Andy Burnham pledges to slash business rates for cafés and pubs as prime minister

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has vowed to slash business rates for pubs and music venues by a further 20% in his first policy pledge since announcing his ambition to become prime minister.

Burnham, who is currently running to be MP of Makerfield, also said he would abolish business rates for independent cafés, shops and hairdressers if he enters number 10.

Burnham said: “Our high streets matter to me because they matter to the people who live here. I want to make sure that these family-owned businesses, as the heart and soul of this country, are protected and given the chance to thrive.

“I am willing to be honest about where we have fallen short and say that my party has got it wrong in government. They have undervalued the contribution that these businesses make to our livelihoods and our communities.”

Burnham’s pledged rates relief would be in addition to the pubs-specific package announced by the government earlier this year following highly-publicised campaigns by publicans across the UK to bar MPs from their locals.

British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “While the current relief in business rates for pubs is welcome, pubs continue to pay a disproportionately higher rate, which grinds down their ability to keep the doors open.

“A further 20% would be a real boost for the local, and raising the threshold so many smaller pubs get taken out of paying rates would make a real difference to high streets and livelihoods.”

UKHospitality chief executive Allen Simpson welcomed the pledge, but stressed the need for costs relief for wider hospitality. He said: “The challenges facing local businesses are universal and affect all types of venue, from pubs and restaurants to cafés and hotels.

“An effective high street strategy needs to deliver a hospitality-wide solution to deliver for all businesses, high streets, towns, cities and communities.

“To reverse the trend of closures and lost jobs into openings and new jobs, that strategy needs to include a plan for delivering lower business rates and a 10% rate of VAT for hospitality.”

Photo: Scottish Government/Flickr