Britain's number of pubs, bars, restaurants, and other licensed premises has decreased by nearly 1,000 over the past year, according to NIQ’s latest Hospitality Market Monitor. From September 2025 to September 2026, the total fell by 1.0% to 98,319, resulting in an average of nearly 19 closures per week. The hospitality sector faces intense pressures from rising costs and low consumer confidence, with only 37% of leaders optimistic about business prospects.

In the three months leading up to September, 2,436 venues closed while 2,191 new ones opened, indicating significant churn in the market. The casual dining sector has been hit particularly hard, contracting by 2.2% year-on-year and shrinking about 23.4% since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conversely, the accommodation sector shows some positive trends, with licensed hotels rising by 0.2% and holiday parks by 0.7%, reflecting increased domestic tourism.

Karl Chessell from NIQ emphasised the need for "Meaningful support on this burden of costs is needed to protect thousands of vulnerable businesses from closure. With the right backing, alongside a stimulus to consumer spending, hospitality can give the UK economy the injection of growth and job creation that it needs".