37 Pubs a month 'Vanished' in 2020

That's a 6 percentage point decrease from 2019 in spite of the pandemic.

Analysis of official government data by property consultancy Altus Group shows that in the 12 months to 31 December, the total number of pubs - including those that are required to pay management fees or stand empty, and are let - fell by 446 to 40,617.

Figures show there has been a decrease in the number of pubs in England and Wales from 42.450 as of December 31.

Last week the Treasury confirmed it was introducing extra one-off grants of up to £9.000, though some economists and restaurateurs said the sums will be insufficient to extend them beyond the next month or two unless tenancy agreements are waived.

Last week the government announced a one-off top-up grant to businesses to help shut shops, leisure centres and restaurants cope with the economic consequences of the country's third national lockout.

Robert Hayton, managing director of land taxes at Altus Group, said: "Pubs and restaurants bore the brunt of coronavirus restrictions in 2020 but proved remarkably resilient.[They were] aided by Government interventions such as furlough, grants, rates relief and liquidity in the form of cheap loans."