Number of pubs may reach ‘critically low’ levels with less than 1,000 set to stay

We all love a pint in our local pub after a long week at work, don’t we?

Well, enjoy it while it lasts – as research suggests that Britain may have less than 1,000 pubs by 2074.

The number of pubs in the country has fallen significantly in the last decade – from 41,015 operating in 2013 to the 38,175 with their doors open in 2023.

Covid-19 had a detrimental effect on local businesses which will have contributed to the plummeting number of British boozers.

But with the routine closures of stores and bank branches too, the British high street could become a barren place in years to come.

Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, Kate Nicholls, told the BBC in 2022: ‘The amount of pub closures are truly shocking but will come as no surprise to many in the industry.

‘We need the government to take urgent steps to remove barriers to growth, help tackle the cost crisis we’re facing and support more people into work and training.

‘Without this help, we could see thousands more pubs lost from their communities in the next few years.’

Research by Togather has estimated that around 6.92% of pubs close every year in the UK. If that rate of closure continues, pubgoers in 50 years may find a cold pint a lot more difficult to come by.

In 2023 alone, 769 pub businesses became insolvent, up from the 518 that closed for good in 2022.

That equates to 1.4 pubs closing everyday in 2022, rising to 2.1 in 2023.

Those figures mean that the amount of pubs in Britain will half every single decade.

By 2033, there is expected to be just 18,000 pubs remaining, a mere 9,000 in 2024 and so one and so forth.

But to save the beloved British pub from a dire fate further down the line, industry experts have recommended some solutions which could change their fate.

Experts believe that making a visit to the pub revolve around more than just a pint could help businesses stay afloat.

Offering pop-up food events, partnering with local vendors, and hosting craft beer nights are some of the suggestions put forward.

Pubs are too being advised to embrace local culture by hosting musicians, art shows and creative events to increase footfall.

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