Final orders were called at an average of 50 pubs every month in the first half of this year, triggering industry calls for business rates relief.
The number of pubs in England and Wales fell by 305 from last December to 39,096, according to an analysis of official government data by Altus Group, a commercial property intelligence company.
In total, 472 pubs were shut during the financial year to the end of March. This included demolitions and conversions into other uses, such as homes, offices or day nurseries.
The closures have prompted Alex Probyn, the president of property tax at Altus Group, to warn of a “double whammy” of property tax rises for pubs looming next April. “The last thing pubs need is an average