The East of England is one of just three regions of the UK to record a decline in pub numbers in the last year as conditions get tougher, according to a study by an accountancy firm.
The region saw a 0.4% fall in pub numbers, with 3,365 pubs in 2022 compared to 3,380 in 2021, according to figures commissioned by Price Bailey.
East Anglia was the only English region to record a year-on-year decline - alongside Wales (down 0.2%) and Northern Ireland (-1.3%). On average there was a 1% rise in pub numbers across the regions.
The longer term picture is bleaker across the board. The East has 645 (or 16.1%) fewer pubs than in 2010, plummeting from 4,010, the figures show.
That mirrors a national decline with pub numbers across all regions. However, the East of England's decline has been more marked than any other English region, and trails only Wales (-25.4%), Northern Ireland (-22.8%) and Scotland (-17.3%) over the same period.
This year, pubs' trading position has become even more acute, experts from Price Bailey warned.
More than half of British pubs (58%) are reporting falling turnover and nearly a third are cutting opening hours due to staff shortages (28.6%), according to its data.
A survey of publicans - some operating across multiple sites - shows 75% are increasing prices to cover energy costs, while 54% and 45% are looking at raising prices to cover increased raw material and labour costs respectively.
Over the past month, 41% have cut staff against just 2% taking on more - and more than twice as many pub landlords are expecting business performance to worsen than improve – 39% compared to 16%.
Head of insolvency Matt Howard said: "Pubs are facing soaring costs coupled with a squeeze on the disposable incomes of patrons.
"The ongoing rail strikes, which hit the pub trade hard during the peak Christmas party period, made it the third year running in which the festive season was disrupted.
"Unlike with Covid, landlords are not being offered compensation for the disruption, and the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme will see many pubs paying substantially more for energy from April. The next few months will be critical for the survival of many pubs."
Price Bailey described the slight upward tick in pub numbers against the backdrop of a longer term decline as "surprising" and "contrary to the prevailing narrative of a sector in long-term decline".
However, while many large pub chains and small independent pubs are continuing to close in significant numbers, new types of pubs are thriving, said Price Bailey, which has offices in Norwich and Newmarket as well as London and elsewhere.
Wetherspoons - the UK’s largest pub chain - recently announced plans to close and sell 39 pubs. But independent craft breweries are branching out. BrewDog recently opened London’s biggest pub at Waterloo station.
"A misleading narrative has taken hold that UK pub numbers are in terminal, irreversible decline," said Mr Howard.
"We are not going to get back to the numbers of pubs we had a decade ago but the decline seems to have bottomed out and we have started to see a modest recovery.
"2023 will be a challenging year for many pubs, which may reverse that fragile recovery."
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