Pubs across the United Kingdom are bracing for one of the most difficult festive seasons on record, with many facing empty diaries, spiralling costs, and the genuine threat of shutting their doors for good before the New Year.
A Festive Season Like No Other
For Jo Loring, who has run the Cosy Dove pub in Newcastle for 11 years, the contrast with past Christmases could not be starker. Where he once had to usher customers out at 11pm, he now plans to close early due to a lack of patrons. He anticipates sales will be around 20 per cent down on last year, describing the situation as a "perfect storm" echoed by publicans nationwide.
Dawn Hopkins, who runs the Rose Inn in Norwich and is vice-chair of the Campaign For Pubs, reported a "tsunami of cost rises" battering independent businesses. To cope, most pubs are increasing pint prices by 30p to 50p this Christmas. She revealed some publicans are uncertain if they can even remain open until Christmas Day.
The Stark Reality Behind the Figures
Trade body figures paint a grim picture for the sector, with more than 400 pubs closing in 2024 and an estimated one shutting every single day throughout 2025. This follows continued struggles post-pandemic and what many owners deem hostile government financial policies.
In rural Scotland, Alastair Scoular of The Steam Packet Inn, which he took over in 1995, says he has never known times as tough. "We've certainly not had the same number of bookings," he said, noting that the usual festive income that helped survive the winter months will not materialise this year.
Tom McNeeney of The Oxford in Rochdale highlighted a critical paradox: "The pubs that are still open are busier than ever - but profitability is lower than it's ever been." He explained that a busy December is now merely a "downpayment for January," a month where he will reduce hours and close for a week.
Community Pillars on the Brink
The crisis is forcing extreme sacrifices. Wesley Birch, who runs two pubs and a catering company in Stroud, said he and his wife have waived their salaries for the first time in 15 years. "We're really well supported by the community - but the problem is there's no profit margins," he stated.
For Chris Welch of the Fishnet Tavern in North Tyneside, every month is "an uphill battle." He doesn't take a wage and fears his business won't survive past August 2026, especially after learning his business rates are set to rise by an extra £4,000 annually following the latest Budget.
In Crewe, Jacqui Ayling and her husband Sean of Tom’s Tap and Brewhouse face their last Christmas. They've already reduced opening days and have not received a single Christmas party booking this year, a stark drop from the eight or so they previously hosted.
Fiona Hornsby, who runs three pubs in Liverpool, is even decorating exteriors more prominently to attract customers, stating "You've got to be everywhere now, it's getting harder."
Gary Timmins, CAMRA's pub and club campaigns director, stressed that festive footfall is "vital" to see pubs through quieter months. He called for government action: "Otherwise we risk losing more pubs for good." In response, Business Minister Kate Dearden pointed to measures like capping business rates and cutting red tape, arguing the government is asking "online giants and the wealthiest properties to pay more."
