East Devon MP Hugo Swire is calling on people to use their local pub more often.

It follows a government review which could boost the numbers of local pubs.

Whitehall is reviewing restrictive covenants, a legal clause that can be used to prevent community pubs reopening as public houses following a sale.

Mr Swire said: “Pubs are hubs of community life, as important to the local social scene as they are to the local economy here in East Devon.

“But time is being called at too many of our ‘locals’, depriving people of treasured places to get together in the community.”

He said the government wanted to give people the power to step in and save community assets.

He said: “By reviewing this restrictive red tape we will enable people to use their collective powers to ensure that their locals remain local and continue to thrive at the heart of every community.

“But I do say, again, people need to support their local pubs by using them. It really is a case of use them or lose them.”