Study ranks UK cities with most pubs per person - how did Doncaster fare?

With record pub closures hitting Britain, which cities still offer the most options for summer pub garden lovers?

With summer in full swing and Brits seeking the perfect pub garden, cities like Brighton, Bath and York offer the best selection.

But the Great British pub is under siege.

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), which represents more than 20,000 pubs across the UK, expects 378 establishments to close this year in England, Scotland and Wales – that's one pub shutting its doors every single day during 2025.

The situation has become so dire that since the 2000s, more than a quarter of all pubs have permanently closed, leaving entire communities without their traditional local gathering spots.

Yet as summer arrives and Brits seek out the perfect pub garden for a pint in the sunshine, some cities are bucking the trend and keeping the spirit of British pub culture alive.

CryptoCasinos.online, a comprehensive platform for cryptocurrency site reviews, conducted a study to identify exactly where the most pubs remain standing.

The cities to top their list represent the last strongholds of one of Britain's greatest cultural treasures.

The study analyzed official ONS data on pub counts across UK cities, to calculate the number of pubs per 100,000 residents and determine which locations offer the richest pub culture per capita. The research focused on cities in England and Wales where consistent licensing data was available for 2024.

The Top 10 UK Cities With The Most Pubs Per Person

1 Brighton & Hove

2 Wakefield

3 Salisbury

4 Chester

5 Bath

6 York

7 Lancaster

8 Canterbury

9 Worcester

10 Hereford

Brighton & Hove emerges as the undisputed champion of British pub culture, boasting an impressive 205 pubs serving its 139,001 residents. This translates to a remarkable 147 pubs per 100,000 people – meaning you're never far from a proper pint by the seaside.

The coastal city's combination of student population, tourist appeal, and vibrant nightlife has clearly helped it maintain a thriving pub scene even as venues elsewhere struggle to survive.

Wakefield claims second place with 84 pubs for its 78,978 residents, delivering 106 pubs per 100,000 people.

This West Yorkshire market town proves that northern grit extends to protecting local boozers, with its pub density nearly matching Brighton's impressive figures. The city's working-class heritage and strong sense of community have clearly played a part in keeping its public houses alive and kicking.

Salisbury rounds out the top three with 45 pubs serving 44,748 residents, equating to 101 pubs per 100,000 people.

This historic cathedral city demonstrates that traditional English market towns are among the last refuges for authentic pub culture, where centuries-old drinking establishments continue to serve locals and tourists alike.

The Top 10 UK Cities With The Least Pubs Per Person

1 Milton Keynes

2 Southend-on-Sea

3 Reading

4 Nottingham

5 Preston

6 Newport

7 Leicester

8 Dudley

9 Cardiff

10 Doncaster

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Milton Keynes sits at the bottom of the pub pile with just 39 pubs for its 229,941 residents – a measly 17 pubs per 100,000 people.

The new town's modern planning approach seems to not have prioritized traditional watering holes, which has left residents with limited options for a proper local boozer. Built for cars rather than community gathering, Milton Keynes represents everything that threatens traditional British pub culture.

Southend-on-Sea fares only slightly better with 61 pubs serving 295,310 people, managing just 21 pubs per 100,000 residents.

Despite being a seaside resort town where you'd expect plenty of drinking establishments, Southend's pub scene appears surprisingly sparse for its size, perhaps reflecting the broader challenges facing coastal communities.

Reading completes the bottom three with 67 pubs for 318,014 residents, equating to 21 pubs per 100,000 people.

This Berkshire commuter town's focus on business parks and shopping centres seems to have come at the expense of traditional pub culture, leaving residents with fewer options for a post-work pint than their counterparts in more traditional towns.

With summer in full swing, there's nothing quite like finding the perfect pub garden to enjoy a cold pint in the sunshine. Whether you're planning a weekend city break or looking for your next staycation destination, this list offers a handy guide to where you'll find the best selection of watering holes.

Cities like Brighton, Bath, and York offer not only rich histories and beautiful architecture, but they also promise plenty of choice when it comes to finding that perfect spot for an afternoon drink.

So next time you're booking a summer getaway, consider heading to one of Britain's pub capitals where you'll never be short of options for a proper British boozer experience!

Full details available HERE