The figures, which cover to the end of June 2025, revealed pub numbers were down 209 in six months with 2,283 lost since 2020, according to global tax firm Ryan.
A combination of slashing business rates relief, higher national insurance contributions, rising wage costs and packaging taxes are draining profits, Ryan warned.
When looking at the different regions, the hardest hit area was the south east, losing 31 pubs between December 2024 and the end of June 2025.
The West Midlands saw the next highest number of losses at 27, followed by the north west at 23.
Regional breakdown
However, the area seeing the lowest number was the east at 13 while the north east saw 17 pubs vanish and south west 18.
The year that saw the most losses was 2020, with 446 pubs vanished from their communities, followed by 2021.
In 2022 and 2023, there was the same number of pubs that were lost (386) but last year, this number increased to 412.
| Year ending | Total pubs | Lost that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 40,617 | 446 |
| 2021 | 40,173 | 444 |
| 2022 | 39,787 | 386 |
| 2023 | 39,401 | 386 |
| 2024 | 38,989 | 412 |
Ryan practice leader of property tax (Europe and Asia-Pacific) Alex Probyn warned the squeeze on the pub trade is intensifying.
Draining profits
He said: “Slashing business rates relief for pubs from 75% to 40% this year has landed the sector with an extra £215m 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 use.”
The British Beer & Pub Association called for action from the Government at the Budget later this year.
Chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “It’s absolutely heart-breaking 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.”
This data followed statistics from the latest Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners earlier this month (August), which found independent venues and food-led businesses had borne the brunt of closures so far this year.
It said the number of indie-run and leased or tenanted venues had slipped by 0.1% and 3.3% respectively as they were more exposed to economic problems.
