Pubs in England are Closing and Disappearing

We visited the 300-year-old traditional English pub, The Rose & Crown in Rickmansworth, to do a story for Helsingin Sanomat on the growing crisis of pub closures across England. There, we met the owner, Alfonso Molinaro.
It is predicted that 378 pubs will close across England, Scotland, and Wales this year – more than one pub every day.

Alfonso believes the reasons behind these closures are not down to a single factor, but a combination of mounting pressures. Energy costs have increased fivefold, while rents have risen sharply. Many pubs are being sold and converted into residential properties. At the same time, food costs, minimum wage expenses, and taxes have all continued to rise.

I first covered this issue in 2023 while working on an assignment for Svenska Dagbladet. Since then, the situation has worsened – and is expected to deteriorate further in 2026! With the Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves planning an increase in business rates.

It is heart breaking seeing so many pubs disappearing!