A new study by experts from The University of Manchester has revealed a major shift in Britain’s social life, as the number of bars and pubs has dropped sharply in recent years while restaurants have expanded.
The research, published in Applied Geography, examined more than 1100 neighbourhoods across Greater Manchester and Nottingham between 2002 and 2019. The team found that bar numbers fell by around 35%, while restaurant numbers grew by a similar percentage over the same period
This trend is part of a nationwide pattern. Across the UK, thousands of pubs have closed their doors in the past two decades, with closures accelerating in recent years as rising costs, changing habits and the Covid-19 pandemic hit the industry hard.