There are now fewer pubs in England and Wales than there have ever been since records began. There are now less than 40,000 in all, the first time the number of pubs has ever dropped below that figure.
There are now 7000 fewer than there were just a decade ago. A massive 200 pubs closed down in England and Wales from the end of 2021 up until the end of June this year, taking the total number down to just 39,973 pubs.
The West Midlands saw the biggest drop, losing 28 to closure in only half a year, followed by London and the East of England, which both lost 24 pubs. A huge number of factors leading to the drop in pub numbers are currently in play.
Many simply failed to survive the pandemic, despite valiant efforts undermined by constantly changing rules, the necessity for enhanced hygiene measures, one-way systems and measures like fitting perspex screening. Such overheads and localised lockdowns were ultimately too much for many businesses, despite a suspension of higher VAT rates and other government schemes like Eat Out To Help Out.
In the wake of the pandemic, pubs were then hit with sharp cost of living increases, from food and beer to crippling energy costs and now record-high inflation. Shocking research from the British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping and UKHospitality, shows that just 37% of hospitality businesses are now turning a profit.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “When pubs are forced to close it’s a huge loss to the local community, and these numbers paint a devastating picture of how pubs are being lost in villages, towns and cities across the country.
“As a sector we have just weathered the hardest two years in memory, and we now face the challenge of extreme rising costs, with only one in three hospitality businesses currently profitable. It’s essential that we receive relief to ease these pressures or we really do risk losing more pubs year on year.”
Greater Manchester’s night time economy advisor Sacha Lord told the Manchester Evening News that while Manchester’s hospitality economy is recovering, there are still ‘huge challenges
“Obviously the results out today are disappointing to hear,” he said. “Pubs have long been at the heart of communities and continue to be a hugely important source of social contact, especially in deprived areas. We saw during the Covid pandemic just how hard some communities were hit when their local was closed, leading many to suffer from isolation and loneliness.
"The latest figures show Manchester is recovering well in terms of town and city centre footfall - we're actually one of the strongest city-regions in the UK at present, and we will continue to do all we can to ensure we maintain this momentum.
"It's because of our bounceback that I believe the state the pub industry is currently in is not irreversible. With the right support, I do think the sector can recover, but there are huge challenges we must address first from a national perspective. From easing financial distress and pandemic debt through greater support, to more integrated and inclusive planning regulations to ensure all venues, especially the independents, can benefit from regulations such as outdoor service.
“Lastly, we need to ensure the transport networks across the UK are aiding operators, not hindering them. If a bus or train service is reduced in a rural area, it can have a significant impact on that village's local economy, something that has inevitably led to the closure of many, many pubs and the results we are unfortunately seeing today."
Get the latest What's On news - from food and drink to music and nightlife - straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
