Budget changes mean Bristol pub owner ‘will pay £8,500 more’

A man who owns two pubs says he will have to pay about £8,500 more than he did last year following Rachel Reeve’s budget.

Rob Moore, who has pubs in Pensford and Keynsham, near Bristol, is one of many owners who will soon have to pay higher business rates to run their pubs.

From April, all non-domestic properties including shops and pubs may face having to pay more for their business rates – which are the equivalent to council tax on domestic properties.

“We’re looking at £7 plus per pint in the outskirts of Bristol,” Mr Moore told BBC Radio Bristol. “That’s central London prices.”

Businesses rates have been discounted since the pandemic.

Last year the usual rate was reduced by 75% and this financial year the discount was set at 40%.

However, it was announced on Wednesday that there would be no discount in the next financial year.

Instead, the government is lowering the overall “multiplier” used to calculate business rates.

But at the same time the government has readjusted the values of commercial property, with venues like Mr Moore’s pubs increasing – meaning he and other business owners will actually pay more.

Mr Moore said: “This is all, in my opinion, political manipulation to show the public that actually you should be getting a cheaper deal at the pubs, when in actual fact [Rachel Reeve] is putting taxes up elsewhere.

“It’s the same sort of thing that happens every year because of the budget,” he said.

Mr Moore said he has four months to plan how he will tackle the extra money loss, and may have to consider changing products to cheaper brands, cutting opening hours and reducing staff hours.

He said taking these measures would mean “everyone gets out of pocket”.

“It’s forcing it onto small business owners,” he added.