THE pub trade in East Lancashire is undergoing a renaissance, the Government's community pub minister has declared.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry said the pub industry was on the rise again with the emergence of independent micropubs.

He said there were more examples of pubs opening in the last decade than closing in his constituency, and pointed to the examples of the opening of Rawtenstall’s Hop and Casked micropubs last year and Barrels @ Rawtenstall Conservative Club.

The Northern Powerhouse minister made the comments during a visit to The Woolpack in Haslingden, where he announced more than 30 rural communities were set to benefit from new or expanded services such as libraries, shops and post offices, all provided by their local pub.

This came after the Government confirmed a further £70,000 of funding for the group Pub Is The Hub to support its work in encouraging rural pubs to widen their offer beyond food and drink to help them thrive.

During the visit, the Tory MP was questioned on the state of the pub trade locally following the Lancashire Telegraph’s revelation earlier this year that one in five pubs in East Lancashire had closed in the past five years.

Mr Berry, who dismissed the idea the industry was on the downturn, said: “I actually think we are undergoing a revolution in the pub industry.

“On Bank Street in Rawtenstall you only need to look at the Hop and the Barrels which have opened recently.

“It’s showing people that the industry is an exciting place to open a new business.

“The applications for real ale and craft brewing in pubs has never been higher and I think you are seeing more and more people drinking in a bar these days.

“I would say that the pub trade is entering a period of renaissance rather than decline.”

The MP also commented on the potential impact of Brexit on the pub industry. “I think Brexit presents challenges," he said.

“The pub industry naturally has identified there will be a reduction in migrant workers but I also think it will not present as big a challenge in Darwen or Rossendale because the constituency tends to have community-run pubs.”

Star Pubs & Bars2, which owns the Woolpack, has given £30,000 to Pub is The Hub to help licensees diversify and keep their pubs at the heart of their communities.