Landlady of Burnley's Royal Dyche pub says Government announcement of 15 per cent cut to business rates is 'small win'
An award winning Burnley landlady has welcomed today’s announcement by the Government that pubs in England are to get a 15 per cent cut to business rates’ bills from April.
But, although Justine Bedford, the owner of popular pub The Royal Dyche, described the move, which includes a rates freeze for a further two years as ‘small win,’ she said it still does not address the long term financial pressures that are crippling a lot of business owners in hospitality.
Justine said: “In real terms this is like a temporary fix, a freeze on bills and it is good news. But it doesn’t look at the whole picture and when the freeze ends we are back to square one. Hospitality is still facing significant challenges with energy costs and the rise in the levels of minimum wage and national insurance.
“This has put enormous pressure on so many establishments that simply can’t bear the cost. It still feels like the Government isn’t really listening to us.”
Justine said another crippling cost was the fact that UK pubs pay significantly higher taxes on beer, compared to most European countries with a 20% VAT rate, and some of the highest excise duties in Europe. Taxes account for over one-third of a pint's price in the UK, with total tax per pint often exceeding £1.37, significantly higher than countries like Germany or Spain.
A vociferous campaigner for the hospitality industry, Justine won one the most prestigious awards for licensees in the hospitality industry when she was named as the Licensee of the Year by the British Institute of Innkeeping in 2024. And last year she went to Parliament with representatives from the organisation to argue the case against a proposed bill for later opening hours, claiming they would only mean extra costs for business owners and would do nothing to help drive more custom into pubs.
Earlier this month a number of hospitality business owners in Burnley met with the town’s MP Oliver Ryan to discuss their fears and the pressure on the industry. The discussion, held at Penny Black, brought together operators from across the borough who raised concerns about business rates, staffing costs, energy bills and the sustainability of town centre trading.
Justine added: “Oliver Ryan is part of an all party delegation lobbying the Government to be aware of the problems hospitality is facing and for something to be done.
“The fact we have a Labour MP with his party in power means we have a chance of being listened to. All credit to Oliver for the support he is giving and the fact he is actually listening to us.”