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BRIEFING PAPER

Number 8591, 28 May 2020

Pub Statistics By Niamh Foley

Contents: Summary 1. Introduction 2. Pub numbers in the UK 3. Region and country data 4. Employment in pubs and bars 5. Annex: data on public house

numbers

2 Pub Statistics

Contents Summary 3

1. Introduction 4 An increase in pubs and bars in 2019 4

2. Pub numbers in the UK 5 2.1 Public houses, 1990 to 2018 5 2.2 UK pubs per 100,000 people 6 2.3 Ownership of UK public houses 7 2.4 Number of pubs by employment size 8

3. Region and country data 11 3.1 Number of pubs per country and region 11 3.2 Pubs per head: region and country data 11 3.3 Change in the number of pubs by region and country 12

2018 to 2019 12 2001 to 2019 13

4. Employment in pubs and bars 14 4.1 Total employment 14 4.2 Employment by size of pub 14 4.3 Employment in pubs and bars by region and country 15 4.4 Change in employment in pubs and bars: regional and country data 16 4.5 Type of employees in pubs and bars 16

5. Annex: data on public house numbers 18 5.1 Pubs per 100,000 people in the UK, region and countries data 18 5.2 Employment in pubs and bars by region and country 2001 to 2018 19

3 Commons Library Briefing, 28 May 2020

Summary

Impact of Covid-19 (coronavirus)

The statistics in this briefing paper do not show the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Public houses and bars are one of the businesses required to close to the public under the government’s lockdown measures in order to reduce social contact. The most up-to-date information on this can be found on the Gov.uk page Closing certain businesses and venues in England

According to the ONS Business Impact Survey, during the period 20 April-3 May 2020, 78% of businesses in the accommodation and food sector had temporarily closed or temporarily paused trading. Of these businesses, 93% of the workforce in the had been furloughed.

In 2018, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), there were 47,600 public houses in the UK. 22,740 of these pubs were independent, 14,260 are owned by Pub Companies, and 10,600 were owned by breweries.

The number of pubs has been decreasing steadily for several decades. From 2000 to 2018, pub numbers have declined by 13,200, or 22%. More recently, 2011 to 2018 saw pub numbers fall by 13%.

Recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) data indicated that the number of pubs in the UK increased in the year to 2019, although not all areas saw an increase. From 2018 to 2019, the North East had the largest rise in pub and bar numbers, with a 5% increase, whilst Wales saw a 1% fall.

In 2019, there were 59 pubs per 100,000 people in the UK. Regionally, there was some variation. London had 40 pubs for every 100,000 people, whilst the South West had 76 pubs per 100,000 people.

The ONS has partially attributed the recent (small) rise in pub and bar numbers to changing consumer habits. This is indicated by data showing the proportion of staff serving food in pubs have outnumbered those working behind the bar, since 2014.

Cover page image copyright Salisbury by Falco from Pixabay, image cropped

4 Pub Statistics

1. Introduction Public houses, or pubs, are an important part of the UK; they improve community engagement and are the third most popular activity for tourists.1 However, pub numbers in the UK have been in steady decline.

Organisations such as the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have been monitoring pub closures for some time. BBPA have estimated 37.5 pubs closed per week, between 2016 and 2017.

A 2014 report by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) found that the fall in pub numbers was due to: 2

• Regulations such as the 2007 Smoking Ban (Part 1 of the Health Act 2006). This made enclosed public places and workplaces in England smoke free from 1 July 2007.

• Economic factors such as the 2008 recession.

• Increased taxation. Further information on alcohol taxation can be found in the House of Commons Briefing Paper, Alcohol taxation and the pub trade.

• Reduced alcohol consumption. Studies show increasing numbers of 16 to 24 year olds are choosing not to drink alcohol.3 Further information can be found in the House of Commons Library Briefing Paper, Alcohol Statistics.

