We’ve rounded up the number of pubs which have closed their doors permanently during the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic placed extraordinary pressure on pubs and the hospitality sector as national lockdowns forced closures, while demand took a hit as punters chose to stay at home to avoid catching the virus.
Across London there have been 70 closures since the start of the pandemic, including 24 this year.
In the South East, there have been 125 closures since the start of the pandemic, including 15 this year.
Below is a list of the number of pubs which have shut down during the pandemic.
All data found is from real estate advisers Altus Group.
Bexley: Multiple pubs have shut in Bexley during the pandemic, new figures show.
There were 73 pubs in Bexley as of June – down from 75 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.
Bromley: One pub has been shuttered in Bromley during the pandemic, new figures show, as boozers continue to disappear from communities across the country.
There were approximately 100 pubs in Bromley as of June – down from 101 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.
Dartford: One pub has been shuttered in Dartford during the pandemic, new figures show, as boozers continue to disappear from communities across the country.
New data from real estate advisers Altus Group shows there were 48 pubs in Dartford as of June – down from 49 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.
Greenwich: New data reveals five pubs in Greenwich have closed their doors permanently since March 2020.
In Greenwich, there were 101 pubs as of June – down from 106 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.
Lewisham: Pub numbers may be declining across the country, but Lewisham has seen another open since March 2020, new figures show.
New data from real estate advisers Altus Group shows there were 89 pubs in Lewisham as of June – up from 88 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.
Pub numbers across England and Wales have dropped below 40,000 for the first time, with 200 lost between the end of 2021 and the end of June.
This decline started long before the pandemic – nationally 7,000 pubs have been shuttered over the last decade.
Altus Group said these pubs will likely have been demolished or turned into residential and office space.
The figures cover pubs that pay business rates, including those vacant and offered to let.
Research by the British Beer and Pub Association, British Institute of Innkeeping and UKHospitality shows only 37% of hospitality businesses are turning a profit at present.
The rising costs of energy, goods and labour have been blamed for falling profits, and the industry is now calling on the Government to provide more support.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “When pubs are forced to close it’s a huge loss to the local community, and these numbers paint a devastating picture of how pubs are being lost in villages, towns and cities across the country.
“As a sector we have just weathered the hardest two years in memory, and we now face the challenge of extreme rising costs, with only one in three hospitality businesses currently profitable.
“It’s essential that we receive relief to ease these pressures, or we really do risk losing more pubs year on year.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy said: “We understand the challenges that the pubs sector is facing.
“This is why we are supporting pubs across the UK with 50 percent business rates relief, freezing alcohol duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits and increasing the employment allowance.
“This is in addition to the billions in grants and loans offered throughout the pandemic.”
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