Landlords Claim Pubs Face Large Rate Rises After End of COVID Business Rates Discount
The November budget has ended the COVID-era 40% business rates discount from next April, leading landlords to claim that pubs across the UK will face large rate rises of up to £30,000.
In Poole, Dorset, 58 pubs in the constituency are affected, with Barking Cat Ale House expecting around £9,000 more per year in rates. Some local pubs have reported increases ranging from 157% to as high as 600–800%.
Landlords have reported that up to 1,000 publicans have banned Labour MPs from their pubs in response to these rate rises.
Labour MP for Poole, Neil Duncan-Jordan, has written to the chancellor demanding a rethink and stated that he is prepared to vote against the tax rise and support amendments to the Finance Bill.
The government has said the COVID relief was always temporary and has now ended; however, it has introduced a £4 billion transitional relief to cushion the impact on pubs.
Poole is noted as a beer-drinker’s area with its 58 pubs, and Chancellor Reeves was previously noted for promising to protect pubs from rising costs amid the ongoing dispute over business rates.
