Pub last orders?
New figures show quarter go to the wall
The number of pubs has fallen by more than a quarter in Lanarkshire – as fears grow that large chain bars are forcing smaller locals out of business.
New Office for National Statistics data shows that the county has lost more than 100 pubs and bars since the turn of the century.
Stats show that the amount of boozers has fallen from 380 in 2001 to 270 in 2018 (down 28 per cent).
While the overall number of pubs and bars has fallen, the picture is very different for larger and smaller establishments.
The number of smaller boozers – those with fewer than ten employees – fell from 290 to 200 (a drop of 31 per cent).
However, the fall was less pronounced for larger establishments – those with ten or more staff. They dropped from 90 to 70 (down 22 per cent).
Experts have said it is “shocking” that so many “beloved locals” are closing down and that the statistics do not measure the social cost to communities that have lost their pubs.
Tom Stainer, campaigns and Communications Officer for CAMRA, a consumer organisation, said: “These shocking new figures show the huge loss that has been felt by communities up and down the country as beloved locals have closed down.
“By focusing on the stability of turnover from pubs and bars since the recession, this study fails to measure the loss of the benefits that local pubs bring to their communities.
“Pubs play a unique role in offering a social environment to enjoy a drink with friends, they help combat isolation and loneliness and help people feel connected to their community.
“With a quarter of pubs closing in the last decade, we need the Government to act now to save our pubs from extinction.”
Scotland has lost more than 740 pubs and bars since the turn of the century.
The number has fallen from 3590 in 2001 to 2845 in 2018.
Nationally, the number of big pubs and bars has actually risen from 965 to 1040.
The number of smaller Scottish pubs and bars has decreased over the same period, dropping from 2625 to 1805.
All numbers in the figures are rounded to the nearest five.
The data also shows total number of people working in all pubs and bars in Lanarkshire has dropped from approximately 3500 in 2001 to 2500 in 2018 (down 28 per cent).
Of those, the number working in smaller pubs and bars has been slashed from approximately 1400 to around 900 (35 per cent), while the number working in larger pubs and bars is down from 2050 to 1500 (26 per cent).
North Lanarkshire had 90 smaller establishments in 2018, down from 145 at the turn of the century.
And it had 30 larger pubs or bars in 2018, down from 40 in 2001.
South Lanarkshire had 110 smaller pubs or bars in 2018, down from 145 back in 2001.
And it had 40 larger establishments in 2018, down from 50 at the turn of the century.
Across the United Kingdom, while the number of small pubs has gone down from 38,830 to 22,840 since the turn of the century, the number of large pubs has actually risen from 13,670 to 15,975.