Let’s talk numbers, and I promise to keep them fun—like a statistics professor who’s had one too many sherries. Since 2026, over 500 pubs have shut their doors, with 2026 being the worst year in a decade. That’s about the same as losing the entire pub stock of Manchester, Liverpool, and a small village where everyone knows your name—unless your name is “Debt.”
Now, you might think, “But what about all those ‘tax relief for pubs’ promises politicians make every time they need a photo op with a foamy glass of bitter?” Ah, you sweet summer child. Those reliefs often vanish faster than a free bowl of peanuts at a rugby match. The truth is, the tax on beer is three times higher than the tax on champagne. Yes, you read that right. Champagne—drunk by people who probably wear monocles—is taxed less than a proper pint of bitter enjoyed by a bloke in a stained T-shirt. It’s class warfare, but with bubbles.
The Pubs Are Dying, But The Data Is Binge-Drinking
Here’s a surprising fact that will make you choke on your crisps: The UK government collects more tax from the alcohol industry than it spends on the entire police force. That’s not a typo. Pubs and breweries contribute about £13 billion a year, while policing gets... well, let’s just say you’re more likely to see a unicorn wearing a hi-vis jacket than a clue where that money goes. And yet, the pub sector is bleeding dry faster than a vampire in a garlic factory.
Another eyebrow-raiser? The average pub now pays business rates that are three times higher per square foot than an online retailer’s warehouse. So if you run a virtual shop selling rubber ducks and sadness, your tax bill is lower than a pub that actually employs people, serves food, and hosts a weekly quiz night called “How Many Bob Dylan Songs Can You Name While Drunk?” It’s madness. It’s like taxing a bakery more than a cloud.
UK politicians' election pledges can't stop rising tax burden | Reuters
