CHEERS! Glasses are being raised at news the Government has closed a loophole to protect pubs being turned into shops without planning permission.

The announcement is a victory for The Press’s Be Vocal For Your Local campaign which we launched three years ago demanding changes to the planning laws to give residents a voice on under-threat premises.

Under existing rules, companies hoping to take over pubs and turn them into convenience stores, bookmakers or estate agents do not have to apply for planning permission. But under these changes, communities will earn the chance to fight against any plans to demolish or refurbish their local pub and turn it into a retail space.

CAMRA – the Campaign For Real Ale – is celebrating the news too. It says current rules made pubs a “soft target” for developers, leading to 21 pub closures a week.

It’s the second round of good news for our beleaguered pub industry – earlier this month, the Government announced that most English pubs would receive a £1,000 discount in their business rates.

The stricter rules won’t stop pubs being turned into the likes of mini-marts, but will guarantee local folk a say in what happens to a community asset.

Hopefully it will mean that vibrant and popular pubs will not be lost to retail development against the wishes of regulars.

Of course, pubs are businesses that must remain viable. They rely on us all to keep them going. So here’s a toast: use them, or lose them.