Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Micropubs: Bexleyheath and Crayford

Thursday 12 March 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister announced a 15 percent reduction in business rates for pubs starting in April, with rates frozen for two more years.
  • Daniel Francis highlighted the challenges faced by the Bird & Barrel micropub and Bexley Brewery in accessing the local market.
  • Minister praised the role of small brewers and micropubs in supporting local communities and economies.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Daniel Francis Lab Bexleyheath and Crayford
Business & Trade
Context

Daniel Francis is concerned about the challenges faced by micropubs in his constituency and the steps the government is taking to support them.

Question

What steps he is taking to support micropubs in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency?

Answer from Kate Dearden

Pubs and micropubs like the ones in my hon. Friend's constituency are at the heart of all our communities. From April, every pub will receive a 15% reduction on its business rates bill, with bills then frozen in real terms for a further two years. Three quarters of pubs will see their bills stay the same or fall, saving the average pub around £1,650 next year. We are also launching a review of how pubs are valued for business rates and investing £10 million through the hospitality support fund to help pubs diversify and to improve productivity across the sector.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Daniel Francis Lab Bexleyheath and Crayford
Business & Trade
Context

The Bird & Barrel micropub in Barnehurst and Bexley Brewery in Slade Green informed Daniel Francis about their limited access to the local pub market and requested support for micropubs and breweries through updates to the pubs code.

Question

I recently visited the Bird & Barrel micropub in Barnehurst, which also operates the Bexley Brewery in Slade Green in my constituency. They informed me that, due to the number of tied tenants in the constituency, they have access to less than 8% of the local pub market across Bexleyheath and Crayford. They are pressing me, and I will be pressing, like my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns), to see the pubs code updated to support micropubs and breweries. Will my hon. Friend give some more detail about when we may see some more progress on that matter?

Answer from Kate Dearden

What a champion my hon. Friend is for micropubs in his constituency. From Anchor Bay to Bakewell Tart Stout, Bexley Brewery showcases an excellent range of beers, and small brewers and micropubs such as the Bird & Barrel play a vital role in supporting local communities and economies. Alongside the beer market review, the Government are carrying out a statutory review of the pubs code and the Pubs Code Adjudicator, as well as a post-implementation review to assess the code's impact since 2016. The Government's report covering that work will be published as soon as practicable.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific timeline for updating the pubs code was not provided.

How: The Government'S Report Covering That Work Will Be Published As Soon As Practicable.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email