Thousands of pubs set for rates boost

Thousands of pubs will pay no business rates for another year — or will see rate relief double, from October.

The Morning Advertiser can reveal that 4,027 pubs — those with a rateable value (RV) under £6,000 — fall within the threshold for the rates holiday announced in last week's Budget.

In addition, all 10,002 pubs that claim small business rate relief (SBRR) and have an RV between £6,001 and £12,000 will see their discount double. According to figures from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), 14,029 of the 45,149 pubs in England qualify for SBRR.

Under the SBRR scheme small businesses with RV below £12,000 will receive up to a 50% reduction in business rates.

However, it's not all good news for licensees with more than one pub, the total RV of all of their properties must be less than £18,000, or £25,500 in Greater London, to be eligible for the relief.

Fleurets' business rates expert Michael Yass welcomed the plans. He said: "Pubs will continue to benefit but because this is the third year in a row that the rates holiday has been applied, whenever it does come back it will feel as if it's an additional liability rather than going back to the way things were."

Osborne: pubs in enterprise zones could net relief ​

Pubs in parts of Nottingham, Liverpool, Manchester and London could have lower business rates, the Government announced in the Budget.

Chancellor George Osborne said he planned to set up 21 enterprise zones, in which a business rate discount will be applied to eligible businesses over five years.

The zones are the Boots campus in Nottingham, Manchester Airport, Liverpool Waters and the Royal Docks, in London.

Ministers also launched a competition to identify a further 10 zones in England by July.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: "Enterprise zones are unashamedly pro-growth, with lower taxes and reduced regulations to attract business."