The number of pubs in the UK has fallen below 39,000 for the first time since records began, as around eight pubs have closed every week in 2024.
Pub numbers in the West Midlands, which includes Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and the West Midlands county, dropped by 53 to 3,904.
The Three Pears in Worcester was one of the 53 after it closed permanently in July, with plans to demolish the building in the pipeline.
Darren Yong has been the landlord of the King Charles House on New Street since May 2022 and understands many of the struggles facing pubs in 2024.
He said: “It is a very complicated thing as there are many elements as to why pubs are struggling.
“One thing that has been mentioned a lot recently is the rise in national insurance and minimum wage increases.
“Pubs cannot directly pass that increase on to the consumer as we do not want to lose them as customers, but most businesses in our industry only make between seven and 10 per cent profit, so it is difficult to pick up the increases as well.”
From April 2025, businesses will pay 1.2% more national insurance, while the living wage for over 21s will rise by 77p and for 18 to 20 year olds will rise by £1.40.
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However, many of the problems landlords face are a result of the situation they find themselves in, Mr Yong explained: “Lots of people go into the industry without the knowledge and the experience it takes to understand the business.
“There are lots of risks involved and the breweries that bring in these operators to run their pubs can often sell them a dream.
“In reality, a lot of breweries can push extra charges on landlords who are tied down to contracts, whereas we are a freehold so we can choose our choice of brewery depending on the price they offer us.
“There are pubs that have had three landlords in the time since we took over, and that shows they have really been struggling.”
Since the start of 2020, the number of pubs in the UK has dropped by more than 2,000, with 412 closing in the last 12 months.
Mr Yong has suggested ways for inexperienced landlords to be supported so less pubs will be put at risk: “If the breweries worked a lot closer with landlords to make it profitable for them, they may be less likely to go into debt and be forced to close.
“It is like most industries, if you are putting everything into something and getting nothing out of it, eventually you will just decide it is not worth it and give up.”
He added: “It takes a lot of time to be a successful pub.
“We have had a fantastic year this year and we’ve had an amazing November and December, but it has taken us two years to get here.”