Pubs still community bedrock, says research

New research from Greene King, commissioned ahead of the King’s Coronation, has found that pubs are still seen as the economic and social bedrock of local communities.  

With many pubs now acting as more than places to drink a pint or grab a bite to eat, Greene King’s research finds that four in five (82%) Brits recognise pubs as important for local communities.

While pubs may have evolved dramatically since the last Coronation in 1953, the researchs shows that their role at the centre of communities hasn’t changed. And with 58% living less than a mile from the pub, these community hubs remain in reach for a huge proportion of consumers.  

Just over 60% of Brits believe pubs support the local economy, while one third (34%) have worked in a pub at some point in their lives.

With over half of those working in the sector under the age of 25, pubs continue to be an invaluable employer of young people, offering different career and training opportunities. 

Protect our pubs

Greene King is calling for more to be done to protect pubs so they can continue to serve local communities for generations to come. This comes as Greene King publishes a new report, Serving King and Country: The Great British Pub at the heart of communities, to mark the King’s Coronation on 6 May. The report 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 brewer and operator is expecting to pull around 1.8m pints across its managed estate of c.1,600 pubs over the Coronation weekend, as many people look forward to meeting friends at the pub.

Amidst the celebrations, Greene King is urging the government to look at the future of the British local and how to create a regulatory environment which encourages investment and ensures pubs can continue to serve communities until the next Coronation and beyond.  

"Our pubs have witnessed over 200 years of British history and evolved alongside British society over this time," says Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King. "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.  

"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." 

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