Plea to save pubs as 14 shut weekly

As a result the real ale consumer's champion has renewed calls for fundamental action to save pubs.

Nationally 378 shut between July and December last year including 25 in the West Midlands - which takes in Shropshire.

The number of pubs in the region was down from 4,324 to 4,290.

The closure rate has dropped slightly from a rate of 18 a week in the first half of last year, thanks in part to Camra's success in achieving new local planning protection for pubs in England.

Jackie Parker, Camra's national chairman said: "Pubs are a very important part of our national culture and are valuable community assets which help to combat loneliness and social isolation. It's great we have seen a drop in the number of pubs closing, showing that our hard-fought campaign to get planning protection for pubs was worth it.

"Protecting pubs in the English planning system was a necessity and a welcome move from the Government. However, it's taken nearly two years for the trickle-down effects of the planning changes to show. Our politicians should back the asks of the Save Our Pubs campaign in full, and show they are squarely behind pubs."

As the UK prepares to exit the European Union, the Government will have the freedom to reduce Beer Duty specifically in pubs - levelling the playing field between the price of beer sold in social, community settings and cheap supermarket alcohol consumed at home.

This move is one of three key measures CAMRA believes the Government needs to take urgently to halt the tide of pub closures.

The campaign is also calling for full reviews both of the business rates system to fix the unfair amount pubs pay, and of currently ineffective legislation designed to enable pub tenants to get a fair deal from their big-business property owners.

The closure figures were compiled using Camra's WhatPub online pub guide, which contains information on about 46,600 pubs currently open in England, Scotland and Wales.