
Scottish pubs and bars face crisis as closure rate doubles
Scotland’s pubs and bars are struggling to survive as they face a record number of closures this year. According to the latest data, 76 pubs and bars have shut down in the first nine months of 2023, a 36% increase from the whole of last year. This means that Scotland is losing pubs and bars at twice the rate of England, where only 0.75% of outlets closed in the same period. Rates relief denied One of the main reasons for the crisis in the Scottish hospitality sector is the lack of business rates relief from the Scottish Government. Unlike in…