‘Costs are crippling’: more than 900 British pubs vanished in 2018
This story carries a very positive “use it or lose it” message in favour of the local pub. It also makes me reflect on the fact that business rates are the least positive form of local taxation. It’s a very long time since the idea of a local income tax was first mooted but I wonder whether it might be time to dust off the idea? This story tells us:
A total of 914 pubs disappeared in 2018, according to the real estate data company Altus Group’s annual review, due to be released this week.
About 76 pubs vanished each month during the year, although this represents a slowdown in decline from 2017. The total number of pubs in England and Wales, liable for business rates, was 41,536 on 1 January 2019, representing a fall of 1,530 since a controversial revaluation came into force in April 2017.
The chief executive of UK Hospitality, Kate Nicholls, said: “Pubs are being hit with a myriad of cost pressures at a time of unprecedented political uncertainty and unstable consumer confidence. Unless positive action is taken by the government to address crippling costs, more pubs will be forced out of business.”
This month, the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) said business rate increases were forcing publicans to lay off staff, increase prices and hold off investment.
A survey of 650 licensees by the pub campaign group found that three out of four believed the system was unfair to pubs. The chief executive of Camra, Tom Stainer said: “Since the last business rates revaluation in 2017, it has been clear that the system simply isn’t working for publicans.”