Pubs over the years: What were the news stories shaping the sector 5, 10, and 15 years ago
We’ve looked back at the biggest stories impacting the pub sector in the month of January, 5, 10 and 15 years ago.
Archives for January 23, 2026
Pub visits rebuild through January as Dry January delays, rather than dents, trade
Pub visits dropped at the start of January but have rebuilt steadily through the month, according to new movement data from Bolt.
OPINION
OPINION: Suppliers must empathise or they will lose an entire sector
Over the Christmas period, one of my pubs faced a nightmare scenario.
THE LOW & NO PROJECT
Pubs must not miss out on alcohol-free wines
Low & no alcohol wines are a category being missed by pubs – mainly through a lack of visibility for the category.
Sales up 4.5% at Shepherd Neame but beer volumes down
Shepherd Neame has reported strong growth across its estate with like-for-like sales up 4.5% for the 26 weeks to 27 December 2025.
From £2.99 to over £5: the pint price shift in a decade
10 years ago this month, The Morning Advertiser reported that one fifth of UK beer drinkers were unwilling to pay more than £2.99 for a pint.
Former operator challenges VOA evidence on pub biz rates methodology
A former multi-site pub operator has accused the Valuation Office Agency of giving a misleading picture of how pub business rates are set, warning the current system effectively taxes turnover rather than property and penalises pubs that rebuild trade.
Tamworth Tap crowned CAMRA POTY for record-breaking third time
Staffordshire pub the Tamworth Tap has taken the title of CAMRA National Pub of the Year (POTY) 2025.