‘Heartbreaking’ number of pub closures as cost pressure builds

CITY A.M.

- CITY AM REPORTER

EIGHT pubs a week have permanently closed across the UK during the first half of the year as rising tax and labour costs take their toll, new data reveals.

Industry leaders described the situation as “heartbreaking” and emphasised the urgent need for supportive tax measures from the Treasury in the autumn budget.

Official Government statistics reveal that 209 pubs were either demolished or converted for alternative purposes during the six months leading up to June.

‘The figures, examined by commercial property experts at Ryan, demonstrate that the total number of pubs in England and Wales, including vacant properties available for lease, dropped to 38,780.