Pubs Closing By the Day in the UK

One bar or pub closed every day in Britain in 2010, and according to a study, the number of restaurants, bars, pubs and nightclubs giving up their alcohol licenses rose by 13 per cent over the last year. According to the Daily Express, about 5,742 alcohol licenses were surrendered over the last twelve months, up from 5,102 licenses the year before.

In 2007, the figure was 2,830 - which means the number of pubs and restaurants giving up their licenses has doubled in five years.

Legal analysts Sweet and Maxwell said the statistics demonstrated the effect of the recession on the sector.

Accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy warned that bars, restaurants and nightclubs are under "intense competitive pressure" from supermarkets and big pub chains as well as the combined impact of the smoking ban, rising alcohol duties and shrinking disposable incomes.

The British Beer and Pub Association said earlier this month that pubs were closing at the rate of 25 per week amid continuing tough conditions.

Source-ANI