More than 11,000 pubs have closed in the UK in the last decade — a fall of almost a quarter (23%) according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Its analysis shows that it’s small pubs that are disappearing, as larger pub chains consolidate their business around bigger bars.
ONS data shows that the number of UK pubs has fallen from around 50,000 in 2008 to some 39,000 in 2018.
But these figures don’t tell the full story of how the UK pub trade is doing, says the ONS. Although lots of pubs have closed, the total turnover of pubs and bars has held up, remaining flat since 2008, once inflation is taken into account.
The remaining pubs and bars appear to have soaked up the custom from those pubs that have closed down.
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Pubs face a number of cost pressures, from high taxes in the form of beer duty, VAT and business rates, to wage increases and food inflation. This means they are under increasing financial pressure from every angle, which is driving closures.
“Unless more is done to help alleviate the cost pressures pubs face, however, they will continue to close and jobs will be lost. Under the beer duty escalator alone (2008-2013), beer tax rose by 42%. During that time beer sales fell by 24% in pubs. This caused 5,000 pubs to close.”
• To read the full ONS report, click here
