MULHOLLAND CALLS FOR BANKS TO START LENDING TO PUBS

1.25.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 17th Jul 2009

Greg Mulholland MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group raised the issue of pubs not receiving credit from banks in a debate on small and medium sized enterprises.

Greg said:

"Pubs are small businesses, they employ people and serve an important role in the community but it seems the government has no plans to offer them the same level of support it offers to other types of small businesses.

Many pubs are viable businesses but they can't get access to the credit or funding they have had in the past, which coupled with the increases in duty is having a bad effect on the industry.

I hope that the government will now take this opportunity to encourage lending from the banks, many of which the government owns a percentage of."