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Press Release

15/02/2019

Déjà-brew as pub closures stay high

For further information, contact the press team on press@camra.org.uk or 01727 337863 

The latest pub closure figures from CAMRA reveal that 14 pubs are closing their doors each week, prompting the real ale consumer’s champion to renew calls for fundamental action to Save Our Pubs.

As the UK prepares to exit the European Union, the Government will have the freedom to reduce Beer Duty specifically in pubs – levelling the playing field between the price of beer sold in social, community settings and cheap supermarket alcohol consumed at home.

This move is one of three key measures CAMRA believes the Government needs to take urgently to halt the tide of pub closures. The Campaign is also calling for full reviews both of the Business Rates System to fix the unfair amount pubs pay, and of currently ineffective legislation designed to enable pub tenants to get a fair deal from their big-business property owners – both moves the Government has promised but is yet to carry out.

The number of pub closures has dropped slightly from a rate of 18 a week last year, thanks in part to CAMRA’s success in achieving new local planning protection for pubs in England. But the figure remains far too high and without swift action, it is unlikely that many of them will ever reopen.

Jackie Parker, CAMRA’s National Chairman said: “Pubs are a very important part of our national culture and are valuable community assets which help to combat loneliness and social isolation. It’s great we have seen a drop in the number of pubs closing, showing that our hard-fought campaign to get planning protection for pubs was worth it.

“Protecting pubs in the English planning system was a necessity and a welcome move from the Government. However, it’s taken nearly two years for the trickle-down effects of the planning changes to show. Our politicians should back the asks of the Save Our Pubs Campaign in full, and show they are squarely behind pubs.”

Pub Closure Report, July-Dec 2018

  • The following report of pub closures is for all pubs, in England, Scotland and Wales and covers pubs known to have closed between the 1st July and the 31st December 2018.

  • It has been compiled using CAMRA’s WhatPub online pub guide, which contains information on about 46,600 pubs currently open in England, Scotland and Wales. This is estimated to represent over 95% of all currently open pubs.

  • Several thousand CAMRA members provide updates on pubs to the 220 CAMRA branches who maintain the WhatPub database. Branches then monitor these pub closures and record the key details including when and why.

  • The total closures are given (permanent closures and non-permanent closures).

  • Non-permanent closures fall into two categories: (1) the pub owner is seeking a new tenant/leaseholder and (2) the reason for the closure is unknown. Note that pubs that close because the pub owner is seeking a new tenant/leaseholder is very rarely a permanent closure, although such closures can last for months, and in rare cases for years.

  • Pubs that close for unknown reasons are considered as non-permanent until a more accurate reason that confirms a permanent closure is identified. Temporary closures, e.g. for refurbishment, are not included in these analyses.

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