Don’t forget business rates pledges ahead of election, ALMR tells minister

Last week, Javid told MPs at a cross-party House of Commons committee that “these issues of online-offline, in-out of town is not something that is the highest priority at the moment”, The Sun​ newspaper reported. 

The statement comes in the wake of the general election announcement, and just weeks after it was revealed Amazon’s business rate bill for its distribution centres will fall this year – while many pubs still face huge increases.

The comments have gone against those Javid said in February,​ when he told MPs that he would work with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, to provide “further support” for businesses worst hit by business rates in April as it was “clear that more needs to be done to level the playing field and make the system fairer”.

Considerable worry​

ALMR chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The Government announced sector-specific relief and discretionary relief, a good first step, but there is now considerable worry that these promises will be lost in the inevitable disorder that can precede a general election.

“It is vitally important that the Government sticks to its promise to help tackle rates bills for those businesses under the most pressure, particularly pubs and restaurants that contribute so much but are being disproportionately burdened.”

ALMR manifesto​

Nicholls said the ALMR will be launching its newest manifesto for licensed hospitality shortly, which will outline the problems and opportunities facing the sector, and will call upon the Government to “honour its pledge” on business rates.

“It is important that this issue not be forgotten or the Government be allowed to quietly ditch the support that the ALMR worked so hard to achieve,” she added.