Hundreds of pubs have closed their doors for good over the past year.
Some 412 pubs were either demolished or converted for other uses during the year to December, new Government figures show.
Around 34 pubs per month are closing down, according to analysis by commercial real estate specialists Altus Group.
The total number of pubs, including those vacant and available to let, now stands at 38,989 across England and Wales.
Since 2021, the sector has been severely impacted by pandemic restrictions and soaring energy prices causing the closures.
More than 2,000 pubs have disappeared from communities across the country since 2020.
The latest closures come as publicans face mounting pressures from rising costs across their operations.
Consumers have also become more cautious with their spending, affected by increases in mortgages and rents.
Alex Probyn from Altus Group said: “Many publicans that I speak to are extremely worried that this could be their last Christmas given the combination of hiking the amount employers will have to pay in National Insurance, increases to the minimum wage and the business rates discount being slashed from 75 per cent to 40 per cent in 2025.
“Many pubs simply will no longer be viable making plots even more attractive for alternative investment.”
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, highlighted the sector’s vital economic role.
“Brewers and pubs pour billions into the economy and support more than a million jobs, so we know that closures can have a disastrous impact for both the nations coffers and the job market,” she said.
McClarkin called for immediate government action, stating: “For the sector to remain a stalwart of the economy and continue to be the beating heart of our communities, the Government must swiftly deliver permanent and meaningful business rate reforms.”
She emphasised the industry’s readiness to work with the Government to remove barriers to growth and employment.
The West Midlands saw the second-highest number of closures, with 53 pubs ceasing operations.
The region’s total pub count dropped to 3,904 by year’s end.
These regional figures underscore the widespread impact of the crisis facing Britain’s pub industry.