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The Guardian World
Beer boom goes flat as breweries call last orders
TL;DR
The UK beer brewing industry is facing a decline, with 320 breweries closing last year and only 170 opening. This has resulted in a net loss of 150 businesses, and two pubs are estimated to close daily in early 2026.
Key points
- UK beer brewing industry is declining
- 320 breweries closed last year
- Only 170 breweries opened last year
- Net loss of 150 breweries
- Two pubs are closing daily in early 2026
Mentioned in this story
Burton-upon-Trent
Walking down the streets of Burton-upon-Trent 30 years ago, Al Wall could smell different aspects of the beer brewing process through the day - but those moments are now few and far between.
He is the head brewer at the oldest and largest independent brewery remaining in the town that once produced a quarter of British beer, with more than 30 breweries at its peak.
These days the brewing scene in Burton is a shadow of its former self, and the town is not alone.
Across the UK 320 businesses shut last year, Companies House data shows. Yet only 170 opened, resulting in a net loss of 150.
In addition, the beer industry estimates that around two pubs closed a day in the first quarter of 2026.
The net loss has continued this year. As of April, the number of UK beer brewing companies fell to 2,320. It peaked at 2,594 in 2022.
Tim Webb, from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), explained the domination of big brands is one of the main issues.
"The big problem that breweries have got, and it is getting worse, is access to market," he said.
"The problem, which is really happening everywhere across Europe, is large brewery companies owning the draught lines in pubs."
Smaller breweries are also blocked from supermarket sales due to price undercutting.
Webb said some closures are due to the lingering impacts of Covid, but consumer habits are also key.
Less than a decade ago, England's beer businesses were booming. In 2017 alone, 317 breweries were incorporated – more than double last year's figure.
While England still accounts for the vast majority of the UK's beer-brewing businesses, its total has fallen below 2,000 this year for the first time since 2018.
Of the 1,965 remaining, 95 are in the process of administration, insolvency or liquidation.
The South East's oldest brewery, based on the year of incorporation, is Oxfordshire's Hook Norton.
James Clarke is the fifth generation of his family to run the company and has been brewing for over 30 years.
He has seen a large change in "consumption, attitudes and lifestyle".
"Back in the early nineties, we brewed three beers, a mild, a bitter and Old Hooky," he said.
"I think beer consumption in the UK was about double the volume that it is now."
Hook Norton is brewing half the amount of beer it was 15 years ago, but a wider variety, and Clarke believes there is a "small renaissance in the traditional styles of beer".
Webb added: "The part of the beer market that's holding up or growing is the interesting part.
"So you've got heritage beers, craft beers, in some cases very strange wacky new types of beer - those are all doing fine."
Q&A
Why are breweries closing in the UK?
Breweries in the UK are closing due to declining demand and increased competition, leading to a net loss of businesses.
How many breweries closed in the UK last year?
Last year, 320 breweries closed across the UK.
What is the current state of the beer industry in Burton-upon-Trent?
Burton-upon-Trent's brewing scene has significantly declined, with the town once housing over 30 breweries now reduced to only a few.
How many pubs are closing in the UK daily?
The beer industry estimates that around two pubs are closing each day in the UK during the first quarter of 2026.
