The number of pubs across the county has declined since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, new figures have revealed.

The research, carried out by the Altus Group, has shown that several pubs shut their doors during the pandemic in Oxfordshire.

Across the South East, there have been 125 closures since March 2020, including 15 closures this year alone.

Nationally, pub numbers across England and Wales have also dropped below 40,000 for the first time, with 200 lost between the end of 2021 and the end of June.

This is how each district has been impacted:

Oxford

Despite declining numbers across the county, Oxford has seen one new pub open up.

Data shows there were 106 pubs in Oxford as of June – up from 105 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.

Cherwell

Cherwell was hit hard by the pandemic, with multiple pubs closing down.

Figures reveal there were 133 pubs in Cherwell as of June – down from 137 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.

West Oxfordshire

West Oxfordshire also bucked the trend in the county, with one new opening since the pandemic began.

Data shows there were 118 pubs in West Oxfordshire as of June – up from 117 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.

Vale of White Horse

One pub has been shuttered in the Vale of White Horse during the pandemic, the numbers highlight.

The figures show there were 102 pubs in the Vale of White Horse as of June – down from 103 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.

South Oxfordshire

South Oxfordshire was also hard hit, with a number of pubs failing to reopen after the pandemic.

Data shows there were 155 pubs in South Oxfordshire as of June – down from 159 in March 2020, before the first coronavirus lockdown.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “When pubs are forced to close it’s a huge loss to the local community, and these numbers paint a devastating picture of how pubs are being lost in villages, towns and cities across the country.

“As a sector we have just weathered the hardest two years in memory, and we now face the challenge of extreme rising costs, with only one in three hospitality businesses currently profitable.

“It’s essential that we receive relief to ease these pressures, or we really do risk losing more pubs year on year.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy said: “We understand the challenges that the pubs sector is facing.

"This is why we are supporting pubs across the UK with 50 percent business rates relief, freezing alcohol duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits and increasing the employment allowance.

"This is in addition to the billions in grants and loans offered throughout the pandemic.”

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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