Pubs remain the economic and social bedrock of local communities despite changes in society over the last 70 years, according to new research from Greene King commissioned ahead of the King’s Coronation.
The research finds that four in five (82%) Brits recognise pubs as important for local communities, acting as centres for local initiatives, fundraising efforts and the home for all manner of teams and groups.
While pubs may have evolved since the last coronation in 1953, they remain community hubs for many, with 58% living less than a mile from the pub.
Meanwhile 64% believe pubs support the local economy, while one third (34%) of Brits have worked in a pub at some point in their lives.
Greene King is calling for more to be done to protect pubs so they can continue to serve local communities for generations to come.
The new report, Serving King and Country: The Great British Pub looks at the role pubs play in local communities, their social and economic impact, and how they have evolved with society since the last Coronation in 1953.
The Suffolk brewer and pub operator expects to serve around 1.8 million pints across its managed estate of c.1,600 pubs over the Coronation Weekend.
A quarter (27%) of 18-34 year olds plan to visit a pub during the bank holiday weekend, and 43% of over 18s plan on going to the pub at least once a month.
The brewer has created Coronation Ale especially for the occasion.
Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King, said: “Our pubs have witnessed over 200 years of British history and evolved alongside British society over this time. The pub experience in 1953 will be unrecognisable to many of today’s customers and we pride ourselves on creating warm, welcoming spaces for millions of people of all backgrounds. We are now looking forward to welcoming customers through our doors as we come together to celebrate the King’s Coronation.
“The social and economic impact of pubs is undeniable. Alongside the great career and training opportunities available in communities up and down the country, many pubs also provide vital services and act as hubs which support people in their local areas. The range of services, fundraising events and other community programmes organised by our general managers and tenants never ceases to amaze me and I am delighted to be able to showcase a handful of our fantastic pubs and the teams behind them in our new report.
“However, we must not forget that the future of the Great British Pub is far from certain. We have been through some challenging times over the past few years and we cannot afford to take pubs for granted. We need the Government to create a regulatory environment which encourages investment – particularly through fundamental reform of business rates, which represent the highest regulatory cost burden for pubs – to enable us to continue to serve our communities, create jobs and contribute to the country’s economic growth.”
