Soaring costs and changing drinking habits have already led to more than 2,000 pub closures since 2020 – and there are fears that the rate of shutdowns could rise from one a day to six a day this year without urgent action
The landlord of Britain’s best pub has warned it faces a “perfect storm” of cost hikes.
George Greenaway and his wife Louise are celebrating after the Tamworth Tap was crowned the Campaign for Real Ale’s National Pub of the Year. And it was awarded the prestigious prize for an unprecedented third time.
The latest gong – after previously picking-up Camra’s award in 2022 and 2023 – is all the more impressive as the Staffordshire town inn only opened in a former shop eight years ago – and Mr Greenaway had never run a pub before. The 58-year-old gave up a successful career as an IT security consultant to make the leap,
But he had plenty of know-how from visiting more than 1,000 pubs across the country as a hobby. Yet despite building-up a thriving business in a short space of time, he warned it was facing the same pressures as so many other pubs.
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Soaring costs and changing drinking habits have already led to more than 2,000 pub closures since 2020. And there are dire warnings that, without urgent action, the rate of closures could rise from one a day to six a day in 2026.
The Mirror has led the crusade to champion the role of the nation’s locals with its Your Pub Needs You campaign. Critics say the final nail for many could be a looming hike in business rates from this April.
Labour vowed to overhaul the property tax, and deliver permanent savings for pubs and others. But industry chiefs say it comes as Covid-era support measures are phased out and properties are revalued for the first time since before the pandemic.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is poised to unveiled a package of relief for pubs, thought to be worth about £300million, to help the sector cope with the end of pandemic-era support measures. The measures are thought to involve easing the burden of soaring business rates.
Mr Greenaway said pubs like his had been hit by everything from an increase in the national living wage and soaring energy costs to younger people going out and drinking less. “It has been a perfect storm for everybody,” he told the Mirror.
The Tamworth Tap’s rates bill is set to rocket by another £20,000, Mr Greenaway said, adding: “It would eradicate our profits. I am just grateful we are not debt-ridden. Everything is paid for, so I can weather the storm but how long that storm carries on for, that is the $64,000 question.”
He clung to the hope that Labour would come good on its promise to provide meaningful help to struggling pubs, and instead blamed the Treasury over many years. One reason the pub’s rates bill has risen is because it is town centre premises, which attracts a premium, despite the fact many high streets across Britain are struggling.
Mr Greenaway’s journey to opening the pub came when he was hot-desking in the historic building, which dates back to Tudor times, when it was empty after having been a local tourist office. “It was like an epiphany,” he said, describing the moment he decided to ditch his job and launch the venture. “I’d never even worked behind a bar before.”
But he had plenty of experience on the other side, having been to over 1,000 inns as a ‘pub ticker’. “You see great things when you visit a pub,” he went on. “There are so many positives to takeaway from them.”
Using all that knowledge, he launched a pop-up in the building. “The first day that I opened it was a couple of barrels, a trestle table, some second hand seats and some candles – it was that basic,” he admitted.
But Mr Greenaway, whose wife juggles the pub while also working as a teacher, is hugely grateful for the local support in getting the business going, adding: “That support is never forgotten.”
From humble beginnings, it now occupies all three adjoining building over three floors, and also has a microbrewery taphouse. The pub boasts a fascinating interior complete with old church pews, Tudor beams, and a wood burning fire. Equally important are the community events it hosts, from cider and wine tasting to “paint and sip” nights.
As the Mirror’s campaign has shown, pubs can also be vital in tackling loneliness. Mr Greenaway said this came to the fore during the Covid lockdowns, including helping some struggling with their mental health.
Extra costs have prevented him from taking on new staff, with 164 applicants for one replacement role that it did have. And the threat of further hikes has derailed Mr Greenaway and his wife’s plans to expand, including adding an off-licence.
Asked what the one thing he would like to see from Ms Reeves, he said: “Rates is key if she wants to save the industry.”
