Allegra Strategies has floated the possibility that the number of coffee shops could one day match the number of pubs.

 

The Mail on Sunday notes that pubs are in long-term decline, down from about 60,000 in 1998 to 49,500 today and 18 are closing every week. About 15,000 coffee shops are open across the country, up from 750 branded outlets in 1999. The newspaper reports traditional local pubs could soon be coffee shops that also sell alcohol while some coffee outlets are starting to serve alcohol, too.