Pubs 'need a level playing field' to survive

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Industry figures show pubs closed at the rate of nearly two a day in the first quarter of 2026. The data from the British Beer and Pub Association doesn't include Northern Ireland. The organisation says the closures equate to the loss of around 2400 jobs. Gary Philipson hears from a County Durham publican who says his electricity bill is around £8000 a month and expects more pubs to shut down without industry help.