PUBS up and down the country are battling with soaring expenses, leading to early closures throughout the week amid evergrowing financial strain.

According to a recent survey by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), 32 per cent of pubs have had to reduce their operating hours due to escalating costs.

The figures also indicate that 509 pubs shut down in 2023, and this year an estimated 750 could close by June.

Ruth Seggie, who runs the award-winning Howard Arms Hotel in Brampton, highlighted the challenges they face on a daily basis. 

"We're trying to avoid closing any days of the week, obviously because we have guests staying with us, but certainly with the national minimum wage going up, rising electricity and gas, and beer going up, it's making life a whole lot harder," she said. 

As well as the national minimum wage increasing from £10.42 to £11.44 this month, the cost to keep beer pouring and the lights on has increased dramatically.

"We've had to increase the price of our beer, due to brewery increases, we're still hitting margins but it's a constant battle," she said.

"Our electricity has gone up, our gas bill has gone up £400 per month to £2,000 per month. It's massive. 

"It's a constant battle to turn lights off, heating off in unused rooms, you're constantly addressing your costs."

The impact of escalating expenses is not confined to established pubs.

Stuart Adam, operations manager of The Loose Moose (formerly The General Wolfe Inn) in Penrith's Little Dockeray, emphasised the struggle even for newly opened establishments, despite the pub proving extremely popular. 

"Booze has gone up, minimum wage has gone up and we're the busiest pub in town and even we're feeling it," Stuart said. 

Whilst the Loose Moose is open seven days a week, the idea of closing a day has been 'contemplated'. 

"We contemplated it in January and we did shave 15 hours a week off, but for the staff, who worked throughout December, we need to keep up their hours and keep open as much as possible.

"We've got a third of our staff on during the day that we would have in compared to Christmas," Stuart said. 

Price hikes in buying in kegs have been continuous for the pub that makes '75 per cent' of their weekly takings between 10pm - 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.  

"We had loads of casks going in the basket online in February, while it was in the basket overnight - went to pay it the next day and it had gone up 10 per cent," he said. 

"We've changed the suppliers three times to try to get the cheapest.

"We found out the average Cumbrian pint is £6.40 for Cruzcampo, possibly because of the hotels by the Lakes, but we're keeping it at £5.

"We're trying to get locals in who are already paying extra for electricity, council tax - if we can make a small profit on our beer, we'll still do that even if it costs us a little more," he said.