LONDON, England : Amid rising energy prices and worker shortages, research released this week showed that the number of pubs in England and Wales that remain open for business has dropped to a record low, threatening the future of a much-loved British institution.
The post-COVID 19 pandemic demand for goods and services, as well as the Ukraine crisis, has caused inflation in the UK to reach a 40 year high, pushing up fuel and energy bills.
The Atlus Group, a real estate consultancy, said at the end of June the number of pubs in England and Wales was 39,973, some 200 fewer than last year, based on an analysis by the UK tax authority going back to 2005.
Some 7,100 pubs have been lost in the last decade, according to the group.
Altus Group UK President Robert Hayton said that pubs proved remarkably resilient during the pandemic, but they are now facing new headwinds, grappling with the cost of doing business and soaring energy costs, inflationary pressures and tax rises.
British pub operators Mitchells Butlers and Marston's warned in May that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis would hurt the profits of the nation's pubs.
The effects of the COVID 19 epidemic and the UK have kept customers away and deprived the hospitality industry of workers.
The UK's national identity is closely linked to pubs, which are often considered the heart of a community, but they have suffered from a long-term decline due to changing drinking and social habits and other factors, such as lower alcohol prices offered by supermarkets.
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said in an emailed statement that the numbers painted a devastating picture. We need to get relief to deal with these pressures because we don't want to lose more pubs year on year.