Campaigning for Fairness: How Barnsley CAMRA Is Challenging Barnsley Council’s Street Trading Policy

As Chair of Barnsley CAMRA, I have always believed that our role goes far beyond celebrating great beer. We exist to protect pubs, clubs, breweries, and the wider hospitality ecosystem that makes Barnsley such a vibrant place to live. Over the past year, that mission has taken on a new urgency as we have confronted one of the most damaging local policy decisions in recent memory: Barnsley Council’s current Street Trading Policy.

This policy—introduced without meaningful consultation with the hospitality sector—is having a devastating impact on pubs, clubs, breweries, and the independent businesses that rely on them. As a branch, we have made it our responsibility to challenge this unfair system, raise public awareness, and push for a fairer, more proportionate approach.

Why the Street Trading Policy Matters

At first glance, “street trading” might sound like an issue limited to market stalls or mobile vendors. In reality, the Council’s policy has created a regulatory environment that directly harms:

• Pubs hosting outdoor events
• Breweries running taproom days
• Clubs organising community activities
• Local festivals and charity fundraisers
• Independent traders who support hospitality venues

Under the current rules, venues and event organisers face excessive fees, unclear criteria, and bureaucratic hurdles that make it harder—and in some cases impossible—to run the kind of events that bring people into our towns and villages. These events are not luxuries; they are lifelines for businesses already battling rising costs, staffing pressures, and the long-term effects of the pandemic.

What Barnsley CAMRA Has Done

1. Raising the Alarm Publicly

We have spoken out clearly and consistently about the consequences of the policy, highlighting:
• The financial strain placed on small venues
• The chilling effect on community events
• The risk to Barnsley’s cultural and social fabric

Our message has been simple: a policy that harms pubs harms communities.

2. Engaging Directly With Barnsley Council

We have formally challenged the policy through:
• Written submissions
• Meetings with councillors and officers
• Requests for transparency around decision-making
• Evidence-based arguments showing the disproportionate impact on hospitality

We have made it clear that CAMRA is not opposed to regulation—only to regulation that is unfair, unclear, or counterproductive.

3. Supporting Affected Venues

Many pubs, clubs, and breweries have approached us for help. We have:
• Provided guidance on navigating the policy
• Amplified their concerns
• Connected them with councillors and local representatives
• Ensured their voices are heard in the debate

This is grassroots campaigning at its best: standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the people who keep Barnsley’s beer culture alive.

4. Mobilising the Community

We have encouraged members and the wider public to:
• Contact their councillors
• Share their experiences
• Support local venues facing new barriers

The response has been overwhelming, proving that Barnsley residents care deeply about their pubs and breweries.

Why This Campaign Matters for Barnsley’s Future

Pubs and breweries are more than businesses. They are:
• Community hubs
• Cultural landmarks
• Employers and economic drivers
• Spaces of connection and belonging

A policy that undermines them undermines Barnsley itself.

Our campaign is not about politics—it is about fairness, common sense, and protecting the places that make our borough special. We want a policy that:
• Supports local enterprise
• Encourages community events
• Is proportionate and transparent
• Recognises the unique role of pubs and breweries

We believe this is achievable, and we will continue pushing until it is delivered.

What Happens Next Barnsley CAMRA will continue to:
• Challenge the policy through every available channel
• Work with councillors who share our concerns

• Support venues affected by the current rules • Keep the public informed and engaged
• Advocate for a revised policy that works with hospitality, not against it

This is a long-term campaign, but we are committed to seeing it through.

A Final Word
As Chair, I am incredibly proud of the determination shown by our branch and our members. We have stood up for what is right, spoken truth to power, and refused to accept a policy that damages the very heart of our community.

Our message remains clear: Barnsley deserves a fair, supportive, and forward-thinking approach to street trading—one that protects pubs, clubs, breweries, and the people who rely on them.

We will not stop until that goal is achieved.

Phil Gregg, Branch Chairman