Full list of major chains closing branches as 472 pubs disappear for good – is your local one of them?

ALMOST 500 pubs have closed in the last year in a major blow for punters.

Over the past 12 months, a total of 472 pubs across England and Wales have permanently closed, according to analysis of government figures by real estate firm Altus Group.

1

The fresh data revealed 239 pubs were permanently shuttered in the first three months of 2024 alone.

The overall number of pubs across England and Wales fell from a total of 39,401 at the end of 2023 to 39,162 at the end of March.

That means around 80 pubs shut each month between January and March, compared to 51 a month over the same three-month period in 2023.

During the first quarter of the year, the North West of England lost 35 pubs - the most of any region.

Read more in Pubs

SEA YOU THERE

Seaside town Wetherspoons reveals plans to open brand new 30-room hotel

RULE BEERTANNIA

England fans down whopping 30million pints of beer in boost to pubs

It comes as pub and brewery bosses call for the main political parties to cut beer duty and reform business rates ahead of the General Election on July 4.

The Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have all pledged to shake up business rates in order to reduce the burden on high street shops, pubs and restaurants.

Firms which pay business rates - the property tax affecting high street firms – saw an inflation-linked rise in April of 6.7%.

However, the Government has extended a 75% discount to business rate bills for the 2024/25 tax year, up to a cap of £110,000.

Most read in Money

CHEERS!

I tested supermarket Irish cream liqueurs - the winner is a fabulous Baileys dupe

CHEERS!

Brewery INCREASES alcohol level of popular beer after big names slash strengths

SWEET DEAL

Quality Street tubs slashed to £3.50 at major supermarket

BASKET CASE

Asda shoppers warned of rule that could leave you out of pocket this Christmas

Alex Probyn, president of property tax at Altus Group, said: "The fundamental issue for business is not necessarily the system but how much tax it actually generates.

"It is a tax that has risen 49% during the last 14 years with business, across all sectors, now paying £9.48 billion a year more than in 2010.

"Whilst the pledges are welcome to drive down bills permanently for the high street, business had hoped for more detail and a timeframe in achieving this."

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), added: "The pub closure figures for the first quarter of this year are a reflection of the continuing high costs of doing business, especially with factors like high energy costs and food and drink inflation remaining higher than the topline inflation rate."

Below we look at all the major pub chains including Wetherspoons and Marston's that have closed, or are closing branches.

Wetherspoons

Spoons, which has 809 pubs across the UK, said in September 2022 it was putting dozens of its pubs up for sale.

In May this year, it confirmed 18 pubs had been sold or surrendered to landlords since the start of 2024.

It also said a further 17 drinking spots remained up for sale or under offer.

This means that a buyer has presented an offer that is being considered by the seller.

In total, as many as 49 Wetherspoons pubs have already closed their doors. This is the full list:

• The John Masefield, New Ferry
• Angel, Islington
• The Silkstone Inn, Barnsley
• The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich
• Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis, Southampton
• The Colombia Press, Watford
• The Malthouse, Willenhall
• The John Masefield, New Ferry
• Thomas Leaper, Derby
• Cliftonville, Hove
• Tollgate, Harringay
• Last Post, Loughton
• Harvest Moon, Orpington
• Alexander Bain, Wick
• Chapel an Gansblydhen, Bodmin
• Moon on the Square, Basildon
• Coal Orchard, Taunton
• Running Horse, Airside Doncaster Airport
• Wild Rose, Bootle
• Edmund Halley, Lee Green
• The Willow Grove, Southport
• Postal Order, Worcester
• North and South Wales Bank, Wrexham
• The Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow
• The Knight's Templar, London
• Christopher Creeke, Bournemouth
• The Water House, Durham
• The Widow Frost, Mansfield
• The Worlds Inn, Romford
• Hudson Bay, Forest Gate
• The Saltoun Inn, Fraserburgh
• The Bankers Draft, Eltham, London
• The Sir John Arderne, Newark
• The Capitol, Forest Hill
• Moon and Bell, Loughborough
• Nightjar, Ferndown
• General Sir Redvers Buller, Crediton
• The Rising Sun, Redditch
• The Butlers Bell, Stafford
• Millers Well, East Ham
• Foxley Hatch, Purley
• The Coronet, London
• The Percy Shaw, Halifax
• Resolution, Middlesborough
• Asparagus, Battersea
• The Sir Norman Rae, Shipley
• The Market Cross, Holywell
• The White Hart, Todmorden
• Resolution, Middlesbrough

There are also currently more than a dozen Wetherspoons branches under offer and five pubs for sale, based on the latest information.

