'Energy bills are decimating our sector' as pub closures up 60% since beginning of the year
manchestereveningnews.co.ukMore than 150 pubs have closed down permanently since the beginning of the year, according to new data, as business utility bills rocket following the end of the government cap on energy prices.
One industry association has noted the ‘extortionate costs’ facing the sector, adding that more pubs are now closing than during the pandemic.
153 pubs closed between January and March, while 386 closed during the whole of last year, according to figures from commercial property data firm the Altus Group. Read more: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community The British Beer and Pub Association has said that the average annual energy bill for pubs this year will rise by a staggering £18,400.
Meanwhile, cases of pubs being demolished or redeveloped have risen by 60%. Emma McClarkin Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said: “Energy bills are decimating our sector with extortionate costs wiping out profits and closing pubs at a faster rate than the pandemic.
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