Why business rate relief is only part of the conversation about protecting social spaces

The Caterer’s This Is Hospitality campaign celebrates all the positive aspects of the sector, showing how it can offer a rewarding career for life as well as being an essential part of the UK’s social fabric.

 

Jess Doyle is head of policy, research and consultancy at Re-engage, the only charity in the UK working to reduce loneliness among those aged 75 and over. It offers tea parties and activities for older people and employs volunteers to act as ‘call companions’, to phone those at risk of social isolation for a chat once a week. Here she talks about the sector’s purpose as a vital conduit for socialising and connection. 

 

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Prime minister Andy Burnham’s announcement of business rates relief for parts of the hospitality sector has been widely welcomed. For many pubs, cafés and social venues, this support could be the difference between staying open or closing for good. 

 

But for many people, this decision carries deeper significance. It is not just about protecting businesses, it’s also about protecting the places where people connect and loneliness reduces.

 

Across the UK, older people are feeling the impact of the long-term erosion of shared spaces. Community centres have closed, day services have been reduced and many local venues such as libraries, once a hub for social groups, have disappeared due to funding pressures and the absence of statutory support. For older people, these closures mean fewer places to meet, fewer opportunities to leave the house and less of a chance to feel part of a community. When spaces disappear, so do the opportunities for connection, and loneliness becomes entrenched.

 

Connection is not a luxury for older people – it is a protective factor for mental health. Research shows that when older people have regular opportunities to meet others, their physical and mental health improves. People aged 75 and older taking part in Re-engage services report a 76% increase in happiness, a 70% increase in life satisfaction and an overall positive impact on life (82%). Connection helps people feel good – it strengthens identity and restores a sense of belonging. Loneliness is a public health issue; therefore, business rates relief is one significant health intervention needed by lonely and isolated older people.

 

Pubs and cafés are uniquely placed to fill the social space gap. They provide familiar, relaxed settings that are woven into the fabric of cities, towns and villages, and for many older people, this sense of familiarity matters.

 

Re-engage is already partnering with pubs, providing intergenerational connection without pressure. It is just one of many charities offering people a chance to meet at the Railway Pub in Stockport, where one of our volunteers told me the group represents about half the clientele on a Thursday afternoon: “It’s a popular group and a great use of a pub for people looking for a community event,” they said. 

 

Business rates relief can have a meaningful impact on social infrastructure. It helps keep open the very places that can support older people to stay connected, feel confident and be part of their community. If we want to reduce loneliness among older people, it is important to recognise that hospitality venues are part of the solution. Policy decisions about business rates have social consequences.

 

Re-engage will continue to create connection for older people through social groups, but accessible, welcoming venues are vital. Business rates relief is a step in the right direction, but there must be a broader conversation about protecting other community venues where connection happens and loneliness reduces.

 

What is This Is Hospitality?

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This Is Hospitality