22 Nov 2023
Campaign group Save St Albans has welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s commitment to extending the 75 per cent discount on business rates for 2024/25 in his autumn statement.
Sean Hughes, landlord of The Boot and owner of Dylan’s, said on behalf of the group: “This is a lifeline for many St Albans pubs and will save an average £12,800 per pub across the country and around £15-20,000 in St Albans. The rates discount will also hugely help all small High Street shops which is essential in this current climate of damaging increasing costs.
“The freeze on alcohol duty across the board is welcome and we hope that breweries will do everything in their power to minimise wholesale price increases this year.
“We continue to campaign for a fair tax on pubs with levelling up taxation between supermarkets and pubs at the top of our agenda and a total reform of the business rates system.”
