​One In Four Of UK’s Pubs Have Closed Since 2001

Almost a quarter of the UK's pubs have closed since 2001, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The ONS report, Economies of Ale: Small Pubs Close As Chains Focus On Big Bars, stated that more than 13,000 pubs have been lost in the past 17 years, having fallen from 52,500 in 2001 to 38,815 - with many of the smaller, independent venues having suffered the brunt of the decline.

The stats also showed that some areas on the outskirts of major cities had seen pub numbers halve. East London borough Newnham the worst-affected local authority in the country, with 45 pubs down from 105 in 2001, while areas close to Manchester like Bolton and Rochdale had suffered similar fates.

Calling on the government to 'act now to save our pubs from extinction', Tom Stainer, a spokesman for real ale group CAMRA, said: "These shocking new figures show the huge loss that has been felt by communities up and down the country as beloved locals have closed down."

Brigid Simmonds, the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: "Unless more is done to help alleviate the cost pressures pubs face... they will continue to close and jobs will be lost."

While Simmons welcomes the freeze in beer duty, which was announced in the budget last month, she pointed out that it had still risen by 42 percent between 2008 and 2013 - during which time beer sales fell by 24 percent and 5,000 pubs closed.

PA

The report also argued that, while many pubs have been lost, the total turnover of pubs and bars has held up, having remained 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," the report said.

Employment figures also apparently back this up. Jobs in pubs dipped during the economic downturn, but there are now six percent more jobs in pubs and bars than there were in 2008, with the largest increases seen in bigger pubs (those with 10 or more employees).

But CAMRA argued any focus on steady jobs and revenue numbers masked the underlying impact of closures because it "fails to measure the loss of the benefits that local pubs bring to their communities."

"Pubs play a unique role in offering a social environment to enjoy a drink with friends," the group said.

"They help combat isolation and loneliness, and help people feel connected to their community."

Topics: Food, UK News, News, Drink, Pubs, Food And Drink

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

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