Editor’s Viewpoint: Pubs Relief Welcome, But Unfair to Rest of the Sector

By Peter Adams, Editor, CLH News.

The Chancellor’s confirmation that pubs will receive additional short-term business rates relief is welcome news, and it represents a clear (in my opinion) that the government had got it wrong.

Rachel Reeves’s admission that increases for some pubs remain substantial, despite the £4.3bn already committed, shows the Treasury is finally listening to an industry in crisis.

But here’s the problem: relief for pubs only is wholly unfair.

As we reported last week, and as many observers across the sector are now saying loudly, singling out pubs whilst leaving restaurants, hotels, cafés and the broader hospitality sector to face the full brunt of devastating business rates increases is indefensible.

The same cost pressures, the same labour challenges, the same consumer uncertainty affects every corner of our industry. It makes no sense that other parts of the sector facing identical headwinds will be left to sink.

The devil is always in the detail, of course, and we are yet to see precisely what relief the Chancellor will give and for how long. But I suspect the debate about this being pub-sector-only relief, rather than comprehensive hospitality support, will grow louder in the coming weeks.

And frankly, I expect we will witness yet another U-turn. The logic simply doesn’t hold.

Yet even amidst this policy muddle, there are reasons for genuine optimism. The latest data from Christie & Co and The Oxford Partnership is not just reassuring—it’s inspiring. I, like many in this sector, have faith in hospitality’s ability to rise above its many challenges.

The festive trading figures tell a powerful story. Consumers stayed out longer in December than at any other point this year, with average dwell time reaching 150 minutes.

Occupancy increased to 63.9 percent, reflecting genuinely fuller venues rather than simply extended visits. Christmas does that, doesn’t it? It reminds us what hospitality is truly about.

I remember when I had my wine bar and restaurant here in Bournemouth—I could have filled the place three times over during December. It was hard work, relentless really, but wonderful. Vibrant. Happy. The energy was electric.

Times are different now, of course. Costs are higher, margins tighter, the regulatory burden heavier. But as these reports demonstrate, hospitality and the great British pub remain the places people want to go. They remain the heart of our communities, the venues where life’s moments—big and small—are celebrated.

That’s precisely why we cannot continue to allow this sector to be taken for granted and bled dry by punitive taxation and policy incoherence.

The issue of cutting hospitality VAT was raised in Parliament again this week, and I really do hope that other MPs join the chorus. The public overwhelmingly supports it, and as I’ve previously stated, the government’s catastrophic business rates hikes have shone a light on the case for a VAT reduction better than any of us could have done.

The resilience shown by operators—91% of Christie & Co’s freehold pub sales in 2025 were for continued use, with less than 2% distressed sales—speaks volumes about the determination within this industry. Despite 62% of stakeholders feeling negative about the sector’s prospects, only around one in five are looking to sell in 2026. That’s not capitulation. That’s resolve.

But resolve alone won’t pay the bills when business rates soar and VAT remains punitive. Government must match the sector’s determination with meaningful, fair support—not piecemeal relief that divides us. Hospitality deserves better. Our communities deserve better.

The fight continues.

I would encourage all our readers to follow us on X/Twitter @CLHNews and visit our website at www.catererlicensee.com to sign up for our twice weekly e-newsletter.

I can always be contacted at edit@catererlicensee.com