Pubs across Yorkshire have been suffering for years - BBPA CEO
The pub is an institution that has been celebrated across Yorkshire for centuries. From ramblers, seeking a pint at the end of a long hike, to those enjoying vibrant pubs in beautiful cities and historic towns.
With 200,000 people each year attempting the infamous “Yorkshire’s Three Peaks” challenge and the iconic Yorkshire Dales attracting roughly 4m visitors each year, the rural pub plays a vital role in punctuating each and every one of these trips – whether it’s somewhere to retreat when the weather takes a turn, or a well-deserved slap-up meal and pint and the end of an arduous walk.
Yet pubs across Yorkshire have been suffering for years, with business rates, sky-rocketing energy bills, increasing employment costs and some of the highest beer duty rates in Europe pushing these treasured locals to the brink.
In villages, towns and cities, despite strong trade and footfall, many landlords are having to contend with these constraints and rising costs, putting their viability at risk.
Last year’s Budget may have delivered a final blow for many. The average community pub now faces a 63 per cent increase in its business rates bill. In some cases, rateable values have surged by 500 per cent, while thousands of pubs will now have to pay rates for the first time.
For Yorkshire, a region which has lost 258 pubs since 2016, the Budget has created an existential risk across all four counties.
According to our own research conducted ahead of the Budget, we predicted that a further 260 pubs would be at-risk this year alone without “meaningful” reform on business rates.
This would be detrimental for Yorkshire, with over a thousand industry jobs potentially being lost and a hammer-blow to the region’s tourism economy.
But there seems to be a ray of hope - reports suggest that the mood might be shifting in Westminster.
Since the Budget I and the team at the British Beer and Pub Association have been in talks with the Treasury to discuss urgent relief measures, including a pub-specific relief on business rates, which we believe could save hundreds of venues and 15,000 jobs across the country.
Yorkshire’s pubs are more than places to drink; they are community lifelines, cultural touchstones, and important markers of the region’s social identity. Protecting them is not just an industry issue, it’s about protecting jobs, communities and our culture.
With news of a potential rethink from the Government on business rates, it’s a sign that they are listening to publicans. We can only hope that these measures go far enough to ensure that this fundamental part of our culture, economy, and heritage is saved.
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association