ITV news reports that owners of rural pubs and restaurants have been saying their industry is "at risk" because of the cost-of-living crisis

One landlord near Taunton has seen numerous nearby pubs close in the last year and says they’re struggling to justify opening during the week because of a lack of customers.

Tim Young, who runs the Farmers Arms in Combe Florey near Taunton, speaks with ITV News on the troubles his business has faced in the aftermath of Covid and now the cost-of-living crisis.

Tim said:

"It's rough. We've been treading water - I say treading water, sort of slowly sinking like everyone else, really. We have good weeks, bad weeks, struggling to pay all the bills. Everything's gone up - we're paying £650 a month to have our bins emptied, things like that that people don't really see is part of the cost of running a business like this."

With everything rising in cost – from business rates, fuel to products – combined with customers also having to be more frugal on spending, many rural hospitality businesses are at risk.

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ITV news - Owners of rural pubs say their industry is 'at risk' due to rising costs