Supermarkets, taxes and pubcos blamed for 'unnacceptable' pub closures

YouGov asked more than 2,000 Brits what they thought was leading to pubs closing – currently at a rate of 21 a week – on behalf of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

A massive 82% said the cost of alcohol in supermarkets compared to pubs was a factor that had a fair, or great, impact on pub closures.

The taxes levied on pubs, including beer duty, VAT and business rates also had a great, or fair, impact on forcing pubs out of business according to 69% of those surveyed.

And almost 78% of people also blamed the high rents and wholesale beer prices charged to tenants by the pub-owning property companies.

CAMRA figures released at the start of the summer showed that the rate of pub closures has slowed from 27 to 21 per week​, but chairman Colin Valentine said the rate of closures was still “alarming and unacceptably high”.

“The survey findings highlight the issues that have driven CAMRA’s campaigning for many years now,” he said.

“We’ve long campaigned for a fairer deal for publicans from the property companies that own their pubs and have seen recent success in the introduction of the pubs code and the appointment of a pubs code adjudicator.

“People clearly agree with us that the level of tax charged on beer and on pubs is too high and needs to be addressed. Again, CAMRA and the beer and pub industry has seen some success in persuading the Government to abolish the beer duty escalator and cut tax over the past few years, but ministers need to go further in supporting the industry.

“Despite these campaign wins, a pint in a local is becoming an unaffordable luxury, driving people away from the safe and social environment of the pub and encouraging them instead to drink cheap alcohol in their homes.

“We’d urge the Government to continue to work to address what people see as the key issues threatening pubs. We’d also urge people to continue to support their local pubs as much as possible.”