Concerns are rising across Dorset that more pubs could be forced to close their doors as financial strain continues to mount on the hospitality sector.
Rich Gabe, spokesman for the West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), says the playing field is becoming increasingly unfair.
According to him, supermarkets selling alcohol at “crazy loss-leading prices” combined with high beer duty and business rates are pushing many landlords to breaking point.
“As long as supermarkets can use alcohol as a loss leader and the Government keeps taxes high, it’s always going to be a one-sided battle,” Gabe said.
“This is why so many publicans have no choice but to sell up or walk away.”
Despite the common belief that most locals are brewery-owned, CAMRA says an increasing number of pubs are actually owned by property groups or investment firms.
CAMRA branch secretary Tony Egerton highlighted the issue:
“We have 18 pubs in our area operated by Punch Taverns, but they’re actually owned by American property company Fortress.”
Former publican and ex-Weymouth town councillor Luke Wakeling took to social media to defend the role pubs play in local life, saying the recent Budget delivered the opposite of what pubs and grassroots music venues desperately needed.
He pointed to higher beer duty, rising business rates, and soaring staff and energy costs as a combination that is devastating the sector.
“I’m an ex-publican, and I have a soft spot for the British pub. Pubs are a deep part of our culture. They’re a shared living room.
A good pub combats loneliness and boosts mental health. We can’t afford to lose them.”
Wakeling warned that closures are accelerating.
In 2024 alone, 412 pubs shut permanently — more than one every single day — including three in Weymouth.
“I fear the losses next year will be even greater. Can we afford to lose another thousand pubs? It’s the small, community pubs that do the most good that are most at risk.”
He urged locals to contact South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton, saying he has written multiple times asking for support:
“He tells me he cares about pubs, but we need action, not words.
Please email him — the 106 pubs in his constituency need help before they’re all gone.”
A quick online search shows many Dorset pubs currently up for sale, although CAMRA warns some may simply be testing the market or appearing in outdated listings.
