London loses highest number of pubs in 2023, says recent report
Covid and Cost-of-living pressures are factors contributing to the loss of pubs in London and the UK.
The pub is one of the most familiar institutions in UK history, however more venues are disappearing every year.
In 2023, more than 500 pubs across the UK, permanently closed their doors and London has experienced the highest figure of pub closures out of any region in England.
According to a recent report by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), 146 London pubs closed last year.
The landlord of the Black Lion pub, Tom Friel says, “It's sad to see that there's hardly any left”.
Zoe Adjey, a senior lecturer at the University of East London revealed that “Pubs aren’t just businesses […] they are at the heart and the centre of communities”.
She added that tourists come to London for a “traditional, London experience” that includes going to a pub and trying a British Ale.
She said, “If that is no longer there, then it will be a “huge loss”.
“54 billion pounds of tax revenue is generated by the hospitality industry, half of which comes from pubs, clubs and restaurants”.
Ms Adjey also mentioned that she’s seen pubs shutting earlier due to a reduced amount of business.
Tom Friel is the owner of the Historic East-London pub, The Black Lion. He is the sixth Landlord of the venue and has owned it for almost 40 years.
The likes of Harry Redknapp and Bobby Moore have frequented the local pub.
He said that when he took the pub at the age of 21, “there were loads of other pubs dotted around”.
He later added, “it’s sad to see that there’s hardly any left”, and that he’s grateful that “The Black Lion survived”.
Mr Friel says that “it’s the local people that make it special […] whether, they’re from here or they’ve just moved to the area, it’s always nice to meet them”.
The previous West Ham stadium was situated in Upton Park, a short distance away from the Black Lion. The football club have since moved to the Queen Elizabeth Park stadium in Stratford. He revealed that he still gets business from Westham fans that come to watch football matches at his venue, but “it’s not as good as previously”.
He hopes that The Black lion keeps “thriving the way it is” as it would be sad if anything happened to it” going forward.
Tom Stainer, the executive director for CAMRA, an organisation that advocates for British pubs, clubs and real ales, has revealed that “pubs are still closing at an alarming number”.
He says it’s because of a change in consumer behaviour where less punters are visiting pubs due to covid and cost-of-living pressures, and also increasing business rates and taxation placed on alcoholic beverages.
He added that “this has made it difficult for licensees to continue running viable businesses.
Mr Stainer told me that “people need to support their local pubs by spending money in them and engaging in the community aspect of this," and that by doing this, they’ll also be supporting the local breweries that supply these pubs, “because and empty pub is going nowhere”.
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