Pub landlord hails 'welcome relief' from Andy Burnham after cutting business rates: 'We've been hammered!'

A pub landlord has praised the latest move by Prime Minister to cut business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues by 20 per cent, declaring it a "welcome relief".

Speaking to GB News, Steve Perez, owner of The Red Lion pub in Stone Edge stressed that the Labour Government under Sir Keir Starmer "hammered" the hospitality industry.

Discussing his policy announcement today, Mr Burnham assured pubs that the "cavalry is coming" to support them.

He said: "This is a first step today, but it's an important step. I made this commitment in the Makerfield by-election because we're losing pubs. Pubs need to know that you know the cavalry is coming.

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"This is to me our heritage, it's working class culture. Once pubs are gone, they don't come back. So we've just got to signal what support when we can.

"That's why I've made this early announcement. This is a significant cut to the business rates that pubs and other venues pay. It could make the difference for a number of venues that are struggling."

Discussing the policy on GB News, Mr Perez expressed his optimism for Mr Burnham and the "chink of light" he is offering publicans.

He said: "It's a welcome relief. We've had tax increases, National Insurance, the tax nobody has even heard of, EPR, Extended Producer's Responsibility, which is for every bottle you buy, every can, there's about 7p per bottle.

"The hospitality industry has actually been hammered by this Government and so I see this as a chink of light."

Mr Perez hoped that the new Prime Minister "doesn't go back" on his pledge to support the industry after being dealt tax hikes by ex-Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

He told GB News: "I just hope that Andy Burnham doesn't go back on what he talked about prior to being Prime Minister, which he said he would support a cut in VAT.

"That's what we're looking for, that would make a difference. Ireland have just cut VAT to nine per cent, most of Europe is at 10 per cent."

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The publican stressed that although the measure is welcome, it "won't make much difference" to overall savings.

He argued: "Savings of £1,000 per year per average pub won't make any difference whatsoever, and I'd also just say that he doesn't include restaurants and hotels, and my hotel has just had a 130 per cent rate increase.

"My pub, like most pubs these days, aren't just pubs but are also restaurants and lots of pubs have got rooms. So does that make them a restaurant or a hotel?

"That's the difficulty, you've got to class all hospitality together these days, it's not just for the traditional wet led pub."

Mr Perez concluded that after hospitality was "singled out" by the Labour Government under Sir Keir Starmer, he is hopeful that Mr Burnham will provide the support the industry needs.

He said: "Hospitality has just been singled out by this Labour Government. But I am hopeful, it's a chink of light.

"I am hopeful that Andy Burnham, prior to being Prime Minister, was very supportive of hospitality.

"Let's just hope he sticks to his word."

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