Latest news with #Kasbarian
Euronews
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
New French law aims to revive village bistros in rural life boost
A new bill that would change an old licencing law has faced opposition from the left over concerns about alcohol consumption. ADVERTISEMENT In an effort to improve business and social settings in rural villages, French MP Guillaume Kasbarian is pushing for a new law that would make it easier to reopen bistros, cafés, and bars. Kasbarian, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's party, Renaissance, hopes to relax the rules surrounding the licence required to sell alcoholic beverages. His proposal passed the National Assembly on Monday with 156 lawmakers in favour and two against. It now requires approval from the Senate to become law. According to local media, the number of traditional village bistros has significantly decreased in the past 60 years in small towns across France. Many rural communities now lack any form of local business, with cafés once serving as hubs for social interaction and community life. In 1960, France had around 200,000 cafés; by 2015, the number had sunk to 36,000. According to a 2017 report by France Boissons industry body and the CREDOC consumer studies agency, the decline mainly affected rural areas. Kasbarian wants to reverse this trend by simplifying access to the type-4 alcohol licence. As things stand, new licences are not issued. Instead, café or bar owners must wait until an existing drinking spot closes and pay €7,500 to purchase the existing permit before undergoing an administrative approval process. Kasbarian's proposed reform would allow villages with less than 3,500 residents to request the permit without having to wait. Supporters argue that the change could revive struggling rural communities, making it easier for entrepreneurs to open businesses and encourage social connections in isolated areas. 'The goal is to bring life back to villages,' Kasbarian told French media. 'In many small towns, there is not a single shop, café, or bistro. Yet, these places are essential for socialising and community engagement.' The proposal has faced resistance from left-wing party La France Insoumise, which argues that it could encourage alcoholism. Kasbarian says that these concerns are misguided, pointing out that 80% of alcohol is sold in supermarkets. 'In villages without bars, people don't stop drinking," he told local media, "they simply consume alcohol at home, without any control. Closing bars and cafés does not fight alcoholism; it's a misleading argument."
Euronews
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
French MP proposes to revive village cafés and bars by easing alcohol permit rules
A new bill that would change an old licencing law has faced opposition from the left over concerns about alcohol consumption. ADVERTISEMENT In an effort to improve business and social settings in rural villages, French MP Guillaume Kasbarian is pushing for a new law that would make it easier to reopen bistros, cafés, and bars. Kasbarian, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's party, Renaissance, hopes to relax the rules surrounding the licence required to sell alcoholic beverages. His proposal passed the National Assembly on Monday with 156 lawmakers in favour and two against. It now requires approval from the Senate to become law. According to local media, the number of traditional village bistros has significantly decreased in the past 60 years in small towns across France. Many rural communities now lack any form of local business, with cafés once serving as hubs for social interaction and community life. In 1960, France had around 200,000 cafés; by 2015, the number had sunk to 36,000. According to a 2017 report by France Boissons industry body and the CREDOC consumer studies agency, the decline mainly affected rural areas. Kasbarian wants to reverse this trend by simplifying access to the type-4 alcohol licence. As things stand, new licences are not issued; instead, café or bar owners must wait until an existing drinking spot closes and pay €7,500 to purchase the existing permit before undergoing an administrative approval process. Kasbarian's proposed reform would allow villages with less than 3,500 residents to request the permit without having to wait. Supporters argue that the change could revive struggling rural communities, making it easier for entrepreneurs to open businesses and encourage social connections in isolated areas. 'The goal is to bring life back to villages,' Kasbarian told French media. 'In many small towns, there is not a single shop, café, or bistro. Yet, these places are essential for socialising and community engagement.' The proposal has faced resistance from left-wing party La France Insoumise, which argues that it could encourage alcoholism. Kasbarian says that these concerns are misguided, pointing out that 80% of alcohol is sold in supermarkets. 'In villages without bars, people don't stop drinking," he told local media, "they simply consume alcohol at home, without any control. Closing bars and cafés does not fight alcoholism; it's a misleading argument."
Local France
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Local France
French MPs mull bill to bring back village bars and cafes
France had some 200,000 cafes in 1960, often serving as the social centre of gravity for communities around the country. By 2015, that number had fallen to just 36,000, with most closures in rural areas, according to a 2017 report from the France Boissons industry body and the CREDOC consumer studies agency. Centrist lawmaker Guillaume Kasbarian has proposed a bill to bring back cafes and bars to remote countryside areas. "Reopening cafes means bringing French villages back to life," Kasbarian said last week, arguing it would reknit social ties, boost local economies and create jobs. Under French law, a Type IV alcohol licence allows consumption of alcoholic beverages, including those containing more than 18 percent alcohol such as spirits. But no new such permit can be created, and aspiring bar managers must often wait until another type-4 bar closes permanently to acquire their licence from them, in what Kasbarian says is a long and complicated process. The new legislation would allow cafe owners in rural municipalities with less than 3,500 inhabitants that do not already have a type-4 bar to request a brand-new permit instead of waiting for an old one to become free. It is difficult to estimate how many villages could benefit from such a law, but 31,000 out of 35,000 rural municipalities have less than 3,500 inhabitants, according to the association of French mayors. Detractors of the bill fear a rise in alcohol consumption in areas where social services to help people fight addiction are not readily available. They have questioned why the law needs to allow the consumption of spirits in villages, and why a Type III licence that allows the selling of beer and wine is not sufficient. Supporters have said the measure is important to draw residents out of isolation, and that hard liquor is available for sale at nearby supermarkets anyway. Alcohol causes 49,000 deaths each year, according to the French health ministry's website.
