Pubs in West Midlands striving to deal with rising costs

The number of pubs in the West Midlands region has fallen by nearly 100 in the past two years, figures show.

There were 3,119 pubs in June, down by 97 since 2020 with the biggest declines in Sandwell, Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent.

After struggling with Covid, the industry has faced soaring prices and higher energy costs, one consultancy firm warned.

The government said it had slashed taxes to help.

So what has it been like for landlords and pub managers in the West Midlands coping over the past two years?

Andy Smith, landlord at the Plough Inn, Wollaston, Stourbridge, is planning to sell up and move on from the pub trade after 16 years in charge.

Since he took over in 2006, he said trade had been steady but had been hit by the pandemic which had caused a lot of changes including more people drinking at home.

"This next 12 months is going to be a crucial time for pubs. We need to reinvent," he said.

Business dropped by about £75,000 annually compared to before the pandemic and he said the cost of living crisis meant higher rents and increased energy bills.

"We have a lot of people come in that we used to see three or four times a week, now we see them once or twice," he added.

"When we took this pub over it was a totally different scenario, we have made an awful lot of friends in here and we have had an unbelievable time.

"But things have become tough. I think it is time for someone else to come in with maybe new, fresh ideas, maybe that is what it needs."

The Holly Bush, in Salt, Stafford, reopened in March with the country emerging from the pandemic and then into the cost of living crisis.

Manager George Reiling said they were a small pub so had concentrated on getting people coming throughout the week, not just at weekends.

"Some pensioners and older people who come, they love as we do smaller appetite meals and that is our selling point, that we cater to them," he said.

With costs rising, from energy bills to cooking oil, Mr Reiling said they had been cautious and "making sure we are not throwing ourselves under the bus".

"We feel if we can keep it at good quality but affordable, we will still continue to get the trade," he said.

"Our main goal is not to offload it to the customer as much as possible, we just want to make sure they come in and have a good time."

Terry Rogers, who manages the Auctioneers Arms, Caverswall, near Stoke-on-Trent, said having the community own the pub "works really well".

The venue had been facing demolition before residents got together and took it over in 2018.

As well as a committee running the pub, volunteers help redecorate, carry out maintenance and do jobs such as running the quiz.

"There are so many people that put their time into it that are unpaid and it's great," Mr Rogers said.

"People fix the fridges for us, one resident sorted the lights, they have been put on timers so that reduces the costs."

He said they had tried not to pass on rising costs.

"Some of the costs we passed on a little while back with Covid, but since the last few increases, we have not passed those on," he said.

"We did look at opening earlier and we thought there is not enough money there at the moment.

"We have got a good financial director, one of the volunteers, and he keeps a close check on those daily. We can see quickly if we are out of line."

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