'Our hospitality sector supports thousands of local jobs' - Shropshire MP urges chancellor to back pubs in her budget
A Shropshire MP has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to do more to support pubs ahead of her budget on Wednesday.
Stuart Anderson said his constituency of South Shropshire is home to 166 pubs and four breweries which together support more than 2,040 jobs, generate £39 million in tax receipts, and contribute £63 million towards the economy each year.
Last year, he opposed the decision to slash business rates relief for the hospitality sector from 75 per cent to 40 per cent. The change means that the average pub now has to pay an extra three thousand pounds.
Me Anderson said if returned to government, his party, the Conservatives, would scrap business rates for 250,000 retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses. This would enable them to invest in better premises, more staff, and lower prices.
In his submission to the Autumn Budget consultation, Mr Anderson has also urged the government to provide further support for community pubs after it closed the last government's Community Ownership Fund.
In December 2024, Ministers announced that there would be no further application windows. The Scheme had provided £150 million to help residents take ownership of locally valued assets at risk of being lost.
In South Shropshire, one pub is set to reopen on Friday thanks to the scheme.
The Crown Inn in Newcastle near Clun has been closed since February 2023 but is to reopen on Friday thanks to the scheme Community Ownership Fund.
Mr Anderson said: “In south Shropshire, our hospitality sector supports thousands of local jobs and adds millions of pounds to the local economy every year.
“Yet, this April’s hikes in business rates mean that the average pub now has to pay an extra three thousand pounds in tax. Hospitality businesses, which invest more than £7 billion in our high streets and local communities every year, must be protected from any further tax hikes when the Chancellor delivers her Budget on Wednesday.”
He added: “Despite repeated requests, I am disappointed that the Government has chosen not to reinstate the Community Ownership Fund. With many pubs and other venues having closed under this Government’s watch, I hope that the Budget will also deliver more dedicated funding for community ownership.”
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.