Britain on track to lose one pub a day in 2026 as cost pressures bite

Britain is on track to lose one pub a day in 2026 after almost 300 closed in the first nine months of this year, according to industry data.

The figures come from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), which counted 295 closures between the start of January and the end of September.

The trade body expects the losses to continue at a pace of one pub a day through 2026, reaching an estimated 360 venue closures.

England accounted for the bulk of the closures recorded so far, with 226 pubs closing over the period. Scotland lost 64 pubs, while five closed in Wales.

Within England, the South West was not the hardest hit: the South East recorded 42 closures and the North West 39.

The BBPA believes the closures will cost the industry about 5,000 jobs, with more than half of those roles currently filled by under-25s.

Pub operators have linked the latest raft of closures to the high tax burden and regulatory costs affecting the sector, despite recent business rates discounts for pubs.

The pub sector has benefited from a 15 per cent discount to business rates for the current tax year, with a 20 per cent cut from next year.

Trade industry bosses said recent support will be a significant help but urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to tackle other taxes and labour costs impacting business.

In a statement, Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “When a local closes, the damage is felt far and wide.

“It’s not just workers, communities, our heritage and high streets who lose out when a pub closes – the Treasury loses, on average, £200,000 in tax receipts every time a local calls last orders.

“The Prime Minister has pledged that the cavalry is coming, which is why we’re asking Government to tackle the root of the problem through a permanently fair and sustainable rates burden, freezing beer duty, increasing draught relief and reviewing employment costs for under-25s.

“This will mean we can carry on keeping people in jobs, boosting the economy, and being at the heart of communities.”