The region’s pubs are calling last orders early in a bid to save money as trade is destroyed by the ongoing downturn in the economy.
Some premises are staying closed on quieter days of the week when they struggle to get any punters through the doors.
In a blow to the night-time economy, a poll of British Beer and Pub Association members found a third of pubs across the country have reduced their operating hours due to higher operational costs.
Former Lockerbie publican Stephen Montgomery, who now owns a restaurant in Annan, told of the pressures businesses are currently facing and said it comes as “no surprise” that some pubs are closing their doors as early as 8pm.
The director of the Scottish Hospitality Group said: “Why would you stay open and pay staff and spiralling electricity costs when you’ve no customers?
“Some pubs aren’t just closing early – they’re not opening at all on quieter days.
“Utility bills are tripling, sometimes quadrupling and although the government helped homes with the energy support scheme, it stopped for businesses.
“On top of energy bills, we’ve got the national minimum wage increasing by almost 10 per cent next month.
“We all want to pay that but the money has to come from somewhere and customers don’t want to pay increased prices.
“As well as closing early some nights, many pubs are staying closed on a Monday and Tuesday because there’s no point in opening if there’s no customers.”
Stephen, 54, said the Scottish Government must do more to support the industry.
He added: “The Scottish Hospitality Group led the campaign for an emergency 75 per cent business rates relief to match the support that hospitality businesses in England and Wales have received over the last year.
“We’re getting no help here and are paying a third more than England and Wales.
“We’ve another meeting coming up with Deputy First Minister Shona Robison, who is also the Finance Secretary, on May 2 about business rates.”
He added: “There are some positive stories of big, family owned businesses doing well, but small to medium sized businesses are really, really struggling.
“We want to keep our small bars and restaurants because as soon as one shuts in a small village, it will never open again.”
British Beer and Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “In recent times, many pubs have been forced to make the decision to reduce their operating hours, as they have been grappling with a multitude of challenges from rising energy costs to struggles with recruitment and retention.
“The decision to reduce hours is not one pubs ever want to make – they are a survival strategy in an unsustainably tough operating environment.
“The government must act to support pubs to alleviate these pressures and ensure the local remains at the heart of our communities and the engine of our high
streets.”
