July 26, 2022 7.30 am This story is over 20 months old

Rural Lincolnshire pubs facing “extreme pressure” from rising cost of living

More pubs are calling last orders for the final time

Rural pubs in Lincolnshire are being forced to close as the pressure is on due to the cost of living crisis, making pub-goers avoid their locals as they face the crunch.

Just one example is the Duke of Wellington in Midville, near Boston, which was the only pub in the village and is now closing.

Meanwhile, a pub in New Leake has been converted into a house and another in Stickney has been turned into a housing development.

Councillor Tom Ashton, from East Lindsey District Council told BBC Look North: “Pubs are often the beating heart of a community, but if a pub has been closed for a number of years and it has been marketed, then it is often incredibly difficult to find planning grounds on which to refuse permission to convert to another use.”

New research shows that the number of pubs in England and Wales is at its lowest number on record. There are almost 40,000 left, down by 7,000 since 2012. 200 have shut because of inflation so far this year.

There is hope, however, for patrons in the Boston area after plans were unveiled last month for a new pub and restaurant in Stickney.