A record 39 pubs a week are closing in Britain, new figures show.

The data released for the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) today coincides with a day of Parliamentary debates for a new mandatory code of practice in the police and crime bill, which will reportedly cost the industry more than £300 million this year alone.

“With pubs closing at a record rate and job losses escalating, it is truly staggering that the government is proposing to hit the sector with a £300 million bill for extra red tape this year alone” said Rob Hayward, chief executive of the BBPA.

“In fact, the government openly state they believe that their new regulations will lead to more pub closures and job losses. Pub closures are a clear demonstration of the extreme financial and economic pressures facing the sector.

“At this time of deepening recession and rising unemployment, the government should be actively looking at ways to support the community asset of the pub. They should not be introducing legislation that will condemn more pubs to closure and put more people out of work.”

During the last six months of 2008, a record 39 pubs closed a week, an increase on the 36 a week that closed in the first half of last year.

In total 1,973 pubs shut in 2008, 40 per cent higher than the 1,409 closures reported by the BBPA in 2007.

Suburban pubs are closing at the rate of 19 a week, town centre pubs at eight a week and rural pubs at 13 a week. Britain’s pubs are said to be closing almost ten times faster than in 2006 – four a week – and nearly 20 times faster than in 2005 – two a week.