A leading independent retailers association has called for greater business rates relief for the high street after pubs, clubs and live music venues were handed a further 20% cut.
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), which works with over 6,000 independent retailers across the UK, said other high street businesses have been left behind.
On July 23, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that pubs, clubs and live music venues in England will receive a 20% cut to their business rates bills from April 2027. The cut comes on top of the 15% relief already announced.
Downing Street said the measure could save a typical pub an estimated £1,100 on its business rates bill next year, with nearly 32,000 venues expected to benefit. The cut is expected to cost around £100 million and will be funded through a review of business rates reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops. It will not apply to the very largest live music venues.
Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre said: “Once again pubs, clubs and music venues are being given special treatment on business rates. This follows the discount they were given after last year’s disastrous changes to the system.
“My question is straightforward. What about the rest of the high street, where other businesses have seen a 15% increase this year and their business rates bills have more than doubled since 2024?
“If the Prime Minister is serious about revitalising high streets, he cannot only support pubs. Some 17,000 shops closed in 2025, while many thousands of jobs were lost, and that number will keep rising if these businesses continue to be overlooked.”
The announcement is the Prime Minister’s third policy move in as many days. Most bus fares in England were capped at £2 from January, and VAT on household electricity bills will be reduced from October.
