Industry body welcomes Andy Burnham slashing business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues
The new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has revealed that he intends to slash business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues by 20 per cent by next April.
In Burnham’s third policy announcement after replacing the outgoing Labour leader, Keir Starmer, he shared his intention to save the average pub around £1,100 across the year, benefiting around 32,000 venues.
As a result, it will cost the government £100 million a year; Burnham added that the funding will also come through reviewing reliefs for businesses that don’t make a positive contribution to communities, like vape shops.
The full criteria for eligibility will be announced during the autumn budget; it is expected that the largest music venues will not be included in the scheme.
The Night Times Industries Association (NTIA) has welcomed the new scheme with open arms. Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA, shared happily, “Having worked closely with the new Prime Minister’s team over recent weeks, it is encouraging to see a positive outcome from genuine engagement with the sector.”
Kill added, “The inclusion of clubs alongside pubs and live-music venues is particularly important and demonstrates a broader recognition of the vital economic, cultural and social contribution made by the night-time economy.”
He then said that such interventions work to “shift confidence across the sector and create renewed optimism that our concerns are being heard.”
The CEO’s statement concluded, “The government is undoubtedly making the right noises. We look forward to continuing this constructive dialogue and ensuring these commitments translate into tangible and inclusive support for businesses throughout the night-time economy.”
The new initiative comes at an important time for the night-time economy, as a report from the Music Venue Trust published at the beginning of this year revealed that most grassroots venues in the UK failed to turn a profit in 2025.
On the topic of the policy intervention, Burnham shared, “For too long, governments have stood by while cherished venues have disappeared from our local high streets. So today I am changing that.”
He added, “I said I would protect pubs and local high streets – the beating heart of our communities – and that’s what we will do.”
Burnham’s team also plans to crack down on businesses that sell through online marketplaces but do not comply with their tax obligations.
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