Pubs and places: The social value of community pubs (2nd ed, 2012)

Article

Community pubs are one of Britain's oldest and most popular social institutions. However, they are currently under pressure, with 16 pubs closing every week. This report assesses the social value of community pubs, showing why pubs matter, and why we should be concerned about the current state of the pub trade.

Crucially, pubs are more than just private businesses selling alcohol. Many pubs also play an important role at the heart of their local communities. Pubs provide meeting places, supporting formal and informal social networks, and a focal point for community events. They also play a key role in supporting local economies, and in providing residents and visitors with access to information and services.

This report uses a 'social return on investment' methodology to measure the wider social value generated by a sample of community pubs, and finds that this ranges from around £20,000 to £120,000 per pub.

Related items

  1. A mother and child from behind looking out of a window

    Restoring security: Understanding the effects of removing the two-child limit across the UK

    The government’s decision to lift the two-child limit marks one of the most significant changes to the social security system in a decade.
  2. A group of healthcare professionals sitting in a staff common room in a hospital in Newcastle

    Building a healthier, wealthier Britain: Launching the IPPR Centre for Health and Prosperity

    Following the success of our Commission on Health and Prosperity, IPPR is excited to launch the Centre for Health and Prosperity.
  3. The Home Office building in London

    A ‘paradigm shift’ in asylum and immigration policy?

    In 2019, a package of asylum reforms known as the ‘paradigm shift’ was passed by a broad party consensus in the Danish parliament.