Over 600 pubs sign business rates reform letter

Landlords of 613 pubs have signed an open letter to the chancellor, urging her to reform business rates to provide “breathing space to invest” in their venues. 

The letter, which has been put together by Greene King, calls for a specific, lower business rates multiplier for all pubs at the Autumn Budget, giving them a 20p discount on their current rate.

Greene King says that across its managed pub estate, the move could realise £13.7m in immediate annual savings if introduced at the Budget, or an average of £10,000 per pub. The Budget is expected to be announced in early November. 

The publicans, who operate 613 pubs owned by Greene King, argue the discount on business rates would “provide immediate relief” to their businesses.

Business rates are set to rise for many pubs next year as a result of upcoming property revaluations and the removal of temporary relief. 

"Business rates are one of the biggest barriers to growth in the pub sector, placing a disproportionate burden on businesses of all sizes," says Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King (pictured). "The widespread support for these proposals shows the transformative impact that they could have, unlocking investment in every corner of the country. We urge the chancellor to listen to these calls and deliver a lower multiplier for pubs at the Budget as a step towards the promised long-term reform to fix the system and ensure it fairly represents today’s business realities."

Cost of doing business

Hayley Pellegrini, landlord at The Portland Arms in Cambridge, experienced a £7,000 increase in business rates at the pub this year. While Mark Annear, landlord at The Cott Inn, Dartington, has seen his business rates bill jump by 175% from £400 per month in 2024 to £1,100 per month in 2025. 

Longer term, the letter outlines the need for the Treasury to deliver on its promise of delivering fundamental reform of the business rates system, recommending that the Valuation Office Agency calculate pubs’ rateable values on profitability instead of turnover to “better reflect the realities of running a pub and help ease the burden on the sector".

"In recent years, we’ve seen costs rise on everything across each of our five pubs," adds Chris Windle, managing director of My Yorkshire Pubs Limited. "We’re a small family-run business and are unable to cope with the increases in wages, energy and food that are stretching our bottom line.

"Even the price of toilet roll has nearly doubled since before the pandemic and our overhead costs are up almost 20%. This year’s reduction in business rates relief is a final straw that risks breaking the bank for us. We need urgent changes from the chancellor at the Budget to introduce a lower business rates multiplier and ease the pressure on pubs."

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