Tees Valley Posts Best Bar and Pub Growth in the UK
- Number of Bars and Public Houses by UK City Region
- Recent Change in Number of Bars and Public Houses by UK City Region
- Best for Growth: Tees Valley
Number of Bars and Public Houses in the UK
Over the past decade the number of bars and pubs in the UK has dropped—from 51,120 in 2007 to 38,815 in 2018. While the biggest decline was experienced between 2008 and 2011, we've continued to lose more pubs each and every year since. In addition to communities losing venues for social interaction, local areas may have experienced job losses as well.
| Number of Pubs and Bars in the UK | |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 51,120 |
| 2008 | 50,365 |
| 2009 | 47,265 |
| 2010 | 44,670 |
| 2011 | 43,225 |
| 2012 | 42,580 |
| 2013 | 41,010 |
| 2014 | 40,540 |
| 2015 | 40,360 |
| 2016 | 39,580 |
| 2017 | 38,925 |
| 2018 | 38,815 |
Recent Growth by City Region
Breaking out the data by major city region, it appears that one area has bucked the trend and has actually seen an increase in bars and pubs in recent years. Tees Valley posted significant 10.1% growth in the number bars and public houses between 2016 and 2018—the only major city region to post positive growth in the past two years. In fact, the UK as a whole lost 1.9% of these social eating and drinking establishments over the same time period.
| Number of Bars & Pubs by City Region | 2016 | 2018 | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tees Valley Combined Authority | 345 | 380 | 10.1% |
| Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority | 480 | 480 | 0.0% |
| Greater Manchester Combined Authority | 1,555 | 1,545 | -0.6% |
| West of England Combined Authority | 595 | 590 | -0.8% |
| Greater London | 3,615 | 3,540 | -2.1% |
| West Midlands Combined Authority | 1,125 | 1,095 | -2.7% |
| Liverpool City Region | 830 | 800 | -3.6% |
| Sheffield City Region | 800 | 765 | -4.4% |
| United Kingdom | 39,580 | 38,815 | -1.9% |
Tees Valley Pub and Bar Growth
The growth in Tees Valley has largely been driven by smaller establishments with fewer than 10 employees, with twenty new small businesses opening their doors in Tees Valley between 2016 and 2018, an increase of 10.8%. Over the same time period, 5 new large establishments (with 25 or more employees) and 10 new medium-sized establishments (with 10 to 24 employees) began operating as well.
| Number of Public House and Bars in Tees Valley, by Size | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | Percentage Increase, 2016 - 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 or More Employees | 40 | 45 | 45 | 12.5% |
| 10 to 24 Employees | 115 | 115 | 125 | 8.7% |
| Less than 10 Employees | 185 | 200 | 205 | 10.8% |
Pubs and bars are part of the fabric of society, with the average UK household spending £416 per year on alcohol consumed out of the house. In fact, there are three areas of the UK in which people spend more on alcohol out of the house than they spend on alcohol for consumption at home: London, Yorkshire and The Humber and the North East (home to Tees Valley).