Today, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 86th birthday. Naturally, this day will be celebrated across the Commonwealth by the staging of events designed to mark the life and achievements of the Queen, and in Britain commercial properties the length and breadth of the country will stage celebrations designed to commemorate this special day.
As this is the Queen’s actual birthday, as opposed to the official event that usually falls on a Saturday in June to benefit from nicer weather, Her Majesty will be spending the day with family and friends, hosting a private celebration in one of the royal households. However, across Britain, traditional street parties and market square celebrations will take place in many towns and cities.
The Queen’s birthday could prove to be a profitable day for some commercial properties that have struggled recent years. Thousands of jobs have been lost in the bar industry, due to a combination of factors including the smoking ban and cheaper alcohol becoming available in supermarkets. In fact, in the year leading up to June 2011, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) claim that an average of 28 licensed premises commercial properties closed every week throughout the UK.
Chief executive of the BBPA, Brigid Simmonds, says “The closure of 25 pubs every week is bad news for the economy, as the sector plays such a vital role. It’s also a blow for local communities, with pubs often acting as the hub of social life.
“With the right policies, this vital part of our tourism and hospitality sector could be creating new jobs, and helping to bring Britain out of recession.
“If we really do have a pub-friendly government as the Prime Minister says, the time to act is now.”
It is not only the recession that has had a negative effect on these hospitality commercial properties – rising taxes and moves by the government to control binge drinking have led to some customers no longer being able to afford to visit their local for a drink every week. Less disposable income and the rising price of beer, not to mention proposals to establish a minimum cost per unit in every alcoholic drink, are forcing bars to pay more and more to suppliers while making less profit to try avoid pricing out paying customers.
Commercial property closures were highest in London and the North West, particularly in cities such as Manchester and Liverpool. However, publicans are hoping that national events such as the Queen’s birthday will attract more customers to their commercial properties, as millions raise a glass to toast Her Majesty.
Let’s just hope that the majority of these commercial properties opening their doors today will not be closing them permanently before the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June.
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