Better Rates for Pubs: Trade calls for action from Chancellor over business rates
The coalition has written to George Osborne, urging him to introduce new measures to ease the business rates burden on pubs when he delivers the statement to Parliament on 3 December.
The letter says that pubs’ business rates bills are too high and the “unsustainable pressure from rates is damaging pub employment, investment and our high streets”.
A survey of PMA readers last year as part of our Better Rates for Pubs campaign found that more than half described the payments as having a ‘major impact’ on pub profitability.
While acknowledging the help Government has already given on rates, including a cap on the multiplier and a £1,000 per year reduction for two years, the letter calls for further measures to be introduced. including:
- Extending Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) to the end of the valuation period (2016/17)
- Raising the threshold for SBRR from £12,000 to £18,000 — bringing 7,500 more pubs into its scope
- Freezing the business rates multiplier
- Improving the billing and application of reliefs for business with a move to standardised billing — including the listing of all reliefs
- Delivering root-and-branch reforms to the administration and ap-peals process at the earliest opportunity
- Considering more help for pubs and clubs not eligible for SBRR, potentially through discretionary rate relief for Assets of Community Value
“We believe these measures would generate additional tax revenues through increased sales, investment and jobs and give a boost to communities and high streets throughout the country — and revive business confidence in the rates system,” the letter state
Launched last year, the Better Rates for Pubs campaign is supported by the British Beer & Pub Association, the Campaign for Real Ale, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, and the Society of Independent Brewers, alongside other industry associations and representative groups.
Download the letter below
