8 Pubs A Week Vanish In England And Wales In 2025 Amid Tax Hikes
Eight pubs a week have ‘vanished’ for good from the communities they once served during the first half of 2025 – the latest blow in a crisis that is reshaping Britain’s social and cultural fabric, according to analysis by global tax firm Ryan.
New figures show the total number of pubs in England and Wales – including those vacant and to let – has plunged to just 38,780 by the end of June 2025, down 209 in six months and a staggering 2,283 lost forever in the past five and a half years.
Pubs which have ‘vanished’ from the communities that they once served have either been demolished and/or converted into other types of use such as homes, offices or even day nurseries.
The South East was hit hardest in the first half of 2025, losing 31 pubs in just six months. London, the North West, and the West Midlands all saw losses of more than 20.
Alex Probyn, Practice Leader of Property Tax at Ryan, warned that the squeeze on the pub trade is intensifying:
“Slashing business rates relief for pubs from 75% to 40% this year has landed the sector with an extra £215 million in tax bills”
For a small pub, that’s a leap in the average bill from £3,938 to £9,451 – a 140% increase.”
“The combination of soaring business rates, higher national insurance contributions, the rising national minimum wage and packaging taxes are all quietly draining profits until staying open becomes impossible. When that happens, developers are quick to snap up the plots for more lucrative uses.” Probyn added.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said the Government needs to act quickly to save pubs across the country.
She said: “It’s absolutely heartbreaking and there is a direct link between pubs closing for good and the huge jump in costs they have just endured.
“Pubs and brewers are important employers, drivers of economic growth, but are also really valuable to local communities across the country and have real social value.
“This is a really sad pattern, and unfortunately a lot of these pubs never come back.
“The Government needs to act at the budget, with major reforms to business rates and beer duty.”
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said:
“The scale of pub closures we are witnessing is devastating for communities across the country. Eight pubs a week – more than 200 in just six months – are disappearing, and this is not only a blow to local economies but to the social fabric of villages, towns and cities. These are places where people come together, where communities are built and memories made – once they are gone, they are gone forever.
It is particularly alarming to see pubs demolished or converted to other uses at such speed. This isn’t just about temporary closures – these venues are being permanently erased, and with them the chance of revival. The sector is being besieged on all sides, from rising taxes and labour costs to planning challenges that are fundamentally weakening the foundations of hospitality and the night time economy.
It is devastating to see the pace of losses ramping up. The Government must pay attention and act decisively. Without urgent, supportive measures in the autumn budget – particularly on tax and planning protections – we risk losing even more of these vital institutions that sit at the heart of our culture and heritage.”
Britain’s disappearing locals
For centuries, the local pub has been a cornerstone of British life – a meeting place, community hub, and source of local employment. But the latest figures show that the rate of decline remains relentless with hundreds more set to disappear.