Following the Good Pub Guide's estimation that between 2,500 and 4,000 pubs will close in the next 12 months due to failing to meet basic industry standards, landlords are being encouraged to invest money into the market.
According to the 2014 edition of the Guide, there are thousands of pubs across the UK that "still behave as if we are stuck in the 1980s, happy with indifferent food, drink service and surrounding. This sounds dire, and of course it's bad news for their staff and regular customers, but these are pubs at the bottom of the pecking order".
Investment and modernisation from pub owners is vital to the future of the industry. Aspects that can be focused on are decor, facilities, services, consistently high standards and providing high-quality food.
When it came to profitability, the Guide also advised owners not to put their prices too high as this will inevitably make them lose trade, but at the same time there is "no point" in trying to compete with cheaper supermarket deals. The average cost of a pint of ale in the UK, according to the Guide's separate survey of prices, stands now at £3.20.
The Guide was slightly optimistic about the sector's future, noting that the market still has many landlords who are willing to invest to breathe new life into old sites. The report added: "In this coming year, we expect well over 1,000 new pubs to open - often visionary and energetic new licensees bringing fresh life to former pubs that have been shuttered for months."