Publicans warn Dartmoor pubs could close without government support

Publicans across Dartmoor are worried rising costs and financial pressures could force their pubs to close next year. Owners say soaring energy bills, increased taxes, and shrinking customer numbers are making it harder than ever to keep village pubs open. 

Many are hoping the Chancellor’s upcoming Autumn Budget will offer some relief, with calls for cuts to business rates and support for struggling pubs growing louder as venues face a precarious future.

READ NEXT: Dartmoor horse charity backed by Angela Rippon in new TV campaign

The British Beer and Pub Association warns that across the South West, more than 300 pubs could shut in 2026, putting nearly 1,800 jobs at risk as the sector faces what it calls a ‘perfect storm’ of rising costs, withdrawal of business rates relief, and upcoming property revaluations.

Richard Edlmann, owner of the Ring of Bells in North Bovey, is one of several publicans across Dartmoor to express concern over rising costs putting severe pressure on their pubs. "We’ve had a massive cut in staff over the last year,’ he explained, "and the monthly wage bill is almost equivalent to the pub’s overheads."

He highlighted the impact of recent cost increases: “With a £500 increase in rates and national insurance going up, plus an 11 per cent decrease in revenue, it’s getting harder to keep going.” 

Mr Edlmann added: “They’re taxing things like grass waste, and they are not giving people the means to improve their lives.”

ABOVE: Landlord Richard Edlmann outside the Ring of Bells, North Bovey (Credit: Ring of Bells)

The effect on customer habits has also been stark. 

“The pub was once a daily occurrence for locals, then it became once in a while, and now it’s very rare,” he said. 

Despite the challenges, the Ring of Bells remains open seven days a week. 

“We can’t afford to shut for two days and lose revenue,” Mr Edlmann explained.

Reflecting on the pressure, he said: “They’ve taken something that was impossible, and made it worse.”

Dawn-Marie Michelin, who runs the Horse & Groom in Bittaford, says rising costs and changing habits are putting village pubs under relentless pressure.

She told The Moorlander: “With 209 pubs already closed across England and Wales this year, and forecasts suggesting we’ll reach one a day by the end of 2025, it’s definitely a worry.”

Despite successes, the Horse & Groom was recently named CAMRA Rural Pub of the Year, and included in the Good Beer Guide for the 16th consecutive year, Dawn says the economics of running a village pub are becoming unsustainable. 

She explained to The Moorlander that energy bills alone exceed £35,000 a year. Rising national insurance contributions and the new packaging tax are also pushing prices up across the board.

“People think if you own a pub you must be well off, but that’s so far from the truth. If we were, we’d have staff working for us and be off enjoying ourselves, instead, we’re doing it all and cutting back on staff to survive.”

ABOVE: The Horse and Groom was recently named CAMRA Rural Pub of the Year (Credit: Horse and Groom)

She added that keeping pubs alive matters not just for locals but for villages as a whole: “Having a pub open in your village actually helps keep house prices higher, while a boarded-up building does the opposite. A pub is a vital community hub, like everything, it’s a case of use it or lose it.”

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and MP for Central Devon, Sir Mel Stride, explained the importance of pubs as a social venue for localities: “Pubs play a vital role in our community - not only as places to gather and socialise, but as businesses that provide employment and contribute to the local economy. By increasing business rates, hiking National Insurance, and introducing a smoking ban in pub gardens, the Labour government is threatening the future of small local pubs everywhere, including here in Central Devon. The future of our local pubs depends on us all standing together and pushing back against policies that threaten their survival.”

ABOVE: Shadow Chancellor and MP for Central Devon Mel Stride (Credit: Mel Stride MP)

The BBPA is calling on the Chancellor to cut business rates and consider other measures, including relief on beer duty and employment costs, to keep pubs viable. Local publicans say the pressure is relentless, with rising overheads and taxes threatening the survival of village venues. Both emphasised that pubs play a vital role in village life, and that closures would have a serious impact on communities.