So far during the pandemic over 800 branded restaurants, bars and cafes have closed their doors permanently. In the previous two years only 593 closed, that figure includes the one-off corporate shake-ups at Patisserie Valerie and The Restaurant Group accounting for almost 150 closures in 24 months.
Chain pubs and bars in comparison have been the least affected but Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers have still closed 45 sites between them.
The government has offered grants to companies forced to shut down but they say this is inadequate and have called for business rates and VAT relief to be extended beyond April whilst they recover.
However the chains have still weathered the storm of the pandemic more fortunately than independent traders with an estimated net reduction of 5,975 licensed sites in 2020 taking into account new openings. This represents a 175% rise in net closures compared with 2019.
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