Full list of major chains closing branches as 383 pubs disappear for good – is your local one of them?

A TOTAL of 383 pubs have disappeared for good so far this year, with dozens more earmarked for closure.

Fresh data shows hundreds of sites have been shuttered just in the last few months alone, according to government figures.

Soaring costs across the board and pressure on drinkers’ budgets have been key factors in the increased closures.

The data, which was analysed by real estate intelligence firm Atlus Group revealed a total of 230 pubs disappeared in the three months to June.

This is on top of the 153 sites that closed their doors for the last time in the first three months of the year.

It means that in the first half of the year, more than two pubs a day vanished across the UK.

The overall number of pubs in England and Wales, including those vacant and being offered to let, fell to 39,404 at the end of June.

That’s down slightly from 39,634 at the end of the first quarter – the three months to March 31.

The 383 which have closed their doors were either demolished or converted for other use, like to be used as homes, offices, or nurseries.

It’s a sharp increase from last year, with only 386 pubs vanishing throughout the whole of 2022.

Throughout the first half of the year, Wales lost the greatest number of locations, with 52 disappearing.

While, both London and the North West regions lost a total of 46 sites each.

Alex Probyn, president of property tax at Altus Group, called on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to act in his autumn statement in November to ease the pressure of significant business rates on the sector.

As it stands, firms which pay business rates – the property tax affecting high street firms – will see an inflation-linked rise next April, unless the government intervene.

This increase is expected to add more than 6% to bills next year.

Currently, pubs and other eligible hospitality, leisure and retail businesses, get a 75% discount off their business rates bills for the 2023/2024 tax year up to a cap of £110,000.

But, this support is set to end on at the end of March next year.

Mr Probyn said: “With energy costs up 80% year-on-year in a low growth, high inflation and high interest rates environment, the last thing pubs need is an average business rates hike of £12,385 next year.”

Below we look at all the major pub chains including Wetherspoons and Marston’s that have closed, or are closing branches.

Wetherspoons

Pub giant Wetherspoon has already closed dozens of boozers across the UK, including in Hove, Derby and London.

The chain, like many others, has been hit hard by rising costs brought on by high inflation.

Spoons’ boss Tim Martin also said far more people now drink in their homes rather than in pubs.

Below is the full list of Wetherspoons branches that have already been sold and closed are as follows:

• The John Masefield, New Ferry
• Angel, Islington
• The Silkstone Inn, Barnsley
• The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich
• Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis, Southampton
• The Colombia Press, Watford
• The Malthouse, Willenhall
• The John Masefield, New Ferry
• Thomas Leaper, Derby
• Cliftonville, Hove
• Tollgate, Harringay
• Last Post, Loughton
• Harvest Moon, Orpington
• Alexander Bain, Wick
• Chapel an Gansblydhen, Bodmin
• Moon on the Square, Basildon
• Coal Orchard, Taunton
• Running Horse, Airside Doncaster Airport
• Wild Rose, Bootle
• Edmund Halley, Lee Green
• The Willow Grove, Southport
• Postal Order, Worcester
• North and South Wales Bank, Wrexham
• The Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow
• The Knight’s Templar, London
• Christopher Creeke, Bournemouth
• The Water House, Durham
• The Worlds Inn, Romford
• The Saltoun Inn, Fraserburgh
• The Bankers Draft, Eltham, London
• The Sir John Arderne, Newark

The Nightjar in Ferndown, Dorset, will also not have its lease renewed in September.

Plus, The Six Chimneys in Wakefield will shut to punters today to undergo redevelopment.

Meanwhile, The Moon on The Hill in Loughborough, Leicestershire, is set to close before the end of the year, but an exact date is yet to be confirmed.

