Latest openings, closures, festivals and industry stories from pubs and bars across England, Scotland and Wales.
Two HGV trailers carrying around 70,000 pints of Guinness were taken from a Runcorn depot. The stout, worth approx. £115,000, is believed destined for pubs; Cheshire Police ask for witnesses and dashcam footage.
Like-for-like UK pub sales increased 4.2% in July 2026 as World Cup fixtures and warm weather boosted wet-led outlets across the country.
Brains has opened The Old Brewery in Cardiff’s Brewery Quarter, offering a beer-focused experience on the former St Mary’s Street brewery site.
JD Wetherspoon’s Marshfield Bank Farm House in Crewe is set to open with 70 new jobs after a £1.5m development on a former Beefeater site.
The Eight Bells in Hawkhurst, Kent closed in August 2026 despite strong local support, with operators citing rent, energy, labour and food costs.
The Rhoderick Dhu on Waterloo Street, Glasgow reopened on 21 August 2026 after a six-figure Belhaven refurbishment with upgraded sports screens.
Chef Tom Kerridge will open Georgie’s Bar at Corinthia London on 5 September 2026, featuring a Martini club and UK craft beers beside his relaunched restaurant.
The Dolphin on King Edward Road in Tynemouth has reopened following a transformational community pub refurbishment worth around £169,000.
The Tollgate in Old Trafford reopened on 19 August 2026 after a £400,000 Marston’s Grandstand refurb packed with giant HD screens for matchdays.
Young’s has closed the Hammersmith Ram on King Street, ending around 300 years as an inn and leaving another gap in west London’s pub scene.
Draught volumes in UK pubs rose 3.9% in July 2026 even as the number of licensed venues fell year on year, Market Watch data shows.
Circle13 has opened a permanent pétanque and highball cocktail bar under the railway arches on Helmsley Place in London Fields, Hackney.
The Vulcan Inn in Walkden reopened on 15 August 2026 after a £170,000 refurbishment led by long-serving licensees and Admiral Taverns.
JD Wetherspoon is rolling out new pubs across the UK in 2026, with openings from Hessle and Crewe to Heathrow, Manchester Airport and central London.
The Angel Inn opened on Bold Street, Liverpool on 12 August 2026, billed as the street’s first proper traditional pub in the former Maggie May’s unit.
Westminster Council's move to ban "vertical drinking" in Soho pubs threatens a time-honoured British tradition. Is a pub that doesn't allow standing a real pub at all?
The Plough in Staining near Blackpool reopened on 5 August 2026 after a £450,000 refurbishment into a modern, dog-friendly country pub.
Wetherspoon’s 10-day Craft Cider Festival ran from 31 July to 9 August 2026, showcasing up to 15 craft ciders in pubs across the UK.
The UK pub and bar market is forecast to grow to £24.7bn in 2026, even as outlet numbers fall by about seven net closures a week.
CAMRA has included 280 JD Wetherspoon pubs in The Good Beer Guide 2026, recognising consistent real ale quality across the UK estate.
Around two British pubs closed every day in early 2026, the BBPA warns, urging longer-term tax reform beyond temporary business rates relief.
Pubs in England and Wales could serve until 5am on 6 July 2026 for England’s 1am World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico under a blanket licence extension.