The never ending cost-of-living crisis is about to claim its next victim – humble pub grub. Experts warn pie and mash could become a thing of the past due to rising hospitality costs
Classic pub grub like pie and mash is going extinct due to rising business costs, experts fear. Landlords up and down the UK are being hit with spiralling energy, employment and food bills.
Due to the tight squeeze on the sector, bosses have been forced to rethink their menus – reducing portion size, increasing portion size and even cutting low margin items. Molly Monks, insolvency specialist at Parker Walsh, warned lunchtime classic pie and mash could be sent to the chopping block in an effort to “protect profit”.
She said: “What customers are starting to see on menus is the result of sustained pressure over a long period of time.
“Rising food costs, higher energy bills and wage increases are all feeding into the same problem – and something has to give. Meals like pie and mash or other classic pub staples tend to be priced competitively, but they don’t always leave much margin.
“When costs rise across the board, those are often the items that become harder to sustain in their current form.”
Mrs Monks added: “Customers might not always notice it straight away, but menus are being adjusted carefully. That could mean subtle price increases, fewer ‘budget’ options, or certain dishes being removed entirely.”
The warning comes as the sector continues to face a “perfect storm” of pressures, with energy prices still volatile and global disruption – including the fallout from the Iran conflict – continuing to affect supply chains. Recent figures revealed 1,103 pubs announced their closure last year and Mrs Monks said pubs are particularly vulnerable because of their high running costs and reliance on steady footfall.
“When you combine rising overheads with more cautious consumer spending, it creates a very challenging environment,” she said. “Pubs are trying to strike a balance between keeping prices accessible and staying financially viable.”
She warned that without sustained improvement, more closures and changes to the traditional pub offering could follow. The expert added: “Unfortunately, we are likely to see continued strain across the sector.
“For customers, that may mean paying more for familiar meals – or seeing some of those options disappear altogether.”
Jo Weldon, author of Fierce: A History of Leopard Print, said it “keeps returning” because it “evokes the natural glamour and power of the beautiful big cat”. She added: “It goes beyond culture in a way no other print can. You wear florals, but you become leopard.”
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