The number of pubs in England continues to decline significantly. Aerobatic team plane crashes in Turin – five-year-old dead, airport closed

The number of pubs in England and Wales has again fallen sharply due to high costs. In the second quarter, 230 bars closed their doors forever – about 50 percent more than at the beginning of the year.

This is evident from government data that real estate advisor Altus Group has collected and published on Monday. In the first half of the year, a total of 383 cafes were demolished or converted into apartments, offices and kindergartens. That was about two per day and about as many as in all of 2022, when 386 restaurants closed. There were 39,404 pubs in England and Wales at the end of June.

Altus expert Alex Probyn called on Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt to moderate the property tax increase planned for April. The restaurants suffered from high energy costs, low economic growth and high interest rates. “An increase in property taxes of an average of £12,385 next year is the last thing pubs need,” Probyn said.

Higher prices and lower wages

Experts blame higher energy, labor and wholesale prices for the sector’s problems, as well as declining disposable incomes of consumers. Many commuters also stayed away due to rail traffic strikes.

Major chains such as market leader Wetherspoons, which have recently closed dozens of pubs, are just as affected as smaller pubs. According to analyses, there is growth among independent craft beer providers or theme cafes. (sda/dpa)