Minimum pricing on alcohol should be introduced to save local traditional pubs says Plaid AM Helen Mary Jones and Myfanwy Davies, Plaid's Parliamentary Candidate for LLanelli.
Myfanwy and Helen Mary want to see the introduction of minimum pricing on alcohol to help traditional pubs in their battle against cheap supermarket offers. As well as helping the troubled pub industry, they believe that raising the price of cheap alcohol would help deter youngsters from binge drinking and reduce crime levels.
Many local landlords have been raising their concerns with Helen Mary and Myfanwy, and the difficulties they’re facing as they fight to compete with the low alcohol prices in supermarkets.
Both Helen Mary and Myfanwy have welcomed recommendations in a recent report by the House of Commons Health Committee to introduce a minimum price for alcohol. Other recommendations included restrictions on advertising visible to children and a ban on alcohol ads on social networking websites.
Plaid’s Helen Mary and Myfanwy will be sending out a questionnaire in the next few weeks to all the pubs within the Llanelli constituency, asking if they’d like to see the introduction of minimum pricing on alcohol.
Plaid‘s Helen Mary Jones said:
"There is very strong evidence from the British Medical Association, amongst others, that introducing a minimum price on alcohol can make a real difference in tackling the binge drinking culture.
The current culture of low prices in supermarkets is also very bad for our community pubs who can’t compete on prices, and who often find themselves in a situation where customers will have had a lot to drink before they arrive at the pub, and then responsible landlords might even be in a position of feeling that they can’t serve them.
We’re going to be surveying all pubs in the Llanelli area to find out their views on a minimum price for alcohol, and other steps that they’d like to see Government in Cardiff or London taking to support their businesses.
The community pub has an important role to play and we’ve lost too many of them in recent years. I want to see what we can do to support the community pubs that we have left here in the Llanelli area, and to help ensure that they have a prosperous future.”
Myfanwy added:
"We are seeing worryingly high levels of alcoholism in Llanelli as people tend to drink more on their own at home and tend to buy much stronger drinks than they would have in the past. It is so easy to buy very cheap vodka and other spirits from supermarkets and the low cost encourages people to drink much more as they 'frontload' or drink before going out for the evening.
Neighbourhood pubs can play a very important role in helping people drink responsibly because they are about more than just drinking. They are places to meet and for older people in particular they offer company and social support.
We know that our neighbourhood pubs are facing a very difficult time and we want to be able to offer them practical help.”
Showing posts with label communities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label communities. Show all posts
Monday, 25 January 2010
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Plaid delight as Hendy Post Office is awarded funding
Local AM Helen Mary Jones and Plaid Cymru’s Parliamentary Candidate for Llanelli, Myfanwy Davies have welcomed the news that Hendy Post Office is one of 75 branches in Wales that have been awarded a total of £1.5m from the Post Office Diversification Fund.
The funding will lead to the equivalent of 57 full time jobs at post offices throughout Wales. This is the second round of funding which is designed to help sub – postmasters and sub – postmistresses diversify and improve their Post Offices. A total of £1.1million for sixty three post offices was announced in July.
The £4.5million fund, which will run for three years and is open to every sub pos office in Wales, aims to help with business and marketing advice, advertising, training and some set-up costs for new services. Funding can also be applied for improvements such as creating better access to buildings, upgrading computer equipment, improving security or providing better signs for the outside of premises.
Twelve Post Offices have been awarded grants of up to £5,000 each for small capital projects such as new air conditioning or security systems and sixty three have been awarded up to £20,000 each for larger capital projects such as renovation, improving access or installing facilities for new services. Thirty four of the Post Offices have also received up to £15,000 in revenue funding which will help employ new staff or increase
Plaid's Helen Mary Jones said:
"I am delighted that the Hendy branch will be benefiting from the funding that has been made available from the Welsh Assembly Government. Post Offices are often the heart in the community, and I know that in Hendy, this is certainly the case. This money will help us to keep branches open and I am delighted that so many post offices in Wales have been able to take advantage of the fund.”
Myfanwy added:
"The extra investment in Hendy post office is a real boost to the community and particularly to people who do not want to travel out of Hendy to shop. The investment package is very important in safeguarding post offices that remain a kept part of community and business life but it is sad that this investment is happening against a backdrop of a post office closure campaign by the London labour Government and the withdrawal of post office services like passport applications and the post office card."
The funding will lead to the equivalent of 57 full time jobs at post offices throughout Wales. This is the second round of funding which is designed to help sub – postmasters and sub – postmistresses diversify and improve their Post Offices. A total of £1.1million for sixty three post offices was announced in July.
The £4.5million fund, which will run for three years and is open to every sub pos office in Wales, aims to help with business and marketing advice, advertising, training and some set-up costs for new services. Funding can also be applied for improvements such as creating better access to buildings, upgrading computer equipment, improving security or providing better signs for the outside of premises.
Twelve Post Offices have been awarded grants of up to £5,000 each for small capital projects such as new air conditioning or security systems and sixty three have been awarded up to £20,000 each for larger capital projects such as renovation, improving access or installing facilities for new services. Thirty four of the Post Offices have also received up to £15,000 in revenue funding which will help employ new staff or increase
Plaid's Helen Mary Jones said:
"I am delighted that the Hendy branch will be benefiting from the funding that has been made available from the Welsh Assembly Government. Post Offices are often the heart in the community, and I know that in Hendy, this is certainly the case. This money will help us to keep branches open and I am delighted that so many post offices in Wales have been able to take advantage of the fund.”
Myfanwy added:
"The extra investment in Hendy post office is a real boost to the community and particularly to people who do not want to travel out of Hendy to shop. The investment package is very important in safeguarding post offices that remain a kept part of community and business life but it is sad that this investment is happening against a backdrop of a post office closure campaign by the London labour Government and the withdrawal of post office services like passport applications and the post office card."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)