A significant number of pubs and bars in Lincolnshire have closed over the past 16 years, with Office for National Statistics figures showing a 27% reduction between 2009 and 2025. This represents a drop from 710 to 515 establishments. In South Holland, which includes Spalding, the closure rate is almost double the county average at 53%, decreasing from 75 to 35 pubs.
Patrick Hughes, a former landlord of The Royal Mail Cart pub in Spalding, quit his tenancy after just over a year, blaming rising utility and wage prices, changing customer habits, and local roadworks. He suggested that the government should address the low cost of alcohol in supermarkets, particularly through taxation, to create a more balanced market.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 20% cut in business rates for qualifying pubs, social clubs, and live music venues in England, set to begin in April 2027. Emma McClarkin OBE, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, is advocating for this cut to be made permanent in the upcoming Budget, alongside a freeze in beer duty and an expansion of the draught discount.
A spokesperson for HM Treasury confirmed that the Chancellor prioritised support for the hospitality industry by cutting business rates, which they state will save thousands of local businesses over £1,000 annually. Locals in Surfleet Seas End are attempting to save The Ship Inn, which closed last year, by forming The Shipmates group to raise £600,000 to buy and operate it.