Six rural pubs close each week, study finds

More than half of English villages have no pub and seven out of 10 do not have a shop, according to a report published yesterday.

The loss of a pub often means that the focal point for the rural community disappears and it leaves a gap in the local economy, according to the document, which was launched by the Prince of Wales in North Yorkshire.

John Longden, the British Beer and Pub Association's property adviser, said: "We estimate that some six rural pubs are closing a week in England and Wales. But landlords must be encouraged to think of themselves as rural retailers, and look at what other services could be provided to support local needs."

Margaret Clark, of the Countryside Agency, said: "Pubs are at the heart of rural communities. Delivering other services, such as the post office and shop, makes sense."

Prince Charles said in his forward to The Pub is the Hub:"Rural communities, and this country's rural way of life, are facing unprecedented challenges. They must draw on their resourcefulness and resilience, built up over centuries, to meet changing circumstances and find new ways to help themselves."