An increase in pubs and bars in 2019 Recent data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in Economies of Ale shows the first net increase in the number of pubs and bars since 2009. In March 2019, there were 320 more pubs and bars than the year before, bringing the UK total to 39,145.4

The ONS has suggested that the recent slight rise in pub and bar numbers has been mostly driven by ‘changing consumer habits,’ such as increased food sales.

The BBPA, however, has warned people to be cautious of the statistics. BBPA data, which differs from the ONS data, is collected via a census of its members, and suggests that the number of pubs is still falling, although more gradually. The latest BBPA data is for 2018.

1 ‘The classic British pub is trying to survive challenging times’, Time, 4 May 2018 (accessed 30 May 2019) 2 ‘Closing Time: Who’s killing the British pub?’, Institute of Economic Affairs, 10 December 2014 (accessed

30 May 2019) 3 ‘More than a quarter of young adults in the UK do not drink alcohol’, The Guardian [online], 6 May 2017

(Accessed 30 May 2019) 4 This number differs from BBPA data due to different data collection methods

5 Commons Library Briefing, 28 May 2020

2. Pub numbers in the UK

2.1 Public houses, 1990 to 2018 The chart below shows the number of public houses in the UK from 1990-2018. The data is published in the 2019 British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) Handbook.5 The data for the following graph is available in section 2.3 of this paper.

In 2018, there were 47,600 pubs in the UK, 15,900 fewer than in 1990, a decline of 25%. There was a small decrease in the number of pubs between 1990 and 2000, with 4% of pubs closing. The number of pubs started to decline more steeply from 2001. Between 2001 and 2017, the number of pubs fell by 22%.

Source: BBPA 2019 Table E5

5 ‘Table E5- Ownership of public houses in the UK’, British Beer and Pub Association Statistical Handbook

2018, August 2019, p68

64 62 62 61 61 61 61 61 61 62 61 61 60 59 59 59 58 58 57 56 55 55 54 53 52 51 50 48 48

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Ownership of Public Houses in the UK1990-2017Number of public houses in the UK

Thousands, 1990 to 2018

Box 1: Sources of Data

This briefing paper uses several sources for information on the number of public houses in the UK: • British Beer and Pub Statistical Handbook (BBPA), previously published as Beer and

Licensed Retailers Association Statistical Handbook (BLRA) and before that as The Brewers Society Limited Statistical Handbook (BSL): For historical and national statistics, this paper uses data from the BBPA Statistical Handbook, and predecessor publications. The data in these publications is based on a census of all the members of the BBPA, which includes most independent pubs, breweries, and Pub Companies in the UK.

• Office for National Statistics (ONS): For regional data, this briefing paper uses information from the ONS. This data is based on VAT and PAYE returns from businesses, via the NOMIS database (UK Business Counts- local units) using the Beverage Serving Activities in public houses and bars (Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 56.30/2). The ONS, via the NOMIS database, was also the data source for population estimates, used in the data presented here on pubs per person, as well as for the employment data. The ONS summarises their pub data in Economies of Ale, a blog article published on 16 January 2020.

Although these sources generally correspond, they use different methodologies and definitions in producing their data, and so should be compared with caution.

6 Pub Statistics

2.2 UK pubs per 100,000 people The chart below shows the number of pubs per 100,000 people in the UK, from 1990 to 2018.

In 2018, there were 72 pubs per 100,000 people.

Between 1990 and 2018, the number of pubs per 100,000 people decreased by 39 pubs. From 2001 to 2018, the number fell by 31 pubs per 100,000.

As well as falling pub numbers, this period has seen the UK population increase. Between 1990 and 2018, it is estimated the UK population rose by around 16%.6

Source: BBPA 2019 Table E5, & ONS population estimates via NOMIS

6 ONS, United Kingdom population mid-year estimate, 26 June 2019

111 108 107 106 105 105 105 104 104 105 103 103 101 100 98 97 96 94 92 90 88 86 84 82 80 78 7773 72

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

UK public houses per 100,000 people1990 to 2018

7 Commons Library Briefing, 28 May 2020

2.3 Ownership of UK public houses There are three main types of ownership of public houses in the UK: Breweries; Pub Companies; and Independent.

