"The figures, analysed by property tax specialists Ryan, show the total number of pubs in England and Wales fell to 38,623, down from 38,989 a year earlier. Crucially, these are not temporary closures: the buildings have been repurposed for housing, offices, nurseries, cafés and other commercial uses, meaning they are unlikely ever to return as pubs."
"Nearly 2,000 pubs have disappeared over the past five years, even though the pace of decline has slowed slightly compared with the height of the pandemic. Every region of England and Wales recorded a net loss in 2025, with the East Midlands, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber seeing the largest falls. The closures come against a backdrop of rising operating costs."
""These pubs have closed permanently, not temporarily," he said. "Once a pub is demolished or converted, it almost never comes back. This should serve as a wake-up call.""
England and Wales lost 366 pubs to demolition or conversion in the year to December 2025, averaging one permanent closure per day and reducing the total number to 38,623 from 38,989. Closed pub buildings have been repurposed for housing, offices, nurseries and cafés, making a return to pub use unlikely. Nearly 2,000 pubs have disappeared over five years, and every region recorded net losses, with the biggest falls in the East Midlands, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber. Rising costs, including higher minimum wage and employer national insurance, and an April 2026 business-rate revaluation threaten further pressure despite tapered relief.
Read at Business Matters
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