The number of pubs in England and Wales has fallen to the lowest number on record.
According to data from a real estate group, the Altus Group, there were just fewer than 40 000 in England and Wales in June 2022. This is 7 000 fewer pubs than in 2012. The number of pubs recorded by the Altus Group is the lowest since 2005, when the survey first began.
The number of pubs had been declining for some time, but in 2019 it seemed that the industry had turned a corner. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant economic catastrophe set the recovery back, with pubs now also facing high energy prices.
‘Whilst pubs proved remarkably resilient during the pandemic, they’re now facing new headwinds grappling with the cost of doing business in a crisis through soaring energy costs, inflationary pressures and tax rises,’ said Robert Hayton, of Altus.
According to figures from the British Institute of Innkeeping and UK Hospitality, just over a third of hospitality businesses in the country are turning a profit at the moment.