The chart below shows how pub ownership has changed from 1990 to 2018. Pub Companies (PubCos) emerge in 1991 as a consequence of a new government policy in 1989: The Beer Orders. The Beer Orders limited the number of pubs a brewery could own to 2,000. The Orders were designed to encourage competition in the pub sector.7

In 2018, Brewers owned 22% of pubs, PubCos owned 30%, and 48% of pubs were independently owned. In 1990, breweries owned 69% of pubs, and 31% of pubs were independently owned.

Source: BBPA 2019 Table E5

The data overleaf shows that all areas of pub ownership have decreased by varying rates, other than independently owned pubs.

From 2000 to 2018, the number of independently owned pubs has increased by 18%. However, from the highest count in 2012, there was a decline of 8% by 2018.

Breweries had to be fully compliant with The Beer Orders by 1992. From 1992 to 2018, the number of pubs owned by breweries decreased by 59%.

7 Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Development of the UK Market for Beer 1989-2004, 21

December 2004, HC 128-II 2004-05

0

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30

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70

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Ownership of UK Public Houses1990-2017Ownership of UK public housesThousands, 1990 to 2018

Independent

PubCos

Breweries

8 Pub Statistics

Source: BBPA 2019 Table E5

2.4 Number of pubs by employment size The following data is from the ONS, based on VAT and PAYE returns from businesses, via the NOMIS database (UK Business Counts- local units). Data released by the ONS shows the number of pubs in 2019. Because of the different methods of data collection, this data differs from the BBPA. For more information on this, please see box 1 in section 2.1 of this paper.

ONS data shows the number of pubs in the UK has increased by 320 from March 2018 to March 2019, which is the first time there has been an increase in over a decade.8

8 ONS, Economies of Ale, 16 January 2020

1990 43,500 20,000* 63,5001991 29,500 12,700 20,000* 62,2001992 25,700 15,900 20,000* 61,6001993 26,200 14,800 20,000* 61,0001994 26,000 14,700 20,000* 60,7001995 22,200 18,800 20,000* 61,0001996 22,300 18,500 20,000* 60,8001997 21,900 18,900 19,800 60,6001998 19,700 21,700 19,600 61,0001999 20,400 21,700 19,400 61,5002000 11,200 30,400 19,200 60,8002001 10,100 31,600 19,000 60,7002002 9,800 31,500 18,800 60,1002003 8,300 32,500 18,600 59,4002004 8,900 31,700 18,400 59,0002005 9,400 31,000 18,200 58,6002006 9,400 30,400 18,400 58,2002007 9,400 30,000 18,100 57,5002008 9,100 28,900 18,900 56,9002009 8,900 28,400 18,600 55,9002010 8,700 24,200 22,500 55,4002011 8,500 22,800 23,400 54,7002012 9,300 19,800 24,700 53,8002013 9,300 19,000 24,200 52,5002014 9,800 17,500 24,600 51,9002015 9,400 16,900 24,500 50,8002016 9,400 16,900 24,000 50,3002017 11,000 14,700 22,650 48,3502018 10,600 14,260 22,740 47,600

* Rounded estimate by BBPA

Total

Ownership of UK public houses1990 to 2018

Brewers PubCos Independent

9 Commons Library Briefing, 28 May 2020

The chart below shows the number of pubs and bars in the UK from 2010 to 2019, by number of employees.

In 2019, the number of small pubs and bars (employing fewer than 10 people) increased for the first time in more than 15 years, by 85 (0.4%). The number of small pubs has been falling for even longer than overall number.

The number of medium sized pubs and bars (employing 10 to 24 people), also increased by 0.4% between March 2018 and March 2019.

Large pubs and bars (25 and over employees), increased the most, by 4.1%.

