Pub and bar confidence of survival

Pub landlords’ confidence in the survival of their businesses remains low compared to other businesses. However, recent lockdown easing and removal of restrictions has brought some increased optimism.

Pubs and bars are an integral part of British culture and the social landscape, but there’s no doubt that they have been some of the hardest-hit businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lengthy closures during national and local lockdowns, along with severe restrictions on operations even when pubs were allowed to open, have left many in the industry struggling.

Recent data collected by the Office for National Statistics show that the number of landlords reporting that they have ‘high confidence’ in the survival of their business has increased in the last few months. The majority of respondents, however, reported ‘moderate confidence’, reflecting the general feeling of uncertainty that remains in the industry.

On top of this uncertainty, many pubs and bars now face additional challenges as they emerge from the long period of closures and restrictions. Staff shortages and recruitment issues have been reported, as many previous workers left the industry searching for alternative work during the height of the pandemic lockdowns.