Overview
- Pub is the Hub and a coalition of hospitality and brewing bodies have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to protest Autumn Budget changes to business rates.
- The groups warn community pubs face "eyewatering" rises, claiming average pub increases could be around ten times the 7% modelled for large warehouses.
- The letter urges retention of the 30% business‑rates discount for hospitality, with industry figure Andrew Slee calling the policy "catastrophically bad."
- A Treasury spokesman defends the plans, saying support measures cut pubs’ total bill rise next year from a projected 45% without relief to roughly 4%.
- Pub is the Hub, founded in 2001 by King Charles to support rural pubs, is joined by the BBPA, UK Hospitality, Independent Family Brewers of Britain, Hospitality Ulster and the British Institute of Innkeeping.