The Daily Mirror Campaign To Save The Great British Pub

UK Spirits Alliance poll found 58% of people want the government to give more support to struggling pub

 

A pub boss says landlords are facing their toughest fight to survive in modern times.Ollie Vaulkhard has been in the industry for 30 years and owns 17 pubs employing 400 staff .Backing the Mirror crusade to save British pubs,he said “This is the hardest it has ever been and I include Covid in that.Our cost base has gone up,the profits have gone down”.Mr Vaulkhard 53 added

“A well-run,decent pub changes lives. “If we are not careful,we are in danger of losing that for ever,”

 

 

 

 

And to finish this week on a light hearted note with the headline MACAW BLIMEY

Sweary parrot tells customers:You're barred

A foul mouthed parrot has been ruffling feathers in a pub by swearing and telling customers “you're barred Rio the two- year-old South American blue-and-yellow macaw has been squawking a string of obscenities at punters.Joe Relvas who is nicknamed the parrot man by other pub-goers is one of the regulars who has developed a close bond with Rio.He's a beautiful creature .Sometimes he says “Wassup!” But then he tells me to **** off too”

 

Lib Dem Daisy Cooper 2024 pub Parliamentarian of the year for her campaigning

Said “The Government is pilling on the pressure with their jobs tax and business rates bills which will push some pubs to call last orders for the final time

 

Emma McClarkin,chief of trade body BBPA said “The scale of these closures is completely avoidable because pubs are doing a brisk trade. “Consumer demand is ther,however profits are being wiped out with sky-high bills

 

The Oldest landlords want action

Frank Collins who runs the dog and Partridge Inn in Sowood West Yorkshire called for action to stop pubs closing.Reputedly the UK's oldest publican,Frank's rural pub has been in his family for 69 years he said “I'm luckier than most more pubs will close if they don't do something”.He is battling rising beer prices and energy bills.He said : “So many pubs have closed around me,people don't drink as much as they used to

 

David Aynesworth 82 who owns the Craven Arms in Appletreewick North Yorks Said “Costs are rocketing for all boozers.He added “We are doing brillianttly but we understand the pressures.Its disheartening

 

More than 400 pubs called last orders for good in 2024.The Daily Mirror is calling on the government to back British pubs and demanding a fighting fund for the licence trade to tap into and proper recognition for pubs that go above and beyond their community.Also to help with the uphill battle with rocketing costs and inflated enery bills

 

A report by industry experts CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners found 3000 pubs bars resaurants and clubs risk closing in 2025

 

Ash Corbett-Collins the Chairman of CAMRA said “Pubs Social Clubs and Taprooms are welcoming safe places to meet friends and feel part of a community.Pubs also bring people together and of course do their bit to tackle loneliness and social isolation”

 

Emma McClarkin Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pubs Association said “2025 looks set to be even tougher for pubs across the UK”.She went on to say “Pub closures are devastating for local economy local jobs and all the communities who rely on them”

 

Separate research also found a big decline in the number of employed in pubs.And in 2022 the figure stood at 540,000 but by 2023 the number had dropped to 474,300 a 65,700 drop in numbers

 

 

Michael Kill Night Time Idustries Association Chief Executive

“The decline in employment is deeply concerning signalling the need for urgent Government intervention” “We call on policy – makers to recognise the role the night time economy plays in the UK's landscape and take decisive action to safeguaed its future

 

The above Content has been taken from The Daily Mirror Monday 10/02/2025

 

The Daily Mirror are running a campaign to save the nations pubs

 

The Mirror is calling for action to help them keep their place at the heart of our communities.The Prime Minister said “Pubs are the place where friends family community come together around something which is very British – the pub”

 

 

 

Data from the Valuation Office Agency

 

December showed the number of pubs in England and Wales fell by 412 last year the figure is net,so it takes account of any new pubs opening and covers estabishments that have been demolished or converted

It does not include premises that are simply standing empty but still classified as pubs

Pub numbers have now plunged by more than 2000 since the start of 2020 meaning that for the first time there are fewer than 39,000 open across England and Wales

 

 

Publicans have blamed a cocktail of supply and staffing costs rising energy bills and cuts to government help with business rates.As pubgoers tighten their belts.The government is under pressure to do more to help hospitality as the industry braces for hikes to national insurance contributions

 

The PM pointed to the decision to take a penny off the pint in the budget as an example of the governments backing for pubs

 

“A small step in the right direction”

 

Hospitality Chiefs welcomed the mirrors push for more support for the industry

 

Ben Martin from the UK Spirits Alliance

Said “We welcome this very important campaign that highlights the plight of many landlords pubs are more than just pints”

 

Neema Rai another UKSA member

Founder of Tamesis Dock a converted pub barge on the Thames said “Its great that the mirror is standing behind pubs and recognising the current situation

 

The second part of this page is was taken from the Daily Mirror Tuesday 11/02/2025

 

So lets get behind the Daily Mirror campaign to save the great british pub

If every pub in the UK set up a petition and these where collected with the distrbution of the CAMRA Drinker Magazine within no time the industry could easliy gain the 100,00 signatures for a petition to be cosidered for debate in parliament