Pub closures have increased during the first three months of 2024 to 80 per month, up 51% from Q1 2023, according to analysis of official Government data.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said: “With around 80 pubs closing each month so far this year, we are already in a critical situation. Any incoming government needs to urgently fix business rates, where hospitality faces another cliff edge in April next year with rate increases and relief set to end.
“That’s why UK Hospitality has campaigned so hard for the broken business rates system to be replaced and we’re pleased to see manifesto commitments to doing just that. Progress can easily be made in the first 100 days of a new government, through the introduction of a permanently lower rate for hospitality and other high street businesses,” Nicholls added.
The UK has also seen the loss of independent night-time economy (NTE) venues. Data from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) revealed that numbers fell from 102, 860 in March 2020 to 88, 717 currently.
The NITA are calling on the incoming government to make the sector a priority having, earlier this year, partnered with the Institute of Hospitality (IOH) to launch the #LeaveNoOneBehind campaign which advocated for its membership of businesses ahead of the Spring budget.
