Pubs 'really struggling' as pressures remain

Donna Hetherington said the pub had closed on some days of the week and was "really struggling" to open on others

Pub owners in the South East have said running their businesses has been "horrendous", with many reducing hours to avoid closing permanently.

Landlords have said they are having to find second jobs in order to make ends meet as a downturn in trade in the winter means they cannot afford to open full time.

Six pubs a week closed their doors for good in England and Wales in 2024, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).

A government spokesperson said pubs had a "key role supporting economic growth" and its plan for small businesses was "backing pub owners".

Donna and Waine Hetherington, who run The Dog and Duck in Outwood near Redhill, in Surrey, have closed their pub all day on Mondays and Tuesdays, plus on Wednesday afternoons, due to a lack of trade.

Mr Hetherington, who has run the pub with his wife for the past 10 years, has also been forced to work as a taxi driver to help with money.

Ms Hetherington said: "We are really struggling to open for the rest of the week.

"Weekends are still okay at the moment but they will slip a bit as well."

Waine Hetherington, one of the landlords of The Dog and Duck in Redhill

According to the BBPA, nearly 300 pubs closed across England and Wales in 2024, with the association warning that one pub a day could close in 2025.

It said a third of money spent in pubs is then paid in taxes.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said pubs were finding it "impossible to make a profit which all too often leads to pubs turning off the lights for the last time".

'Hard to keep going'

In Brighton, community pub The Bevy came close to closure in 2023 with fears over financial difficulties.

The pub, which also acts as a community centre offering support to residents in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, has stayed open as a result of a fundraising campaign but chairman Warren Carter said running a pub can still be "horrendous".

He said: "It's really hard to keep going. We rely on people's goodwill and people supporting us financially.

"We need to be cleverer. People don't have as much free income."

Warren Carter, chairman of The Bevy, said running the pub and community centre can be "really hard to keep going".

Peter Whitaker, owner of the Brick Works Freehouse in High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells, said his pub had been "lucky" to have local support.

He added: "It's quite a community area around here, but equally we can all moan about the overheads."

Charlotte Nichols MP, chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pubs, said the establishments were the "heart of the high street" and suggested a reform to the business rates system could help keep them open.

She said: "In communities up and down the country it has been really difficult to get customers through the door when everyone is feeling the pinch."

She said the government should ensure the business rates system was "not only fair to pubs but also reflects the really special status that they have in our communities".

Pubs and other hospitality firms were given a 75% relief in business rates during the Covid-19 pandemic, but this was cut down to 40% in April following a decision in the previous budget.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: "Thriving pubs are at the heart of our communities and have a key role supporting economic growth across the UK.

"That's why we launched a Small Business Plan which is backing pub owners with tailored support alongside new plans to slash red tape, speed up licensing reforms and create a fairer business rates system through our Plan for Change."