As we move into 2026, I hope everyone had a restful Christmas period. I trust that, like me, you are looking forward to the year ahead. Christmas is a time for community and connection, with many people gathering in local pubs to celebrate.
However, landlords have been speaking out about the Government’s proposed changes to business rates, warning that rising costs are already putting local pubs under severe pressure. Following last year’s Budget, the Chancellor confirmed that long-standing business rates relief will be scrapped entirely this April, after already being reduced from the 75% provided under the previous Conservative Government to just 40% in one of Labour’s first acts. For many landlords and staff, these changes threaten not only livelihoods but also the social hub where pubs have long acted as meeting places.
Pubs are more than businesses - they are the heart of communities. They support our local economy, provide employment, and offer spaces where residents can come together. The consequences of insufficient support are already clear: a pub closes somewhere in the country every day, and the removal of business rates relief will only accelerate this decline.
In rural areas like Lincolnshire, the role of the local pub is even more vital. For many villages, pubs are among the few remaining hubs of social life, helping communities stay connected and supporting local traditions. Labour’s proposed changes to business rates mean that some village pubs could face paying business rates for the first time, following a revaluation of their rateable values.
Admiral Taverns, one of the largest tenanted and leased pub groups in the UK, operates many establishments in our constituency, including the Royal Oak in Long Bennington and the New Inn in Folkingham. They warn that business rates could rise by 25% in April this year, and, over three years, the increase could average 173% once transitional schemes end.
These pubs are small businesses run by hardworking people who bring communities together, support vulnerable residents, and provide local employment. The potential impact of these changes is deeply concerning, and it is understandable that landlords and staff are frustrated. This situation does not have to be like this - there are alternative approaches to supporting pubs and maintaining business rates relief that could protect these essential community spaces.
Even Labour’s former night-time economy advisor, Sacha Lord, has warned that thousands more pubs could close as a result of these proposals, and the Government will bear responsibility for the consequences. Local communities, hardworking landlords, and their staff deserve better, and it is vital that we find solutions that allow pubs to continue thriving as the social and economic hubs they have always been.
While it’s unlikely that the Government will change course in the short term, we can still play our part by supporting local businesses. Whether that’s enjoying a drink at a local pub, eating out, or picking up essentials from a local shop. If we don’t use them, we may lose them.
