Pubs and music venues to get business rates cut after Reeves’ budget backlash
Relief for pubs and music venues as government U-turns on business rates hike
- The Treasury has announced that pubs and music venues in England will receive a 15 per cent reduction on their business rates bills from April.
- This decision marks a government U-turn, following warnings that changes in the Autumn budget would lead to mass closures and job losses in the sector.
- The support package will see property tax bills reduced by 15 per cent in 2026/27 and then frozen in real terms for the subsequent two years, providing an average saving of £1,650 for pubs next year.
- Industry bodies, including UKHospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association, had warned of significant tax increases without intervention, with some pubs facing a 76 per cent rise by 2028/29.
- However, other hospitality businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and cafes will not receive this additional support, despite expressing similar concerns over soaring tax bills.