Rural MP Kevin Hollinrake has challenged the Chancellor over exclusions to business rates relief which he claims will only pile pressure on racehorse training yards.

The Treasury has set out measures to support hospitality and leisure businesses, but it does not apply to yards supporting the horseracing industry.

Now a cross-party group of MPs, including Mr Hollinrake for Thirsk and Malton, Nick Timothy for West Suffolk and Lee Dillon for Newbury, have called for a re-think.

"Racing is a vital industry in Thirsk and Malton, supporting jobs, local businesses and the wider rural economy," said Mr Hollinrake. "This decision risks placing unsustainable pressure on businesses that are already facing rising costs."

Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake in Harome. Credit: Richard Ponter/Yorkshire Post

placeholder image — Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake in Harome. Credit: Richard Ponter/Yorkshire Post

Proposals would see a 40 per cent rate relief for eligible businesses, supporting some in the sector as it faces a challenging time. But racing yards are excluded - a move that MPs said could see their bills rocket 23 per cent by 2026/27 and up to 70 per cent by 2028/29.

There is "no justification" for singling out yards as closed to the public, the MPs argue, when other training grounds such as elite football or rugby aren't similarly excluded. Without racehorse training yards, they add, there is no horseracing - a sport drawing more than five million people to grounds last year.

The letter warns: "Many racehorse trainers are already warning that the associated cost rises from this change will make their businesses unsustainable and threaten jobs in rural communities."