From April, pubs in England will receive a 15% discount on business rates — worth about £1,650 per venue on average — with bills then frozen in real terms for two years. Live‑music venues are included. Helpful? Yes. A cure‑all? Hardly.
First: the on‑trade reality — pub closures
England and Wales fell below 39,000 pubs in 2024; around 412 venues were lost that year, roughly 34 a month. Industry trackers indicate the pace stayed high through 2025 — often summarised as about one pub a day and 200+ closures in H1. When taps disappear, variety shrinks first: fewer lines, less risk‑taking, fewer niche beers. The new relief aims directly at this spiral.
Breweries feel the knock‑on effects
Fewer pubs mean fewer lines for cask and keg — a lifeline for independents. As of 1 Jan 2026, the UK counted 1,578 breweries (1,715 at the start of 2025; 1,815 at the start of 2024). That is a net loss of 237 breweries in 2025 — roughly three a week. Demand for independent beer is there, but costs, financing and debt service squeeze margins. When pubs close, many small breweries lose their primary market.
What London actually announced*
The Treasury’s package totals £80m+ per year, delivering the 15% rates discount from 1 April and a two‑year real‑terms freeze. Ministers also flagged a methods review and looser late‑opening rules around major events.
British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin welcomed the move, saying it brings “certainty for tens of thousands of pubs” and a “sigh of relief”. The consumer group CAMRA called the decision “shortsighted”, arguing that temporary relief won’t fix structural pressures. Exchequer Secretary Dan Tomlinson said pubs would save “on average £1,650” under the 15% discount from 1 April, with bills then “frozen in real terms for two further years.”
Last call
Rates relief is a decent head start — a well‑pulled time‑out. Whether it changes the game depends on what happens between cellar and counter, week after week, that remains to be seen.
Source: The Guardian (27 Jan 2026), “Pubs and live music venues to get support after business rates backlash”
Photo: @AdobeStock - TenWit
