Take action on business rates or risk losing more pubs, government warned
September 18, 2023
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A commitment to extend business rates relief is essential to avoid further pub closures, following new government statistics which show that 383 pubs were lost for good in the first six months of 2023. That’s the equivalent of two pubs per day.
Our response
Our Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “These figures are a stark reminder of the realities facing pubs. Businesses at the heart of communities gone forever, loyal staff losing their jobs and one less place for locals to eat and drink – this is the real cost of the economic turmoil many are facing.
“Even with rising costs and interest rates, more pain is set to come with an almost billion-pound hike in business rates next April.
If the Government wants to back the nation’s hospitality venues, not lose them, it needs to urgently commit to an extension of business rates relief and a freeze in the current multiplier.
“Inaction on business rates will sound the death knell for not just pubs, but other hospitality venues too, and that simply must be avoided at all costs.”