Source ONS, UK Business Counts via NOMIS

0

10

20

30

40

50

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

25+

10 to 24

Fewerthan 10

Chart titleChart subtitleNumber of pubs in the UK by employment size band2010 to 2019, thousands

10 Pub Statistics

Box 2: Licensed premises 1923 to 2004

Detailed data for the number of public houses in the UK is available back to 1990. However, data is also available showing the number of UK licensed premises back to 1923. The following chart shows the trend of licensed premises in the UK from 1923 to 2004. The number of UK licensed premises is defined by the Brewers Society Limited (BSL- now the BBPA) as a premise possessing:

a licence authorising the sale of alcoholic liquor for consumption on or off the premises.9

This data shows a different trend from the data presented earlier in this paper on public houses, as it also includes other licensed premises such as restaurants. From 1974 to 2004, the data above shows a clear upward trend of licensed premises, whilst the BBPA pub data shows downward trend in pub numbers since 1991.

9 ‘Licensing statistics- definitions’, The Brewers Society Statistical Handbook 1974, January 1975, p47. More

information on this source can be found in Box 1 in section 2.1 of this paper.

0

10

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30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1923 1933 1943 1953 1963 1973 1983 1993 2003

Source BSL 1974-1997 Table G4

Number of UK Licensed PremisesThousands, 1923 to 2004

11 Commons Library Briefing, 28 May 2020

3. Region and country data

3.1 Number of pubs per country and region The chart below shows the regional breakdown of the number of public houses and bars in 2019, using ONS data.10

The region with the highest number is the South East, with 5,340 pubs and bars, which is around 14% of the total number of pubs and bars in the UK. Northern Ireland has the smallest number of pubs with 790. This represents 2% of the UK total.

Source ONS

3.2 Pubs per head: region and country data The chart below shows the number of pubs per 100,000 people in each region and country of the UK in 2019, using ONS pubs data and ONS population data. The pattern shown is different to that of number of pubs per country and region, as the population of each area is now considered.

In 2019, the South West had the highest number of pubs per head, with 76 pubs per 100,000 people. London had the lowest number of pubs per 100,000 people of any region and country of the UK: 40. The UK has 59 pubs per 100,000 people.

10 ONS, Business counts, local units, via NOMIS database. Pubs are defined as Standard Industrial

Classification (SIC) code 56.30/2, ‘Beverage serving activities in public houses and bars’

5,340

4,5354,255

3,705 3,550 3,515 3,4953,210

2,855

2,190

1,700

790

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

SouthEast

NorthWest

SouthWest

Yorkshireand TheHumber

London WestMidlands

East EastMidlands

Scotland Wales NorthEast

NorthernIreland

Number of UK public houses and bars by region and country2019

12 Pub Statistics

Source ONS, House of Commons Library calculations

3.3 Change in the number of pubs by region and country

2018 to 2019 The chart below shows the change in the number of pubs and bars by region and country in the UK, in the year to 2019.

From 2018 to 2019, the North East had the largest increase in pub and bar numbers, with a 5% increase (85 pubs). The West Midlands, and the East of England both had the number of pubs in their regions increase by 2% (80 and 55 pubs, respectively).

The South East had a less than 1% increase in the number of pubs and bars (10 pubs). However, Scotland and London had a less than 1% decrease (5 and 10 pubs, respectively).

Wales had the largest fall in the number of pubs and bars: 1% (25 pubs).

Source: ONS

Notes: Figures are rounded

76

70 68 6764 62

60 59 58 5652

42 40

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SouthWest

Wales Yorks &The

Humber

EastMidlands

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NorthWest

WestMidlands

UnitedKingdom

SouthEast

East Scotland NorthernIreland

London

Public houses and bars per 100,000 people by region and country2019

5%

2%

2%1% 1% 1% 1% 0%

0% 0% -1%-1%

-2%

-1%

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

NorthEast

WestMidlands

East SouthWest

NorthWest

Yorks &The

Humber

N.Ireland

SouthEast

Scotland London EastMidlands

Wales

Change in number of pubs and bars in regions and countries in the UK 2018 to 2019, %

13 Commons Library Briefing, 28 May 2020

2001 to 2019 The following chart shows the change of the number of pubs and bars from 2001 to 2019, by region and country.

