Pub Closures Hit One A Day Across England And Wales In 2025

England and Wales saw an average of one pub close permanently every single day in 2025, with the hospitality sector continuing to grapple with mounting cost pressures.

New analysis of government data reveals that 366 pubs were demolished or converted to alternative uses over the year to December — pushing the total number of pubs (including those vacant or being offered to let) down to 38,623, from 38,989 a year earlier.

Tax specialists at Ryan, who analysed the figures, stressed that these were permanent losses. Many of the former pub buildings have been repurposed as housing, offices, nurseries or cafés, making a return to pub use highly unlikely.

Industry experts and pub bodies say the declines highlight deep-seated challenges, with business and labour costs playing a central role. Pubs faced higher national minimum wage and national insurance contributions this year, and many are bracing for further financial strain when business rates are recalculated from April 2026 — a move expected to push tax bills higher even with tapered relief in place.

Every region of England and Wales recorded a net drop in pub numbers in 2025, with the East Midlands, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber among those hit hardest.

The British Beer and Pub Association has warned that each closure represents not just a business loss but a blow to the local community social fabric, calling for pub-specific business rates relief to help stem further declines.

While the pace of closures has eased slightly compared with the peak of pandemic-era losses, the long-term downward trend shows nearly 2,000 fewer pubs over the past five years — a stark reminder of the pressures reshaping Britain’s hospitality landscape.