Beer and pubs body calls for end to use of Article 4 directions

The use of Article 4 directions is damaging for pubs and no longer necessary as a result of changes to national planning legislation, the British Beer & Pub Association has said.

In its submission to the London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s Culture and the night-time economy consultation, the BBPA claimed that the imposition of Article 4 on all pubs in an area, as recently seen in Wandsworth, could “create huge inflexibility and additional costs for pubs, many of which are small independent businesses and are often the business owner’s only major asset”.

The Association also described late night levies as “counterproductive”. The focus instead should be on partnership working between councils, police and local businesses, it argued.

The BBPA said it did welcome the ‘agent of change’ principle, which puts the onus on developers when it comes to addressing any issues caused by new residential development next to or above existing pubs.

BBPA Chief Executive, Brigid Simmonds, said: “London has over 3,900 pubs, and the vibrant beer and pub sector adds £3.5 bn to the economy, and provides jobs for 92,000 Londoners, many of whom are young people, so the Mayor’s support for our industry is very welcome.

“Our response highlights the damaging trend of imposing Article 4 directions on pubs, a measure made unnecessary by recent changes in planning law, and our support for BIDs, instead of Late Night Levies.

“London’s pubs would also welcome further support around business rates, as many pubs in the Capital have seen huge rises in their bills. We are calling for full-scale reform of the system, as pubs are paying far more than their fair share.”