Urban Pubs & Bars launches acquisition spree after strong Christmas sales hospitality Urban Pubs & Bars has embarked on an aggressive acquisition spree as the London-based hospitality group toasted strong demand over the Christmas season. This week the company announced it had acquired The Birdcage in East London from Brewdog, marking its sixth acquisition of 2026. The deal follows the recent completion of five premium hospitality venues [...]
Reeves confirms ‘temporary support’ for pubs amid row over misleading claims hospitality Rachel Reeves has confirmed “temporary support” for pubs in a climbdown over the business rates row, as a chief tax official claimed the Treasury was warned about the damaging impact of tax reforms after ministers claimed they had been in the dark about the changes. The Chancellor confirmed on Wednesday that she will roll out [...]
The 100 most at risk pubs in London – is your local under threat? Life&Style The most at risk pubs in London have been revealed by a new website that calculates how proposed changes to rates could affect the hospitality industry. New website ismypubfucked.com uses official data from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to identify which pubs will be most affected by the proposed increases to the business rates. The [...]
Starmer and Reeves ‘credibility shot’ after pubs tax U-turn, says Badenoch January 11, 2026 The credibility of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves has faced a bruising after they were forced to make a dramatic U-turn on their business rates reform for pubs, the leader of the Conservative party has said. Ministers are set to water down the business rates bombshell slapped on pubs following fierce [...]
Ministers to offer business rates relief to pubs after backlash January 8, 2026 Panicked ministers are poised to water down the business rates bombshell faced by pubs, after an aggressive backlash from the industry saw over a thousand landlords ban Labour MPs from their premises. The government is expected to announce an overhaul to the way it calculates business rates for pubs within days, which it says will [...]
‘A load of rubbish’: Pubs round on Starmer’s licencing offer January 7, 2026 Pub and hospitality bosses have rounded on Keir Starmer’s suggestion that relaxed licencing laws may compensate the industry for business rates bills having risen at the Budget, branding the proposal “a load of rubbish”. The Prime Minister confirmed his government was talking to industry leaders about “what further support” ministers could provide pubs and other [...]
Starmer risks killing the great British pub January 7, 2026 Everyone has a favourite pub. It might be one you go back to on holiday or it could be at the end of your road. It could be a stone’s throw from the office (City AM is blessed in this regard) or one that’s still going from your uni years. The City AM Toast Awards [...]
Britain lost one pub a day in 2025 December 31, 2025 One pub a day closed its doors in 2025 as businesses were forced to battle mounting cost pressures and an increasingly heavy tax burden. Fresh analysis from global tax firm Ryan showed 366 pubs were demolished or converted for other uses in the last 12 months. Since 2020, nearly 2,000 pubs have closed for good, [...]
Are Britain’s independent pubs doomed? December 28, 2025 2025 has been a year of diverging fortunes for pubs. Listed pub chains – particularly those with a strong presence in London – are reporting record sales, buoyed by higher consumer spending and increased footfall as workers return to their offices. Independent pubs, meanwhile, are closing at the fastest rate this century, blaming unfriendly government [...]
Hospitality business rates set to nearly double by 2028 despite government tax cut claims December 20, 2025 Hospitality venues across England will see their business rates bill nearly double in the next three years as a result of the government’s controversial overhaul of the commercial property tax. A fresh analysis of government figures found that most pubs, restaurants and hotels will pay over £32,000 more on property tax by 2028, despite ministers [...]