And, The Coronet in Holloway Road is also shutting its doors before the end of the year, London after finding a buyer for the venue

Below is a list of Wetherspoons pubs that are currently under offer or up for sale:

• The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
• The Cross Keys, Peebles
• General Sir Redvers Buller, Crediton
• The Butlers Bell, Stafford
• The Percy Shaw, Halifax
• Foxley Hatch, Purley
• Asparagus, Battersea
• Millers Well, East Ham
• Capitol, Forest Hill
• The Widow Frost, Mansfield
• Coronet, London
• Wrong ‘Un, Bexleyheath
• Jolly Sailor, Hanham
• Resolution, Middlesbrough
• The Rising Sun, Redditch
• Sennockian, Sevenoaks
• Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham
• Plough & Harrow, Hammersmith

Stonegate

It was revealed earlier this year that pub and bar chain Stonegate, behind brands like Slug and Lettuce and Be At One, is looking to sell off pubs to pay down its debt pile.

The business, which is owned by private equity firm TDR Capital, had racked up £2.6billion in debt and reportedly plans to sell 1,000 of its pubs for an estimated £800million.

The chain has around 4,490 pubs, bars and nightclubs across the country.

Stonegate is yet to reveal which sites will close, so for now the locations remain unknown.

Earlier this month The Sun reported that peak-time price rises are part of a “dynamic pricing” tactic by Stonegate Pubs.

The chain hikes prices from 5pm to 7pm on midweek early evenings and weekends.

Marston’s

Marston’s Brewery put 61 pubs up for sale earlier this year following a review of its estate.

Boozers in the Midlands, Yorkshire, Sussex and Wales were put on the market.

The sale of the pubs are being managed by commercial real estate agency Christie & Co.

It doesn’t mean that venues will close yet, they’ll stay open until they are bought and the new owner may chose to keep the venue running as a pub.

We have contacted Christie & Co for an updated list of the pubs up still on the market and will update this story when we hear back.

Below is a full list of the 61 Marston’s Brewery sites put up for sale back in March:

• Admirals Table, Bridgwater
• Albert Vaults, Holyhead
• Bax Castle, Horsham
• Bedford Arms, Derby
• Bellflower, Preston
• Blacksmiths, Wakefield
• Blenheim, Derby
• Blue Pig, Kidderminster
• Bluebell, Telford
• Bradford Arms, Oswestry
• Bridge Inn, Richmond
• Bull & Butcher, Nottingham
• Bush Inn, Dudbey
• Crates & Grapes, Mansfield
• Crooked House, Dudley
• Cross Keys, Colwyn Bay
• Derwent Walk, Consett
• Duke of Wellington, Wrexham
• Evergreen Inn, Tenby
• Firebug, Leicester
• Floaters Mill, Fence Houses
• Fountain Inn, Stourbridge
• Garibaldi Inn, Stourbridge
• Gate Inn, Matlock
• George Hotel, Penrith
• Griffin, Halifax
• Hampden Arms, Wrexham
• Harlequin, Kettering
• Harry Watkins, Llanelli
• Heart of England, Northampton
• Jacksons Wharf, Hartlepool
• Jubilee Inn, Leicester
• King Charles, Ross-on-Wye
• King William, Dudley
• Malt Shovel, Matlock
• Marquess of Exeter, Oakham
• Mitre Oak, Stourport-on-Trent
• Oak Inn, Coventry
• Oxleathers, Stafford
• Pelican, Sailsbury
• Plough Inn, Newark
• Randlay Farmhouse, Telford
• Red Lion, Burton-on-Trent
• Red Lion, Telford
• Ring O’Bells, Mexborough
• Rising Sun, Huddersfield
• Rossmere, Cleveland
• Rutland Arms, Nottingham
• Saddlers Arms, Cardigan
• Spills Meadow, Dudley
• Spital Vaults, Chester
• Strickland Arms, Penrith
• Tafarn Pennionyn, Caernarfon
• Tipsy Terrace, Cleethorpes
• Top Monkey, Mold
• Twthill Vaults, Caernarfon
• Victoria Hotel, Dorchester
• Wellington, Pretson,
• Wheatsheaf, Mansfield
• White Lion, Wigan
• White Swan Inn, York

Meanwhile, it’s not just pubs shutting sites, we reveal the full list of high street shops closing locations in September.

Beloved discounter Wilko is also shutting all 400 stores by early October – we reveal the full list announced so far.

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