Published Date:
23 June 2009
By Carl Gavaghan
VILLAGE shops and pubs are under threat due to lack of affordable housing, the National Housing Federation warns.
A chronic shortage of affordable housing is plunging traditional village life into terminal decline according to the organisation.
Nationally up to 650 country pubs and 400 village shops will close over the next 12 months according to a coalition of leading campaign groups.
The National Housing Federation has joined forces with the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and the Rural Shops Alliance (RSA) to highlight the alarming number of shops and pubs closing down in rural areas. They are calling for urgent action to halt the demise of the countryside.
Across Britain, the BBPA estimates 54 country pubs could close a month if current trends continued, while the RSA forecasts 33 village shops a month could go out of business.
The federation is calling on local authorities in rural areas to draw up action plans to address the housing needs of their communities.
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Last Updated:
24 June 2009 10:25 AM
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Source:
Whitby Gazette Tuesday
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Location:
Whitby
