UK consumer group says Budget is ‘make or break’ for industry as figures reveal drop in independent brewers
CAMRA has published the 2026 Good Beer Guide along with a clear message to the Chancellor: it’s a make-or-break moment for the future of independent brewers and consumer choice.
The Guide is the definitive guidebook to pubs that serve great cask beer across the UK, and uses an independent, volunteer-led selection process that makes it the authoritative and trusted voice of cask beer drinkers.
However, CAMRA warns the latest figures shows another drop in brewery numbers across the UK, almost all being smaller and independent operators, which the Campaign says are vital to consumer choice.
149 breweries have closed, and only 71 new breweries have opened.
36 pubs that featured in the 2025 Guide have closed. One of those has been converted and the rest are shut with an uncertain future.
There are 900 new entries in the 2026 Guide, showing that pubs are beating the odds to provide quality and choice despite tough economic conditions.
In a year where iconic parts of the UK’s brewing heritage, such as Banks’s in Wolverhampton closed their gates for good, and more independent brewers closed than opened, the Guide remains the go-to source for finding choice and quality in pubs.
Ash Corbett-Collins, CAMRA Chairman, said:
“This really is a make-or-break Budget for the Chancellor. It’s time for the Government to decide if they’re pro pubs and independent brewers, or if they are going to reign over the demise of the Great British Pub. Consumers want decisive action to get independent beers onto bars and allow pubs to thrive.
“Each edition of the Good Beer Guide is a collectible snapshot of beer and pub culture that year. This year’s Guide is a testament to the remarkable resilience of publicans, continuing to achieve excellence and choice for consumers despite a backdrop of sky-high tax bills and a lack of action from Government. The Chancellor needs to use the upcoming Budget to slash the tax burden on pubs, including VAT, duty and National Insurance contributions.”
The 2026 Guide is sponsored by Midland Snacks Traditional Pork Scratchings and endorsed by Cask Marque.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Images of the Guide, CAMRA spokespeople and featured pubs, are here: camra-stock.camra.org.uk/276084999/collection/70/good-beer-guide-2026-press-kit
Buy the 2026 Guide from the CAMRA website: shop.camra.org.uk/product/good-beer-guide-2026/
Data tables
UK wide data:
Regional data, broken down by county, is here.
Contact press@camra.org.uk for listings from the Guide for media. Usage terms apply.
