“Publicans and their pubs can be the solution to many of the problems faced in rural areas,” says Pub is The Hub chief executive John Longden OBE, responding to a report that reveals the extent of hidden poverty in Britain’s countryside.
The “State of the Art Review on Rural Poverty,” released last month by the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE), challenges the common misconception that poverty is primarily an urban issue. The study, authored by Mark Shucksmith, Emeritus Professor at Newcastle University, and Jane Atterton, Head of the Rural Policy Centre at SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College), reveals a growing crisis in rural areas.
“The loss of rural services is something that has been happening everywhere for many years,” notes Longden. “Pubs and publicans can be the beating heart of these rural areas providing many of these lost services from the village store, community garden, to the library or community café.”
The review highlights how rural communities face multiple challenges, including fuel poverty, higher costs of living, and employment instability. Particularly concerning is the centralisation of job centres, welfare services, and sources of advice, which the report notes has had “damaging impacts” on the wellbeing of the most vulnerable rural residents.
The report says that solutions must combine people-centred and place-based measures. While voluntary organisations have stepped in to support rural areas, many struggle with funding. As the review states: “More support is required for voluntary and community organisations to continue to reach into rural areas and to maintain essential social infrastructure.”
In response to these challenges, rural pubs are increasingly transforming into vital community hubs. “Many pubs can also run activities which help bring people together from craft sessions, to a meeting place for groups, to even hosting advice sessions,” Longden explains. “All these can help overcome social isolation and give people living in rural and remote areas access to the help and companionship they need.”
The economic implications of this transformation are significant. By diversifying their services, rural pubs can create new revenue streams while simultaneously addressing community needs. This includes creating co-working spaces for remote workers, operating as “warm hubs” during winter months, and facilitating essential service access through digital connectivity. Many establishments have already begun hosting welfare advice drop-ins and providing warm spaces for residents struggling with fuel poverty.
The NICRE report and industry response suggest that with proper support and recognition, pubs can help address some of the most pressing challenges facing rural communities. Their traditional role as gathering places makes them ideally positioned to deliver additional services and support.
For pub owners and operators, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. While adapting to serve these expanded community roles requires investment and innovation, it also offers a path to sustainable business models that serve crucial social needs.
The message from both the NICRE report and industry leaders is clear: rural pubs are more than just drinking establishments—they are potential lifelines for communities facing economic and social hardship. As the sector continues to evolve, their role in supporting rural community resilience appears set to grow even further.
This transformation requires support from policymakers and funding bodies to recognise pubs as essential social infrastructure in rural policy frameworks and hep to deliver partnerships between public bodies, voluntary groups, and pub owners. With the right backing, rural pubs, particularly in Scotland where communities often face extreme isolation and higher costs of living, can become central to addressing rural poverty, social isolation, and service challenges.