Pubs Under Pressure
New figures show pubs are closing down at their fastest rate ever and in a special investigation, the Guardian’s KARL HOLBROOK looks at how the smoking ban, longer opening times, rising taxes, cheap supermarket booze and changing attitudes have hit Leyland pubs.
Anyone thinking about running their own pub in Leyland has been spoilt for choice lately.
That’s because there are currently three pubs on the market and two others have been taken over by new landlords in recent weeks.
Also, rumours have emerged that other pubs are close to being put on the market and local landlords say they are struggling to survive.
“A pub is now closing every six hours in this country and nobody is doing anything to stop it.
“The government keep putting taxes up, levies get harder from the breweries, the smoking ban took about 20 per cent of trade away and supermarkets under-cut everyone with cheap booze promotions.
Paul Fields, who runs the Dunkirk Hall in Dunkirk Lane, is another landlord who is quitting the business because of slumping trade.
The experienced publican blames the introduction of the smoking ban, which came into force on July 1, last year.
He said: “I’ve been brought up around pubs and it saddens me what is happening. The smoking ban has hit everyone hard.
“Last year I had to spend about £3,000 preparing for the ban with smoking shelters and things, but it didn’t make a difference.
However, landlord Dave Sutherland said he quit the Broadfield Arms, in Leyland Lane, earlier this year because the ban wiped out 30 per cent of his trade.
“The fact of the matter is that we have lost an awful lot of local pubs and we are going to lose a lot more.
According to Mr le Clercq, 1,400 pubs closed across England last year, compared to just 255 the previous year.
Source: Leland Guardian. Link
