The Chancellor of the Exchequer made her Spring Statement on the day that our previous edition was published. Despite intense lobbying by the trade, especially over the increase in Employer’s National Insurance, no changes were made to the measures announced in last November’s budget. By the time you read this, the predicted price increases will be working their way through. It is inevitable that pub operators will need to increase prices (Stonegate have already put the cost of beer to their ‘pub partners’ by 4%) but I’m sure that they will be aware that the restrictions on their customers’ disposable incomes are also becoming tighter. It’s a difficult balance but they need to get it right. It would be nice if the bigger pub companies would consider limiting dividends and bonuses for a while to keep down the price of the beer that they sell. After all, we are all supposed to be in this together. I’m not however holding my breath.
According to the business minister, Gareth Thomas, the government is sympathetic to the plight of struggling pubs and he gave an assurance that there was ‘discussion across government’ about help for the sector but, whatever this might be, the damage might have already set in. CAMRA’s figures, compiled by its members on the ground, show that 303 pubs closed in the first three months of 2025. This covers England, Scotland and Wales.
Although there will be exceptions, these days there cannot be much money to be made running a pub, especially an independent one, and let’s not forget the managers for pubcos, many of whose pay is linked to turnover. It must require a certain amount of dedication to continue as a publican and I pay my respects accordingly. Similarly, some pubs – both independent and pubco operated – may reduce staff numbers to reduce their NI liability. Please be patient and avoid taking out your frustration at any delay in being served on those staff that remain.
As reported in this and our previous edition, there are signs of hope with the reopening of a number of long closed pubs. It is important to remember that, when a pub closes, it is the business that fails, not necessarily the pub itself. If a pub is redeveloped or undergoes a significant change of use then it is lost for ever. This is where you can help. These events require planning permission. Please object to those applications.
If you are a CAMRA member, please sign up to your local branch’s newsletters (see page 10). They will alert you to such cases. You will not be bombarded with adverts, promise.
Tony Hedger