Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Pubs: Broadland and Fakenham

Thursday 21 May 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 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Jerome Mayhew asked the Minister about steps to support pubs in Broadland and Fakenham constituency.
  • The Minister mentioned that pubs like The Crown and the Running Horse are community assets benefiting from a 15% reduction in business rates.
  • Mayhew noted there were 74 pubs in his constituency, employing roughly 2,000 people, alongside other establishments like cafs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Business & Trade

Question

What steps he is taking to support pubs in Broadland and Fakenham constituency.

Answer from Kate Dearden

Pubs such as The Crown and the Running Horse in the hon. Member’s constituency are a real asset, bringing people together and supporting community life. They are now benefiting from a 15% reduction in their business rates bill, with bills frozen in real terms for a further two years. Around three quarters of pubs will see their bills stay the same or fall, saving the average pub around £1,650 this year. Going even further, the Government are launching a review of how pubs are valued for business rates. The hospitality support fund has been increased to £10 million, to support businesses, including pubs, to invest, grow and remain resilient.

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Q2 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Economy Energy Business & Trade
Context

There are currently 74 pubs in the constituency employing roughly 2,000 people. The business rates revaluation and removal of business rates relief have negatively impacted these establishments.

Question

Pubs in my constituency will respond to that answer with disbelief. There were 74 pubs in my constituency at the last count—that may be an inaccurate figure now; it could have dropped—employing roughly 2,000 people, and on top of that there are cafés such as the Heydon Village Tea Room. They tell me that they are being crucified by the Government's policy of the jobs tax, the removal of business rates relief and the business rates revaluation, and to top it off there is now talk of an overnight levy for pubs with rooms. Why do the Government not want pubs and hospitality to thrive in Broadland and Fakenham?

Answer from Kate Dearden

We absolutely want pubs and our hospitality sector to thrive. They are the backbone of our communities and often provide people's first job. That is why they are so vital to our high streets, to the hon. Member's constituency and to our local communities. As he will know, pubs in particular have been under huge pressure in recent years. Their numbers have fallen by nearly 7,000 since 2010—a roughly 15% reduction and among the highest across hospitality overall. That is why, since April, every pub and live music venue will have 15% off their new business rates bill, on top of the support announced at the Budget. We know that we continuously need to support our pubs and the wider industry. That is why I work really closely with the Hospitality Sector Council and with publicans and pubs all across the country, to understand how we can better support them, and I will continue to do so.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about the government's policies negatively impacting local pubs was not directly addressed.

How: Work Closely With The Hospitality Sector Council

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