More Than 20 Hospitality And Leisure Uses Face Bigger Business-Rates Rises Than Pubs, New Data Shows

Following the announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves of a “temporary support” package for pubs new analysis shows that pubs are far from the most exposed part of the hospitality and leisure economy under the 2026 revaluation.

Analysis of the draft 2026 rating list by global tax firm Ryan shows that more than 20 other hospitality and leisure uses are facing average rateable value increases greater than those seen by pubs, with the largest valuation shocks concentrated in large, destination and capital-intensive assets.

While pubs are facing average rateable value increases of around 30%, the data shows that 21 hospitality and leisure categories are experiencing higher average uplifts, many of them substantially so.

According to the analysis by Ryan, arenas are seeing average increases of 142%, four-star and above hotels 97%, golf driving ranges 79%, holiday centres 73% and serviced apartments 71%.

Significant uplifts are also evident across core visitor and leisure infrastructure, including theme parks, sports grounds, theatres, ice rinks and bowling alleys, all of which are experiencing significant increases.

These increases matter because many of the worst-affected assets are employment-intensive, regionally important and highly capital-dependent, often operating with limited flexibility to absorb higher fixed costs. While transitional relief will slow the pace at which bills rise, it does not reduce the underlying rateable value, meaning higher liabilities remain and can more than double over the next 3 financial years.

With political attention currently focused on pubs, Ryan warns that support narrowly targeted at one part of the sector risks overlooking where the largest valuation shocks now sit, leaving much of the wider hospitality and leisure economy to absorb materially higher costs from April 2026 through to March 2029.

Alex Probyn, Practice Leader – Europe & Asia-Pacific Property Tax at global tax firm Ryan, said:
“Pubs are largely valued using turnover, and the 2026 revaluation moves from Covid-suppressed trading years to more normalised levels, producing average rateable value increases of around 30%. But across the wider hospitality and leisure sector, the impact is far more severe. Average increases for major assets such as civil airports at 295%, arenas at 138% and large hotels at 97% mask even more extreme outcomes at individual properties. The risk is not only to jobs but to future investment, with operators already warning that spending will be curtailed and higher taxation costs will be passed on to customers at a time when the cost-of-living crisis has not gone away.”

Ryan said the data underlines the need for policymakers to look beyond pubs alone and recognise the breadth and scale of valuation pressures now affecting the wider hospitality and leisure sector.