Luke Honeychurch, the landlord of The Hog pub in Gloucestershire, has vocally criticised Chancellor Rachel Reeves for what he describes as an aggressive series of tax increases targeting the hospitality sector. With his monthly business rates soaring by £712, Honeychurch demands a full reversal of the latest hikes.
The Hog, located in Horsley near Stroud, has felt the sharp impact of rising costs amid a challenging economic environment. Beyond business rates, pubs across the country grapple with increased employer national insurance contributions and minimum wage rises. The combined financial pressure has contributed to projections that one pub could close every day in 2025.
Honeychurch told The Telegraph that instead of providing “a glimmer of hope” in the recent Budget, Reeves’ policies have deepened the crisis. “You have more than doubled the ‘rateable value’ of my pub — the basis for business rates — even after lowering the multiplier, resulting in a hefty £712 monthly increase for us,” he explained. “Despite headlines proclaiming reduced business rates, the reality feels sneaky and unfair.”
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Describing the current economic climate as tougher than during the pandemic, Honeychurch noted that while financial support and consumer spending buoyed pubs in previous years, today’s conditions offer no such relief. He dismissed the prospect of partial government aid, insisting that only a complete policy U-turn can save his pub from closing when the new business rates take effect in April.
“The government has effectively shot itself in the foot,” he said. “This sector has traditionally endured hardships, but the latest measures have galvanized us to fight back. Attacked from all sides while already struggling, we now find a renewed strength to resist.”
Industry data from UKHospitality projects a 76% average rise in business rates for English pubs by 2030, driven by property revaluations and the rollback of COVID-era discounts introduced in the Chancellor’s November Budget.
Although the government previously set up a £4.3 billion fund to ease the transition to higher rates for pubs, reports suggest that further support—such as additional business rates relief and reduced licensing bureaucracy—is under consideration to alleviate the sector’s growing burden.