- One in three people report that they, or someone they know, have experienced increased loneliness as a result of their local pub closing, amid warnings from leading academics of severe community impact
- Six in ten are concerned about pubs shutting in their area, while seven in ten say pubs play an important or very important role in local social life
- The British Beer and Pub Association calls on the Government to protect pubs in the upcoming Budget by addressing escalating regulatory and tax pressures
New research from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has found that two-thirds of the public view pubs as essential in tackling loneliness, with levels of reported loneliness now comparable to those seen at the height of the pandemic.
At the same time, two in five people say they have witnessed closures of pubs in their local area, prompting renewed calls for Government intervention to safeguard what many see as a vital community resource.
More than 2,000 pubs have closed since 2020, with high operating costs and tax pressures among the key reasons cited. Current projections suggest that one pub could close every day throughout 2025 if no action is taken.
The survey also shows that six in ten people are concerned about losing pubs in their local area, and seven in ten believe pubs play a central role in community social life.
The BBPA’s Long Live the Local campaign emphasises that these findings highlight the urgent need for the Government to provide financial relief for pubs by adjusting tax structures and addressing rising regulatory costs.
The research presents a regional picture that mirrors where closures have been most severe. In the North of England, 71% of respondents see pubs as vital for combating loneliness and isolation, reflecting their function as informal support networks. In Wales, 64% agree, and in Scotland, 63% also view pubs as part of the solution to the ongoing loneliness crisis.
Since 2021, the BBPA has recorded a net closure of 291 pubs across the North West, North East and Yorkshire and The Humber. Wales has seen 132 net closures, while Scotland has lost 206 pubs.
Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (October 2025) show that 26% of adults in the UK feel lonely at least some of the time. This level has remained consistently high since the pandemic in 2020.
In addition, 30% of those surveyed through the Long Live the Local campaign reported that either they or someone they know has experienced feelings of isolation due to their local pub closing.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “This polling confirms that for many, the local pub is a lifeline, not a luxury, and the loss of a pub can have a real and devastating impact. It’s made all the more concerning given our prediction that one pub will close every day this year, with heavy tax and regulatory costs often at the heart of why they’ve been forced to shut.
“The Government must use this once in a generation Budget to reset and reform the unfair tax burden and costs, which would help pubs keep their doors open and continue to fend off loneliness, which is affecting so many.”
Philip Howell, Professor of Historical and Cultural Geography at the University of Cambridge and author of the book Pub, said: “When pubs are ripped out of communities and neighbourhoods, the damage to social cohesion is incalculable. With rapidly rising levels of loneliness, we need pubs more than ever. As the survey suggests, the cost of standing by and watching pubs close will be measured in even greater isolation and the fracturing of our communities.”
The BBPA is urging supporters to join the Long Live the Local campaign and contact their MPs ahead of the Budget, calling for reform of business rates, a cut to beer duty in line with European averages, and action to reduce rising regulatory costs.