Business Rates Hospitality Sector 2026-09-08
2026-09-08
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The hospitality sector is facing potential impa [4D [K impacts from business rates relief and the MP seeks clarity on discussions [K regarding this issue.
What discussions has he had with representatives of t [1D [K the hospitality sector on the potential impact of business rates relief on [K that sector?
We have regular discussions with representatives from t [1D [K the pubs and hospitality sector to understand the impact of business rates [K support, which includes a 20% cut in business rates for pubs, social clubs, [6D [K clubs, and live music venues from April 2027, building on the 15% reduction [9D [K reduction earlier this year.
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Assessment & feedback
null
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Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP highlights her personal experience worki [5D [K working in a pub and the importance of pubs to local communities, seeking c [1D [K clarity on how support for pubs will provide certainty for the sector.
Will the Minister set out how the support for pubs an [2D [K and the wider sector will give them the certainty they need for the future? [7D [K future?
The support we are providing for pubs will be worth nea [3D [K nearly £250 million next year, benefiting around 32,000 venues, which helps [5D [K helps to ensure that they and the jobs they provide will be there for the f [1D [K future.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP met with the owner of Koh-I-Noor Indian [K restaurant who expressed concerns about rising costs impacting the ability [K to invest and grow the business. The MP welcomes the Chancellor's action on [2D [K on cutting business rates for pubs and music venues but seeks further suppo [5D [K support for hospitality and retail businesses.
Will the Minister look at what more can be done to su [2D [K support hospitality and retail businesses at the heart of local communities [11D [K communities?
We will continue to look at what more we can do to supp [4D [K support high street businesses more widely to help them to invest and grow. [5D [K grow.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific measures or timeline for additional supp [4D [K support was not provided.
Continuing To Look At What More Can Be Done
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Pubs and music venues in north Wales face c [1D [K challenges similar to those in the north-west and require support to attrac [6D [K attract more live music events. Business rates decisions are the responsibi [10D [K responsibility of the Welsh Government.
Like our new Prime Minister, many of us on the no [2D [K north Wales coast love the pubs and music venues of the north-west. The boo [3D [K boost to them from business rates relief is really welcome, but we love our [3D [K our pubs and venues too. Pubs such as the Bay Hop and the Mayquay face the [K same challenges as our north-west neighbours, and we want to attract more l [1D [K live music to north Wales too. Decisions on business rates in Wales are of [K course the responsibility of the Welsh Government, but does the Minister ag [2D [K agree that the need for support does not stop at the border, and that a 20% [3D [K 20% cut to business rates in Wales would be a welcome boost for us too?
I very much agree with my hon. Friend about the vit [3D [K vital role that pubs and clubs play in local communities on either side of [K the border. As she rightly points out, business rates decisions in Wales ar [2D [K are a decision for the Welsh Government. In England, we have taken action t [1D [K to support community venues and high streets, including the targeted busine [6D [K business rates support for pubs. I urge the Welsh Government to consider do [2D [K doing the same.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment to a 20% cut to business rate [4D [K rates in Wales
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Pubs across Swindon have contacted the MP r [1D [K regularly about the reduction in business rates, showing ongoing interest i [1D [K in further support.
Pubs across Swindon, such as Arkell's, contacted [K me regularly about the reduction in business rates, so I thank the Minister [8D [K Minister for that. However, can he outline whether there will be any furthe [6D [K further business rates reductions for the wider hospitality sector?
My hon. Friend is a great champion for pubs and oth [3D [K other hospitality venues in his constituency, including Arkell's brewery, w [1D [K which I know supplies pubs across Swindon and Wiltshire. As he rightly poin [4D [K points out, we have provided support for pubs and community venues, which t [1D [K the Prime Minister announced soon after taking office. We will consider all [3D [K all options for what we can do to further support them in the Budget.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific commitment to further business rates red [3D [K reductions for the wider hospitality sector
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
That is some brass neck, Mr Speaker. I am astounded that the Minister can stand at the Dispatch Box and expect credit and gratitude for giving a little bit of support to a sector that his own policies have undermined and destroyed—two pubs a day closing down, and 100,000 jobs lost in hospitality and tourism. Will he instead adopt the Conservative policy of 100% business rates relief and actually support these sectors, rather than giving hypocritical warm words?
The hon. Gentleman has some cheek, given the number of pubs that closed when his party was in government. The Labour party is making sure that the business rates system is set right for the future. Not only have we announced a 20% cut in business rates for pubs as a result of the new Prime Minister taking office, but I was pleased to announce a review of the way in which pubs and hotels are valued for the future, following concerns raised by the sector. That review will report in time for decisions taken on the basis of it to be in place for the next revaluation.
