A poll of British Bar and Pub Association (BBPA) members showed that 32% of publicans have reduced their trading hours to save on overheads.
Quoted by The Mirror, BBPA boss Emma McClarkin said: “The decision to reduce hours is not one pubs want to make – it is a survival strategy in an unsustainably tough environment."
Pubs are closing as early as 8 pm in some cases, while others are choosing to not open on Monday and Tuesday altogether.
One publican told The Mirror: “Sometimes in the winter mid-week we have no one through the door, but it still costs us £250 to open.
“We can’t afford to pay staff to stand in an empty pub with the heating and lights on and no customers.
“If customers aren’t in the pub by 8.30 or 9 pm we have learned they don’t arrive any later.”
McClarkin called on the government to “act to support pubs to alleviate these pressures and ensure the local remains at the heart of our communities”.
In his Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that the beer duty will be frozen until February 2025, but the BBPA said it was “disappointing” that the Chancellor ignored calls to cut duty, reduce VAT or cap the increase to the business rates multiplier.
According to BBPA data, 530 pubs closed in 2023, and the association – which is supported by owners of over 20,000 pubs – warned another 500 to 600 are likely to close in 2024.
Although overheads are a major concern for the pub industry, drinking trends may also be changing, with people opting to stay home and save money.
Alcohol and tobacco remain some of the most inflation-prone consumer items.
Despite annual consumer price inflation easing to 30-month lows in February, alcohol and tobacco saw prices increase by 11.9%.