Gloucestershire pub landlords call for tax increase reverse

I have never met so many angry landlords.

I knew Phil Kiernan was fed up with the business rate hikes. But when he called a meeting, he had 40 other local hospitality firms turn up. At 07:30 in the morning.

The same is happening across the West – in fact across the UK.

So what do landlords want?

The 40% business rate cut from Covid-19 days is ending. No-one thinks the virus is still here, but they could use a similar discount.

Ministers have trimmed the actual tax rate pubs face, the so-called ‘multiplier’ in the complex calculation of business rates. They could cut that further.

But the real fury is over the business rate calculations. So many pubs have seen their ‘rateable value’ doubled or more.

Can ministers review how this is worked out? Could the whole system be reformed?

One thing is sure. Pub landlords are angry, and now they are getting organised.