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Q7
Partial Answer
Pubs, cafés and restaurants are among the largest employers of young people across the country, but the sector has seen 100,000 job losses as a result of the Government’s jobs tax. Business rates relief might have some impact, but the hospitality sector is telling us that what it needs is a cut in VAT to really help people get back into hospitality venues. Have the Government looked at what a cut in VAT would be able to do for both growth and new jobs?
The hon. Gentleman is right to point out the important role that pubs and hospitality play in providing jobs, including jobs for young people. However, I gently say to him that one of the issues with the Lib Dems is that they welcome extra investment in our NHS and public services, but they never want to pay for it. When it comes to hard decisions on the economy, all they offer is soft politics.
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Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The questioner highlights the need for an overh [5D [K overhaul of the business rates system in Bath, referencing a Labour Governm [7D [K Government promise to address high street issues. The 20% rate cut for musi [4D [K music venues and pubs is noted as welcome but insufficient.
The 20% rate cut for music venues and pubs is of cour [4D [K course very welcome, but what my high street in Bath really needs is an ove [3D [K overhaul of the business rates system, which the Labour Government promised [8D [K promised. Rather than accuse us of not having ideas, will the Minister do t [1D [K the bold thing, which is to get rid of business rates and replace them with [4D [K with a commercial landowner levy?
As the Prime Minister made clear when he took office, w [1D [K we are giving pubs and community venues real breathing space through the 20 [2D [K 20% cut to their business rates, but our reform of business rates and our s [1D [K support for the high street does not end there. We are considering every po [2D [K possible opportunity to support retail, hospitality and leisure businesses [K on the high street, so that high streets in all our communities across the [K country can thrive.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not commit to getting rid of busines [7D [K business rates and replacing them with a commercial landowner levy.
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP visited the Station House pub in Cheadle [7D [K Cheadle Hulme and noted the challenges faced by pub owners due to the curre [5D [K current business rates system, despite the 20% cut in business rates.
I recently visited the Station House in Cheadle Hulme [5D [K Hulme, one of the Almond family's five pubs in Stockport, and spoke to the [K owner, Doug, about how hard it was for him to run his business. The Ministe [7D [K Minister dodged the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bath, so ma [2D [K may I ask him to commit himself now? Will the Government overhaul the busin [5D [K business rates system so that community pubs such as the Station House can [K help our high streets to thrive?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for talking about the Statio [6D [K Station House in his constituency; I am sure we all have pubs in our own ne [2D [K neighbourhoods that we feel are at the heart of the local communities that [K we represent. The 20% business rates cut that we announced was a down payme [5D [K payment on further reform. We will continue to look into what we can do to [K support pubs, hospitality and other high street uses, because we know how m [1D [K much they matter to everyone in this Chamber and all the people whom we rep [3D [K represent.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to overhaul the business rates system
Down Payment On Further Reform
Looking Into Wha [3D [K What We Can Do To Support Pubs
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP has been campaigning for business rates [K reform for her constituency, which has more pubs per square mile than any o [1D [K other place in Britain. The current review focuses on the fair maintainable [12D [K maintainable trade criterion, but falls short of the Labour party manifesto [9D [K manifesto pledge to overhaul the entire system.
As the Member of Parliament for the constituency with [4D [K with more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in Britain, I have been c [1D [K campaigning to reform the broken business rates system for longer than I ha [2D [K have been an MP. My understanding is that the Government's review will look [4D [K look at the fair maintainable trade criterion, which sees pubs singled out [K to be valued on the basis of what they could earn rather than what they act [3D [K actually earn; but, as pointed out by my hon. Friends the Members for Bath [K and for Cheadle, the review falls far short of the Labour party manifesto, [K which pledged to overhaul the entire business rates system. May I ask Minis [5D [K Ministers whether that pledge still stands? If so, will they overhaul the b [1D [K business rates system before the next general election?
I wonder whether any other Members might say that they [K have the most pubs in their constituency, or whether the hon. Lady has done [4D [K done her research. Although the hon. Lady and I have some differences, I th [2D [K think that we share a desire to see a fairer business rates system. I know [K that the 20% cut for pubs and community venues was widely welcomed, and the [3D [K the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have made it clear that we want to go [2D [K go on looking at what we can do to support our hospitality venues, pubs and [3D [K and other high street uses. This is not a question of taking one policy ann [3D [K announcement from July and thinking that that is the end of the story, beca [4D [K because we know how important high streets are to communities across the co [2D [K country, and we want to see them thrive.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to overhaul the business rates system befo [4D [K before the next general election
Want To Go On Looking At What We Can Do To Support [7D [K Support Our Hospitality Venues
This Is Not A Question Of Taking One Poli [4D [K Policy Announcement From July
Response accuracy