The Short VersionThe UK had 6,495 registered holiday let businesses in March 2026, up from 2,725 in 2010. That’s 2.4 times as many. Holiday lets have more than doubled in 11 of the 12 UK nations and regions, and tripled in the West Midlands. Most of the growth came after the pandemic, with 1,860 added […]
The Short VersionScotland had 2,540 pubs in March 2026, down 11% since 2019, the fastest fall of any UK region. Wales lost 8.4% over the same period and has lost more than a quarter of its pubs since 2010. Scotland now has more licensed restaurants than pubs. Pubs are closing right across the UK, but […]
The Short VersionThe South West has lost hotels every year since 2018. It had 1,505 hotels in March 2026, down 165 since 2019. Over the same period it gained 420 registered holiday lets, taking it to 1,280. The region now has 85 holiday lets for every 100 hotels, the highest ratio in the UK. In […]
The Short VersionLondon had 2,330 hotels in March 2026, up 395 since 2019. Across the rest of the UK, hotel numbers fell by 170 over the same period. Without London, the UK would have fewer hotels than it did before the pandemic. The capital added 160 hotels in the last year alone, and more are […]
The Short VersionRegistered holiday lets have grown fastest in the West Midlands, up 94% since 2019. The East Midlands and the North East follow, both up 90%. The three northern English regions now have 1,280 holiday lets between them, the same as the South West. The traditional holiday regions are still growing, just more slowly. […]
The Short VersionThere were 37,350 pubs and bars in the UK in March 2026, down from 44,680 in 2010. That’s 7,330 fewer, a fall of 16%. Pub numbers dropped in 14 of the last 16 years, and Wales has lost more than a quarter of its pubs. Most of us can name a pub that […]
The Short VersionLondon had 3,625 pubs and bars in March 2026, up 75 since 2019. It’s the only one of the 12 UK regions with more pubs than before the pandemic. London still has fewer pubs than in 2010, but it has lost them more slowly than anywhere else, and most of the recent growth […]
The Short VersionThe UK had 38,735 licensed restaurants in March 2026, up 10.3% since 2019. Wales has grown fastest, up 16.3%, followed by the North West and London, both up 14%. London added the most, and Northern Ireland is the only region where numbers fell. For years the story of UK hospitality has been told […]
