Why Darlington's drinkers may save your local pub
Campaigning drinkers from Darlington may have ensured that more local pubs stay open.
If you go down to your local this evening, you might want to raise a glass to drinkers in Darlington who seem to have struck a blow for pub-lovers.
The town's branch of the Campaign for Real Ale has used people power to persuade the Government to act against a legal loophole which has closed hundreds of pubs.
They've been campaigning for years now against the use of "restrictive covenants" by brewers and pub chains.
Campaigners estimate these covenants lead to the closure of between 100 and 120 pubs a year, many unnecessarily.
They are frequently used when pub chains shut one of their properties down. When the building is sold on, the chain inserts the covenant to prevent any new owner reopening it as a pub.
They can do almost anything they like with it - except retain its original use.
The pub chains have used them to restrict competition. So if they own half a dozen pubs in an area, they could shut two, slap covenants on them and ensure that their remaining four keep all the local trade.
It's something which has angered the Campaign for Real Ale for some time. They say it effectively denies communities the chance to retain pubs they value and love.
The branch in Darlington has been particularly concerned about it.
They've seen one pub converted into a guest house and café, another turned into flats, and in a third case a local businessman came close to buying his local before finding out the covenant would prevent him keeping it open.
But last year CAMRA members decided enough was enough enlisted the support of some of their local Lib Dem councillors.
They then took the battle to the council chamber and got cross-party support from their colleagues for a campaign to ban restrictive covenants.
The council then decided to use the Sustainable Communities Act to bring the issue to the attention of the Government.
Under the act, councils can petition ministers on issues which affect the well-being of their community.
Pubs Minister Bob Neill is taking action against restrictive covenants.
Newcastle and Ryedale in North Yorkshire also petitioned about the same issue.
And it does seem the Government is listening.
The pubs minister (doesn't that sound like a great job) Bob Neill has ordered a public consultation to see if the covenants should be outlawed.
It will look at the damage they have done to communities up and down the country.
It fits in with the Government's desire to give people a chance to save vital community assets such as their local pub.
Under the Localism Bill, they'll be able to put their local on a "most wanted" list, giving them time to find ways of keeping it open. Something that would be impossible of course if it has a restrictive covenant placed on it.
There may be some way to go until covenants are banned, nevertheless it's just possible that your pub might just have a brighter future now thanks to Darlington's ale-lovers. Cheers!
I'm Richard Moss, the BBC's Political Editor for the North East and Cumbria. Welcome to my irreverent - but hopefully insightful - northern take on reporting politics for Look North and the Politics Show. 
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