Government cuts 'doomed Emmerdale's Woolpack Inn'

It was announced on Wednesday that the pub at Esholt near Bradford, formerly used as a location for the TV soap, will close due to the departure of its tenants.

The pub is tied to Enterprise Inns and it is believed the current tenant, Nichola McGrath, is struggling due to inflated rents and high beer prices.

Mike Benner, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), criticised Government plans to get rid of community-owned pubs announced earlier this month.

He said: "No doubt the tight-knit (albeit fictional) community in Emmerdale would jump at the chance to buy this icon of a pub together, but unfortunately the Government have recently scrapped plans to provide over 4 million to provide support for community owned pubs.

"Without financial support, communities simply cannot afford to keep their pubs afloat."

In March 2010, former pubs minister John Healey announced a 12-point action plan to support community pubs.

As part of this plan, the previous government promised 3.3 million to support community ownership of pubs, administered through the Plunkett Foundation, and a further 1 million to Pub is the Hub.

Mr Healy, who will give the keynote address to Camra's Labour Party conference reception to be held with the All Parliamentary Beer Group in September, said the news of the Woolpack's closure would be a blow to residents in the area.

He said: "We've all got a favourite Woolpack, Rovers Return or Queen Vic that helps bond our communities and the closure of this pub will be sad news to local people.

Local Government minister Grant Shapps said: "We should take no lectures from former Labour ministers who presided over the closure of 3,500 pubs when they were in government.

"Labour hiked taxes on pubs and did nothing to stop unfair loss-leading by supermarkets.

"The only people they helped were the yobs who benefited from the 24-hour licensing laws which fuelled a surge in alcohol-fuelled violence in our high streets.

"Labour must apologise for the harm they did to community pubs across the country.

"The new Coalition Government has scrapped Labour's unfair cider tax, will give local residents a community right-to-buy to save local pubs, will stop unfair selling by supermarkets and is cutting red tape on live music in pubs.

"Pub landlords don't want state handouts. They want a level playing field and less government regulation getting in the way."