13/01/2026
Waking up this morning to this email was absolutely shattering and it broke my spirit a little
Another price increase. Another hit to pubs that are already hanging on by a thread.
Let me be clear and very clear we fully support wage increases. Our staff work incredibly hard and deserve every cent. But when multi-million global companies continue to hike prices, it’s the small, independent pubs that pay the real price.
Margins are already squeezed beyond belief. We worked so so so tirelessly over xmas and by time everyone is paid which i may add 23% of every sale is already gone to our lovely government
Then January hasn't even settled in yet and we are slapped with this email
Energy, insurance, compliance, staffing and now yet again, another rise from companies posting massive profits year after year. It feels like we’re being punished for simply trying to keep our doors open.
Pubs are closing all over the country. Rural pubs. Family pubs. Community pubs. The very places that sponsor teams, host fundraisers, create jobs and keep villages alive.
Its the hub of every town village and city alike
Every closure is a loss to a community and still the costs keep coming.
You can only pass so much on to customers before it becomes impossible. At some point, something has to give and too often it’s the publican who’s expected to absorb it.
This isn’t a rant for the sake of it. It’s frustration, exhaustion, and genuine fear for the future of the hospitality industry.
We’re not looking for sympathy, we’re looking for fairness. Because if this keeps going, many more pubs won’t survive another year.
