Over 7,500 licensed premises closed in last 12 months — report

Independent businesses have borne the brunt of closures.

Britain has 7,592 less licensed premises than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, according to a report by analysts CGA and advisory firm AlixPartners.

The companies’ latest Market Recovery Monitor, published as the UK marks 12 months since its first lockdown, saw Britain’s total licensed premises falling by 2,713 over January and February—equivalent to 46 closures a day, or one every 31 minutes.

In total, Britain had 107,516 sites at the end of February 2021, down by 7,592 or 6.6% from 115,108 in March 2020.

Independent businesses have borne the brunt of closures, with 5,112 closing since March 2020, including 1,971 in January and February alone. The companies say this reflects the “vulnerability of small and family-run businesses by comparison to well-invested restaurant and pub groups”, which have recorded 1,229 closures.