PUB NUMBERS
According to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), the trade body for the pub companies, 289 pubs closed in England and Wales in 2024. They called on the Government to take action, calling for a halt to ‘completely avoidable’ closures, although it is not unknown for their members to be responsible for some of these closures and often then selling the pubs for redevelopment. In particular, the BBPA want the Government to keep to its promise to reform business rates, something that I think we can all agree with, especially as the reduction in the existing relief (from 75% down to 40%) is one of the costs that will increase in April. This also affects breweries. The BBPA consider that the hospitality sector’s annual contribution of £34 billion to the economy and its providing over a million jobs deserves support. Instead, they claim that last autumn’s budget measures will take an additional £650 million out of the industry.
Interestingly, Christie & Co, the specialist hospitality trade estate agents, reported that most of the activity in the pub market came from what they call the ‘tenanted pub companies’, both in selling and buying, and that 88% of pubs sold were for continued use. Christies also predict that what they call the ‘quick service restaurant’ sector will continue to grow. This is something that I have noticed myself from the trade press.
The BBPA’s figures show that London had the most closures, losing one percent of its pubs. These figures do, of course, depend on what criteria are used. Are they, for example, net of new openings? CAMRA’s Greater London region compiles its own statistics from its own reports and those for 2024 are currently being compiled.
BREWERY NUMBERS
The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) also keep statistics in the form of their UK Brewery Tracker. This showed that, in January, there were 100 fewer breweries in the UK than in January 2024 (1,715 compared to 1,815). There were 1,828 at the start of 2023. SIBA ascribe the reduction to increasingly tight margins and ‘legacy’ Covid debt, usually rent. The restrictions on the access to the pub market, permitted by the continued use of the tie by the large pubcos, is also reducing the earning potential of independent brewers. CAMRA continues to urge the Government to act on this issue. It is entirely in their hands. SIBA’s chief executive, Andy Slee, believes that the potential is there, “The consumer appetite for independent beer is high and our indications suggest volumes for independent beer at the end of 2024 were up on 2023.” He also wondered whether more local beer in community pubs would help pub closure rates as well. London now has fewer than 100 independent breweries.
NOISE COMPLAINTS
In the February/March edition I mentioned the problems being experienced by the Sekforde in Clerkenwell. I’m pleased to say that, at the licensing review, the drastic additional conditions proposed by the licensing officers were rejected. Some additional conditions were imposed but, as reported in the Islington Gazette, the pub’s landlord, Harry Smith, said, “I’m feeling like we’re going to be open for another 200 years now, nothing is stopping us. It’s done now, everyone has had their say and it’s been decided. Hopefully we can draw a line under it and move on.” There had been 15 complaints and more than 1,300 messages of support. This is however a recurring issue. Readers will recall the case of the Compton Arms in Canonbury and, more recently, the Globe in the Marylebone Road. The situation needs to be clarified. Hopefully this is something that the Mayor of London’s newly created London Nightlife Task Force will take on board.
ONE STEP BACK…
Readers may remember that, during the pandemic, the Government made certain concessions to the hospitality industry under the Business and Planning Act 2020. One of these was to allow all pubs to make off-sales, irrespective of whether or not they had an off-sales licence and without them needing to apply for a licence variation. This measure certainly helped many pubs to survive and made the lockdowns bearable for many beer drinkers. The Government has however decided that this ‘temporary easement’ is not to be renewed after 31 March this year. This followed a consultation held last summer. The British Beer and Pub Association expressed their regret. The minister responsible said, “We want to make it as simple as possible for those pubs who wish to continue making off-sales to secure the licensing permission to do so from their local authorities. We will consider what further steps may need to be taken through the licensing regime to support our local pubs.” It is hard to see why the distinction needs to be made for pubs. Why not simply allow all pubs to make both ‘on’ and off-sales? Surely it is consumption in unlicensed premises that needs to be controlled.
ROLLING IN THE AISLES
An odd story to finish… One of the German discount supermarkets has won permission to open a bar in its branch in Dundonald in Northern Ireland. It secured planning permission for the venture in 2020 and spent a reported £410,000 on fitting it out. It also secured the transfer of the alcohol licence from a local bar. The owner of a chain of local off-licences then raised an objection on the grounds that there was already a sufficient number of licensed premises in the area. In due course this was rejected by the High Court, with the judge commenting, “The fact that the application is a novel one is not a reason for refusing it.”
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