Scottish Pub Closures Outpace England by 50% as Sector Seeks Holyrood Support

Ahead of May’s Holyrood election, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) has called for parliamentarians and the next Scottish Government to provide much-needed support for pubs and brewers.

Against a backdrop of alarming figures published today which reveal Scottish pubs are suffering a more than 50% higher closure rate than those in England, the industry body has published ‘Raising a Glass to Growth, Scottish Communities, and Our Planet’ – its manifesto for this Spring’s Scottish Parliamentary election.

While the beer and pub sector supports 65,000 jobs across 4,380 pubs and 151 brewers and contributes £2.3bn to the Scottish economy annually, the sector faces grave challenges, which are contributing to the worrying decline in pub numbers.

Over the past five years 293 Scottish pubs have closed permanently, amounting to 6.4% of all pubs in the country. This compares to 4.1% in England.

The SBPA manifesto outlines a range of practical asks for the next Scottish Government to help ensure beer and pubs remain economically viable and secure the sector’s future for years to come. These include permanently addressing the disproportionate business rates burden facing pubs in the forthcoming independent review of licensed hospitality rates with additional relief until then, support for the growth of Low and No alcohol products, no ban or restrictions on alcohol advertising, and the introduction of a pilot programme for the full reintroduction of safe and moderated consumption of alcohol at football matches.

The manifesto is also urging the next Scottish Government to introduce a directly funded campaign to support continued tourist activity and place pubs and brewing at the centre of Scotland’s tourism offer, which would achieve parity with other “national treasure” industries. To provide the sector with breathing pace, the SBPA is also calling for a moratorium on policies or proposals which layer additional costs on businesses, unless a robust impact assessment and extensive prior engagement with the sector has been conducted.

The Chief Executive of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, Emma McClarkin said:
“This Holyrood election comes at a critical moment for brewers and pubs in Scotland.  Our sector has been battered in recent years by rising operational costs, a growing regulatory burden, and shifting consumer trends, which have together contributed to a deeply concerning trend of pub closures across the country.

“With a Scottish pub closing each week for good, and this rate proportionately far higher than in England, our sector needs more support.  That’s why our manifesto contains a range of practical and sensible asks for the next Scottish Government to adopt. The business rates support provided in the recent Scottish Budget was welcome, however, it falls well short of what is needed for many pubs across Scotland. We are calling on the next Scottish Government to find a permanent solution to Scotland’s disproportionate rates burden, with additional support until then, otherwise more and more pubs will have to shut their doors for good.

“The Scottish Beer and Pub Association and our members stand ready to work constructively with the new cohort of incoming MSPs and the Scottish Government to deliver economic growth, and drive forward a vibrant sector that spans every constituency across Scotland”.