Young adults say pub boosts wellbeing more than the gym
YouGov polling commissioned by the British Beer and Pub Association suggests young Britons see the pub as an important social space for their wellbeing. The findings arrive as official data shows younger people are also among the most likely to report loneliness in Britain.
A visit to the pub is viewed as having a stronger positive effect on well-being than a gym session for many young adults, according to YouGov polling commissioned by the British Beer and Pub Association.
More than half of people aged 18 to 24 surveyed, 52%, say socialising with friends or colleagues at the pub has a positive impact on their wellbeing. This compares with 41% who say the same about going to the gym or doing solo exercise and 38% who point to self-care, as per the YouGov survey of 2,006 adults in Great Britain conducted between 20 and 23 March 2026.
A similar pattern appears among those aged 25 to 34, almost half of the respondents in this group, 49%, say time spent socialising at the pub benefits their wellbeing. The figure stands ahead of solo exercise at 44% and self-care at 43%.
Loneliness among younger adults
The findings arrive as research from the Office for National Statistics places younger people among those most likely to report loneliness. According to the ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey published in January 2026, 27% of people aged 16 to 29 say they feel lonely often, always or some of the time. The survey collected responses from 3,090 individuals between 7 January and 1 February 2026, with weighting applied to represent the wider population.
The great British pub continues to function as a social meeting point for many in this age group. More than a third of pub goers aged 18 to 24, 34%, say they visit for activities such as quizzes, live music or sport. This compares with 22% of all pub goers surveyed.
The data also indicates that pubs remain a place where social networks expand. Nearly half of young pub goers polled, 44%, say they have met new people during a visit to the pub.
Looking ahead to the Easter period, 51% of pub goers aged 18 to 24 say they plan to visit a pub during the holiday, according to the same YouGov polling.
The pub as social infrastructure
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said the figures demonstrate how central pubs remain to social life.
“This data speaks for itself. Young people are choosing the pub as the place where they feel less alone and more connected. The pub is providing social infrastructure that is impossible to replicate, and shows how vital they are for younger generations and our communities as a whole.
“But we cannot take it for granted, and every pub that closes takes away precious opportunities to build communities and fend off isolation with it. The Government must act on permanent business rates reform, duty and regulatory costs not just to protect an industry, but to protect the social fabric that millions of young people are depending on.
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“We’d urge people to join the Long Live The Local campaign so they can get behind the Great British pub and call for change that will help our treasured institutions.”
The BBPA said more than 2,000 pubs have closed since 2020 as rising energy costs, high taxes and regulatory pressures weigh on the sector.
Publicans see the trend first-hand
Publicans say the polling reflects what they observe in their own venues. Hannah Lawson, publican of The Wheatsheaf in Ealing, London, said the results align with what she sees in her pub.
“These findings don’t surprise me at all. Young people saying a pub visit contributes to their wellbeing ahead of the gym, ahead of self-care tells you something important about what this space actually is. You can find genuine community at your local, and that’s what we’ve always provided. That’s what young people are coming back for.
“In my pub, one of my favourite things to see is young people with friends and family, spending quality time together. As a young publican myself, I know the impact that socialising can have on your wellbeing, and I’m proud that my pub provides a warm and inviting atmosphere for that to happen.”
Conor Petch, publican of the Dame Alice Owen pub in Islington, London, also said the results mirror his own experience working in the trade.
“I’ve been working in pubs since I was 19, and nine years down the line, I’m seeing the results of this poll firsthand. It doesn’t surprise me that more young people rate a pub visit above the gym or self-care for their wellbeing, because a pub offers something neither of those can. It’s a shared space, free of judgment, where people from every walk of life have been gathering for centuries.
“At a time when young people are spending more time alone and online, coming to your local and having a real conversation with a real person is something you genuinely can’t put a price on. I don’t think young people have forgotten that and this data proves it.”
Calls for reform
The BBPA is urging the government to introduce permanent business rates reform and reduce beer duty as part of its Long Live the Local campaign.
The initiative, which has more than 250,000 supporters according to the association, calls for tax changes and regulatory reform aimed at helping pubs remain viable for future generations.
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