Concerns for South Wiltshire pubs as Government support ends
The British Beer and Pub Association is worried about a 'wave of closures'
We're facing a wave of pub closures across South Wiltshire if more isn't done to help with their costs
That's according to the British Beer and Pub Association, on the day current support from the Government comes to an end.
Chief Executive Emma McClarkin, who's from Salisbury, tells us 50 pubs are already closing nationwide every month:
"I've seen more pubs in 2022, even though they were able to open and able to trade, than any time during the pandemic. This is an acceleration in business failure that we're seeing, because of that cost of inflation but it's particularly on energy - those sky high costs that we desperately need the Government to take action."
Ed Turner told us food prices were up 20%, drink prices were rising by double digits, while staff costs and energy bills are also increasing.
Emma McClarkin from Salisbury, who leads the British Beer and Pub Association, is telling us what needs to change:
"We urgently need the Government to step in to put pressure on energy suppliers and say give a window of re-negotiation, pass on the wholesale prices as they come down, otherwise we're going to see a mass failure of businesses."