More than 7,000 pubs lost in the last decade

The number of English and Welsh pubs fell below 40,000 during the first half of 2022, with pub numbers falling by 7,107 in the last 10 years.

Research by real estate adviser Altus Group found that the overall number of pubs in England and Wales liable for business rates, including those vacant and being offered to let, fell to 39,973 at the end of the first half of the year, down 200 compared with 40,173 at the end of 2021.

Altus Group said that, in June 2012, there were 47,080 pubs – 43,590 in England and 3,490 in Wales. It said that those pubs that have ‘disappeared’ have been demolished or converted into homes and offices.

Robert Hayton, UK president at Altus Group, warned “whilst pubs proved remarkably resilient during the pandemic, they’re now facing new headwinds grappling with the cost of doing business crisis through soaring energy costs, inflationary pressures and tax rises”.

Nearly half of UK hospitality businesses are planning to hike their prices this month as soaring costs continue to batter balance sheets, with only around one in three profitable due to rising costs and companies also struggling to access bank loans with many being told the industry was seen as too "high risk" to lend to.

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