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A U-turn by the Treasury will see pubs and music venues across England and Wales handed temporary relief from the worst of planned rises to business rates.
The government has been under pressure to act after changes made in the budget in November, alongside the end of support from the pandemic, meant businesses – and especially pubs – were set to face huge increases in their business rates in April.
This, coupled with a hike in the minimum wage and an increase in employer national insurance contributions, led businesses to warn that hundreds of pubs and venues could close without an intervention.
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Now Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson has announced that there will be a temporary support package for pubs – but nothing for restaurants, soft play centres and cafes.
Announcing the changes, he said: “Pubs are the cornerstone of so many communities, they are essential to the social and cultural life of so many places across the country.”
Mr Tomlinson told the Commons that from April, every pub in England will get 15% off its new business rates bill. Bills will then be frozen in real terms for a further two years.
Business rates are a tax based on an estimate of a commercial property’s rental value.
The changes will be worth £1,650 for the average pub over the next year, the minister added – before insisting that around three-quarters of pubs will see their bills fall or stay the same.
The support will also apply to music venues, but not recording studios and other hospitality venues.
He explained: “Many live music venues are valued as pubs and many pubs are grassroots live…
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