Between 2001 and 2019, all regions and countries across the UK saw a fall in the number of pubs.

Northern Ireland had the smallest number of pubs in both 2001 and 2019, and had the biggest proportion of their pub numbers decrease. Northern Ireland’s pub numbers fell by 35%, or 420 pubs, over this period.

The South West saw the smallest percentage of their pub numbers fall. The number of pubs decreased by around 17% (880 pubs).

Source ONS

-35%

-28%-27% -26% -25% -25% -25% -24% -23% -22% -21% -21%

-17%

-40%

-35%

-30%

-25%

-20%

-15%

-10%

-5%

0%

NorthernIreland

WestMidlands London

NorthWest

EastMidlands Wales

Yorkshireand TheHumber UK East

SouthEast

NorthEast Scotland

SouthWest

% Change in number of UK public houses and bars by region and country2001 to 2019

14 Pub Statistics

4. Employment in pubs and bars

4.1 Total employment The following chart shows the number of people employed by a public house or bar from 2001 to 201811. This is based on the data published alongside the ONS article, Economies of Ale.12

Despite the number of pubs declining up to 2018, the level of employment has generally risen, other than slight decline in pub employment between 2009 and 2011. There are 5,000 more people employed in pubs in 2018 compared to 2001.

Source ONS

4.2 Employment by size of pub The chart below shows a further breakdown of the number of employees in a pub by the size of pub.

Fewer people are employed in smaller pubs in 2018, compared to 2001. The number of people employed in small pubs (employing fewer than 10 people) fell from 176,000 to 103,000, a fall of 41%.

Over the same period, all other size categories of pubs saw increases in the number of people employed. Employment in pubs and bars with 10 to 24 employees increased by 10%. Establishments with 25-49 employees saw a 74% increase in employment. Pubs and bars that had 50 or more employees had a 25% increase in employment.

11 Data for the number of employees is from the ONS Business Register and Employment

Survey (BRES), and latest data is for 2018 12 ‘Economies of ale: small pubs close as chains focus on big bars’, Office for National

Statistics [online], 26 November 2018 (accessed on 30 May 2019)

445 441425 420 420 418 426 424 418

393 385 394 394

420

449 440 448 450

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Number of employees in a UK public house or barThousands, 2001-2018

15

Source ONS

4.3 Employment in pubs and bars by region and country

The following chart shows the regional and country breakdown of the number of employees in the pub and bar sector.

The South East has the highest number of pubs and bars, as well as the highest number of people employed in pubs and bars.

As well as having the lowest number of pubs of any region or country of the UK, Northern Ireland also has the lowest employment in the pubs and bars sector. However, it is important to note that these rankings are mostly a result of population differences.

Source ONS

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

50 or more

25 to 49

10 to 24

Less than10employees

Employment in public houses or bars, by size of pubThousands, 2001 to 2018

66

52 5146

41 39 3936

31

2218

70

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SouthEast

NorthWest

SouthWest

London WestMidlands

Yorksand

Humb

East EastMidlands

Scotland Wales NorthEast

N.Ireland

Employees in pubs and bars by region and countryThousands, 2018

16 Pub Statistics

4.4 Change in employment in pubs and bars: regional and country data

The chart below shows the percentage change in number of employees working in pubs and bars from 2001 to 2018.

Half of the regions around the UK saw an increase in employment, whilst the other half saw a decrease in people working in pubs and bars.

Even though the South East has the highest number of employees, the South West saw the biggest increase in employees in pubs and bars over 18 years. There were 9,000 more employees in pubs and bars in 2018 than in 2001, which is an increase of 21%.

