Pubs urged to support rate relief campaign

The British Institute of Innkeeping is making a final call, as part of its #MyPub campaign, to urge pubs to engage with their local MPs and write to them to support a call for the rates relief to remain in place to help businesses recover.

Steve Alton, CEO of the BII, speaking at the recent Restaurant Show said: “While some of our members are trading well, despite that only one in two is breaking even so it's never been more perilous.

“We’re asking everyone to get involved. A lot got their local MP into their pub over the summer to ask for their support, but we’re now asking everyone to write to their MP, to leave them in no doubt about the value of their business, why the support is needed now more than ever.”

He said the BII is asking specifically about business rates and having early notification that support will continue for at least another year which Alton said will be “a vital lifeline”.

“We did value that 75% relief, but we need to see that continue, it was there to help us recover, but that recovery hasn’t started yet.”

Alton is calling on all operators across the UK to write now, ahead of the Autumn Statement in a bid to hammer home the message that continued support is vital.

He added: “‘It is key that we all play our part in taking the message to Government. Please don’t assume that they have got the message, every pub voice really counts. Now is the time for everyone to act and simply the more letters sent, the louder our message will be heard."

To make it easier for pubs to write, the BII has prepared a template letter for download, and you can access that here​.

For more information on the campaign, watch the video above.