North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson is urging the government to provide more advice and support for communities wanting to buy their local pub in a bid to stop the growing numbers closing across the country.

“The Save the Pub group, which I am part of, want to look at ways we can support and protect community pubs and I am in favour of anything that does this,” said Mr Tomlinson.

“In particular I want to see tighter measures to stop predatory developers who target profitable pubs and then get retrospective planning permission for houses. This can happen where the pub is the last community facility which is often the case in rural communities.

Mr Tomlinson said there should be support and advice for local communities who want to buy their pub.

The Community Right To Buy scheme forms part of the Localism Bill and gives local groups the legal right to nominate any vital community asset including local shops, pubs, libraries and leisure centres to be assessed for recording on a ‘most wanted’ list by the council. If a listed asset goes on the open market, its sale will be delayed triggering a 'community countdown' that will give people time to prepare their business plan and raise the funds they need to bid.

"Local pubs play a vital role in bringing communities together. The pub industry has faced real challenges recently with so many pubs closing and we should do everything we can to keep local pubs open."