“The Chancellor’s decision to throw a £300 million lifeline at pubs feels less like decisive leadership and more like a last-minute bandage on a bleeding sector.
“While pubs are undeniably important and a key part of our ecosystem, this narrow support comes after months of industry warnings that spiralling business-rates hikes — averaging up to 76 per cent — were pushing all hospitality and NTE venues to the brink.
“The Chancellor’s policies have led to closures across cities like Birmingham and right across the West Midlands.
“Targeting pubs alone ignores the reality that restaurants, hotels and night-time venues such as clubs are facing equally punishing cost pressures that threaten jobs, investment and the regeneration of our high streets.
“As the London Nightlife Taskforce report published this morning recommends, a national nightlife business rates reform and a cost relief scheme for nightlife space is urgently required — not discriminatory half measures that leave whole swathes of the hospitality and NTE industries out in the cold.”
Alan Fox, NCASS CEO, said:
“Singling out pubs for rates support while excluding local restaurants, cafés and other hospitality venues is unfair and reckless.
“Not only does it risk accelerating closures across the High Street, it also damages confidence across the whole sector and creates a flimsy two-tier system. NCASS is urging government to extend meaningful relief across the hospitality sector, including targeted support for all independent hospitality and catering businesses.”