The five pubs that are up for sale are:

• The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
• Foot of the Walk, Edinburgh
• London & Rye, London
• Fleetwood, London
• The Quay, Poole

Ten Wetherspoons branches are currently under offer:

• Wrong ‘Un, Bexleyheath
• Jolly Sailor, Bristol
• The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
• The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
• The Cross Keys, Pebbles
• Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
• The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
• The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
• The Hain Line, St Ives
• Market Cross, Holywell

Whitbread

Family favourite restaurant chain Whitbread recently revealed plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants across the UK in favour of building more hotel rooms.

The hotel and restaurant company has around 840 sites across the UK and owns brands including Premier Inn, Beefeater and Brewers Fayre.

It plans to convert 112 restaurants into hotel extensions while closing 126 "loss-making" venues, with 21 sales already having gone through.

Whitbread hopes the sales will be completed within the next two years.

The chain has so far confirmed four sites which could close:

• The Manor Farm Beefeater in Rainham, Kent
• The Bridge Barn Beefeater in Woking, Surrey
• The Acorn Beefeater in Burgess Hill, Sussex
• The Grandstand Beefeater in Newton Abbot, Devon

Marstons

Marston's Brewery put 61 pubs up for sale last year following a review of its estate.

Boozers in the Midlands, Yorkshire, Sussex and Wales were put on the market.

The sale of the pubs are being managed by commercial real estate agency Christie & Co.

It is understood over two thirds of the 61 sites put up for sale have already been sold.

Below is a full list of the 61 Marston's Brewery sites put up for sale back in March 2023:

• Admirals Table, Bridgwater
• Albert Vaults, Holyhead
• Bax Castle, Horsham
• Bedford Arms, Derby
• Bellflower, Preston
• Blacksmiths, Wakefield
• Blenheim, Derby
• Blue Pig, Kidderminster
• Bluebell, Telford
• Bradford Arms, Oswestry
• Bridge Inn, Richmond
• Bull & Butcher, Nottingham
• Bush Inn, Dudbey
• Crates & Grapes, Mansfield
• Crooked House, Dudley
• Cross Keys, Colwyn Bay
• Derwent Walk, Consett
• Duke of Wellington, Wrexham
• Evergreen Inn, Tenby
• Firebug, Leicester
• Floaters Mill, Fence Houses
• Fountain Inn, Stourbridge
• Garibaldi Inn, Stourbridge
• Gate Inn, Matlock
• George Hotel, Penrith
• Griffin, Halifax
• Hampden Arms, Wrexham
• Harlequin, Kettering
• Harry Watkins, Llanelli
• Heart of England, Northampton
• Jacksons Wharf, Hartlepool
• Jubilee Inn, Leicester
• King Charles, Ross-on-Wye
• King William, Dudley
• Malt Shovel, Matlock
• Marquess of Exeter, Oakham
• Mitre Oak, Stourport-on-Trent
• Oak Inn, Coventry
• Oxleathers, Stafford
• Pelican, Sailsbury
• Plough Inn, Newark
• Randlay Farmhouse, Telford
• Red Lion, Burton-on-Trent
• Red Lion, Telford
• Ring O'Bells, Mexborough
• Rising Sun, Huddersfield
• Rossmere, Cleveland
• Rutland Arms, Nottingham
• Saddlers Arms, Cardigan
• Spills Meadow, Dudley
• Spital Vaults, Chester
• Strickland Arms, Penrith
• Tafarn Pennionyn, Caernarfon
• Tipsy Terrace, Cleethorpes
• Top Monkey, Mold
• Twthill Vaults, Caernarfon
• Victoria Hotel, Dorchester
• Wellington, Pretson,
• Wheatsheaf, Mansfield
• White Lion, Wigan
• White Swan Inn, York

What else is happening in the hospitality industry?

Rekom UK, the UK's biggest nightclub operator announced earlier this year over a dozen venues would close with immediate effect.

The operator said in February 17 of its venues would close after calling in administrators the month before.

Meanwhile, a further 11 sites remain open after having been sold to new owners and a further dozen locations are still open under Rekom's ownership.

Earlier this year, Revolution Bars cut its annual profit outlook, saying its younger customers were being disproportionately impacted by the higher cost of living.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Cry baby

Molly-Mae takes baby Bambi to see Santa in cute pics ahead of reality show debut

CHOC O LOT

Supermarket giant slashes price of Terry’s Chocolate Orange to just £1

Then in March, it said around a quarter of its total number of bars, around 20, could close as it struggled to shore up its finances.

The following month, it said it was continuing to "evaluate all the options available to it", including engaging with key stakeholders and potential investors over a possible fundraising.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories