CAMRA warn of 'perfect storm' continuing to cause problems for pubs in Sheffield
CAMRA has warned that issues facing pubs are only going to get worse, describing a ‘perfect storm’ is hitting the hospitality sector.
Current estimations suggest that 540 pubs across the country will close this year, according to research group UKHospitality.
Often touted as the ‘real ale capital of the world’, Sheffield’s proud pub heritage isn’t helping local businesses avoid this onslaught of closures.
Just this year, Sheffield has been hit by the loss of the Green Room Bar on Division Street, Isabella’s in Kelham Island and the Closed Shop on Commonside, while other once-popular but now empty boozers continue to be torn down.
“There are a number of problems, the main one is operating costs,” Neil Harvey, from Sheffield and District CAMRA, told The Star.
“They were talking about energy costs going down seven per cent in April, but now with this war in Iran oil prices have gone from 60 dollars to 85 dollars a barrel.
“The government hasn’t helped by imposing employer’s National Insurance increases, so basically pubs can’t afford to take staff on.
“And on top of that there’s changing attitudes to drinking by younger people, I think. Covid certainly didn’t help - younger people got used to going to the supermarket, getting drinks and drinking at home and a lot of them have carried on doing that.
“It’s a perfect storm.”
Neil added that general costs of living are meaning less people are willing to go out, while operators are deciding that pub locations could ultimately make more money as housing and deciding to change use.
While he believes that central locations will continue to survive - touting real ale havens in Kelham Island that attract ‘beer tickers’ from across the country - he says the main victims are going to be village pubs that can no longer survive on selling drinks alone.
“To be honest, I don’t think there’s going to be an easy solution at all,” Neil added.
“I can see pubs still closing whatever CAMRA and the Government do. There is talk of reducing the VAT for pubs and restaurants, but I don’t think that’s going to make an awful lot of difference if people aren’t going out.
“There’s going to be a rundown of pubs until it gets to a limit - we’re not going to lose all of them, but we’re certainly going to lose a big number of them.”