
Lib Dems call for 5% VAT cut for pubs
Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper has said a 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses would have an “immediate effect” on the economy.

Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper has said a 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses would have an “immediate effect” on the economy.

THE CASK PROJECT
Greene King has announced the return of three seasonal cask beers ahead of the festive season.

Sir David Beckham reportedly partied the night away at a Great British Pub Awards-winning Cotswolds pub after receiving a knighthood.

Anglian Country Inns (ACI) has reported an 8.4% rise in turnover to £22.3m for the year ending 31 March 2025, despite a challenging trading environment marked by wet weather, rising labour costs and continued tax pressure.

Fuller, Smith & Turner (Fuller’s) has ramped up investment in its pub estate, spending £13.5m in the first half of the financial year and setting aside a further £15m for the months ahead.

Daniel Thwaites has credited its pubs and inns for helping deliver a resilient first half of trading, despite weaker consumer confidence and rising employment costs.

As the on-trade continues to innovate despite persistent challenges, we’ve taken a look into what the pub of 2035 could look like and how it will continue to evolve over the next decade.

British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) CEO Steve Alton has written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming Budget, warning that more than a third of UK pubs could close without immediate Government intervention.