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Guiseley pubs and restaurants benefit from picky revellers

By Tom Clayton

It may be doom and gloom for pubs across the UK – but one West Yorkshire town is bucking the trend.

Guiseley’s booming social scene has seen four bars and restaurants either opening or been refurbished, showing there is a demand for local eateries and bars.

Tony McCaul, manager of The Station in Guiseley, says business is booming in the area.

He believes the area, a suburb in north-west Leeds, is benefiting from revellers being more picky about where the spend their time.

Mr McCaul said: “I don’t think people are coming out more as such.

“But I think people are choosing times to come out and are being a bit more careful about what they spend. They are choosing venues that are good value but are also providing a decent service.”

The Guiseley boom is occurring at the end of a decade when almost a quarter of all pubs in the UK have closed.

The Office for National Statistics have found more than 11,000 pubs have closed since 2008 in the UK, the year of the financial crash. However jobs in pubs and bars have increased by 6% in the same period.

Mr McCaul added: “I just think that there’s more choice of pubs, certainly in this area, that people want to work in.”

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