Inn in Loscoe and selected as Strangers’ guest beer. I do hope that Mr Brown is named after our former Prime Minister; I will have to ask. I hope Members from across the House will give it a try. If they enjoy it, I hope it might encourage them to pay a visit to Amber Valley and experience the real thing for themselves. Ultimately, that brings me back to the Bill before us. I support protecting historic pubs and protecting our heritage, but we should remember that pubs are about far more than the buildings they occupy. The best way to preserve our pub heritage is not simply to prevent demolition or conversion, but to ensure that pubs remain thriving, sustainable and well used parts of community life, because a pub without people is simply a building. It is the community inside that gives it its value, and that is why, while I support the intention of the Bill, I hope we will continue to focus not only on preserving the pubs of the past, but on securing the future of all pubs that bring our communities together.

    Hansard source