Northern Ireland saw the biggest decline of employees in pubs and bars. There were 2,000 fewer employees in 2018 compared to 2001, which is a 22% fall.

Source ONS

Constituency level data on employment by size of pub can be found in the excel sheet attached to this briefing.

4.5 Type of employees in pubs and bars The recent ONS data has shown an increase in pub numbers in 2019.

The ONS has suggested that the recent slight rise in pub and bar numbers has been mostly driven by ‘changing consumer habits,’ such as increased food sales.

Data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) has shown that since 2014, the number of people serving food has outnumbered those working behind the bar. According to the ONS, 44% of pub and

21%

16%

12%8% 7% 6%

-2% -3%

-9% -10% -11%

-22%-25%

-15%

-5%

5%

15%

25%

35%

SouthWest

Wales SouthEast

East London EastMidlands

NorthWest

Scotland Yorkshire&

Humber

NorthEast

WestMidlands

N.Ireland

% Change in employment in pubs and bars2001 to 2018

17

bar employees were involved in serving food, compared to 29% being bar staff in 2019.

The chart below shows the percentage of staff in pubs and bars working in bar service and food service, from 2003 to 2019.

Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) via Economies of Ale.

Proportion of staff in pubs and bars working in food service and as bar staff2003 to 2019, %

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2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019

Food service

Bar staff

18 Pub Statistics

5. Annex: data on public house numbers

5.1 Pubs per 100,000 people in the UK, region and countries data Public houses and bars per 100,000 people2010 to 2019

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 20192018 -2019 2010-2019

East 69 66 64 61 60 59 57 56 55 56 1 -13East Midlands 83 79 76 74 71 71 69 68 67 67 0 -16London 49 46 46 44 43 43 41 40 40 40 0 -9North East 69 66 65 62 63 63 61 60 61 64 3 -5North West 74 71 70 67 65 65 64 62 62 62 1 -12Northern Ireland 53 53 51 48 45 42 42 41 42 42 0 -11Scotland 61 61 60 57 57 56 54 53 53 52 0 -9South East 72 69 68 64 63 62 60 59 58 58 0 -14South West 92 89 86 83 81 80 78 76 75 76 1 -16Wales 89 84 83 79 78 77 74 72 71 70 -1 -19West Midlands 72 68 67 64 63 62 60 59 58 60 1 -12Yorkshire and The Humber 78 75 74 72 71 71 69 67 67 68 1 -11United Kingdom 71 68 67 64 63 62 60 59 59 59 0 -12Source ONS, House of Commons Library calculations

Net Change

19

5.2 Employment in pubs and bars by region and country 2001 to 2018Employees in pubs and bars by region and country2010 to 2018

South East 56,000 54,000 55,000 56,000 61,000 64,000 64,000 65,000 66,000

North West 46,000 44,000 46,000 46,000 49,000 52,000 51,000 53,000 52,000

South West 43,000 43,000 43,000 44,000 47,000 50,000 50,000 51,000 51,000

London 39,000 39,000 42,000 43,000 44,000 47,000 46,000 46,000 46,000

West Midlands 36,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 39,000 41,000 39,000 41,000 41,000

Yorks & Humber 34,000 32,000 33,000 33,000 36,000 40,000 39,000 39,000 39,000

East 33,000 32,000 33,000 33,000 36,000 38,000 38,000 38,000 39,000

East Midlands 31,000 30,000 31,000 31,000 33,000 35,000 35,000 35,000 36,000

Scotland 27,000 27,000 28,000 27,000 29,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 31,000

Wales 19,000 18,000 19,000 19,000 21,000 22,000 22,000 22,000 22,000

North East 17,000 16,000 16,000 16,000 17,000 19,000 18,000 18,000 18,000

N. Ireland 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000Source ONS All figures rounded to nearest thousand

2016 2017 20182010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

BRIEFING PAPER Number 8591 28 May 2020

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