Autumn budget: Chancellor 'taking with one hand while giving away' says York pub landlord John Pybus of The Blue Bell
Several measures were set out in the Autumn budget to ease the burden on the hospitality sector, from a freeze on alcohol duty to an extension over business rates relief.
John Pybus is landlord of York's smallest pub, the historic Blue Bell at York. Ultimately, he welcomed the relief but said what the sector needed was "root and branch" reform.
One major element missing from the Chancellor's speech, he outlines, was support for small brewers with Camra figures showing 14 closures across Yorkshire this year.
"They are a lifeline to us small pubs - they really are a very special part of our community," he stressed. "They need to be helped with tax reforms the same way the bigger boys are."
On alcohol duty, Mr Pybus welcomed the freeze but said it was braced against an unfair system - and comes just months after duty changes "took money out of pubs' pockets".
And when it came to the business rates freeze, he said what was needed was full reform.
Campaigners have long argued over a "skewed" system here, with grassroots group Campaign for Pubs calling for a "fairer" deal that recognises pubs' community value.
Mr Pybus said pubs for too long have had to pay "disproportionately" high costs. "The Government knows it needs reform," he added. "Or they wouldn't keep freezing it."
Finally, while it was "great" to see an increase to the National Living Wage and especially in the cost of living crisis, he added: "Pubs will be raising their beer prices to pay for that.
"They can't afford not to. What we really need is a VAT reduction for wet-led pubs, bringing us in line with restaurants and food businesses."