BBC Radio 4 LW

In Business

Factual: Money

Series about the world of work from vast corporations to modest volunteers

Series of programmes about the whole world of work, public and private, from vast corporations to modest volunteers

In Business: The pub is dead! Long live the micropub!

The pub is dead! Long live the micropub!

BBC Radio 4 - In Business, The pub is dead! Long live the micropub!

British pubs have been closing down but a new type of pub - the micropub - is popping up.

Britain has lost a quarter of its pubs in two decades. But others, like small micropubs, are popping up. Why are they succeeding when the traditional boozer is struggling?

Since 2001 the UK has lost a quarter of its pubs. They've shut their doors for good. High taxes, high prices, supermarket competition, even the smoking ban have all been blamed. But there are new types of pub, the micropub, and community-owned pubs, which are bucking the trend. While larger, traditional establishments have been under pressure, these have flourished. So why have they been able to succeed where others have not? For In Business, John Murphy visits his local boozer - and others - to see what these new pubs have to offer.

Producer: Ruth Alexander

BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

In Business

The pub is dead! Long live the micropub!

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4