Government announces support package that backs British pubs

What’s been announced:

Business rates relief for pubs (and grassroots live music venues): a 15% cut to new business rates bills from April, then a two-year real-terms freeze.

Valuation review (business rates): Government will review how pubs are valued for business rates, with any changes intended to feed into the 2029 revaluation.

High Streets Strategy: a cross-government High Streets Strategy will be published later in 2026, aimed at helping retail, leisure and hospitality thrive.

Planning flexibilities (consultation): in spring 2026, Government will consult on loosening planning rules for pubs, including enabling guest rooms or expanding internal space without local planning applications (and says it will consider flexibilities for other RHL premises).

Hospitality Support Fund: £10m over 3 years (up from £1.5m for one year) to help 1,000+ pubs add community services (cafés, village stores, play areas) and support routes into hospitality jobs.

Licensing reforms / extended opening hours: pubs and other licensed venues can open later for Home Nations’ games in the later stages of the Men’s FIFA World Cup this summer (with specific late-opening limits set out), plus a consultation to allow late opening for other major events (e.g., Eurovision) and legislation to increase temporary events.

Hotels also flagged: Government says it is reviewing how hotels are valued for business rates following stakeholder concerns.

England-only on business rates: business rates are devolved; this new relief applies to England, with Barnett consequentials for devolved administrations to allocate as they choose.

What this means:

Government has acknowledged that business rates and valuation methodology are distorting the economics of visitor-facing businesses.

We will push for consistency across the visitor economy: pubs are important, but so are hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, attractions, restaurants, cultural venues and visitor infrastructure. We are an ecosystem.

We also need to assess eligibility rules, interaction with existing RHL relief, timing for billing, and whether planning/licensing flexibilities can extend meaningfully beyond pubs.

Next steps for TA:

We will check for the scope and criteria (definitions of “pub” and “live music venue”, occupancy conditions, exclusions, administrative process).

We will engage on the valuation reviews (pubs and hotels), working with TA members in those sectors, and press for a methodology that reflects inflation shocks, cost pressures and demand variability in tourism.

We will help to shape the High Streets Strategy so it covers destination centres, seaside towns, rural tourism hubs, not just retail-led high streets.