Business Rates
We provide essential coverage of business rates policy and reform, and how it impacts operators across the UK foodservice and hospitality sector. From government relief schemes and revaluation updates to lobbying efforts led by UKHospitality and industry coalitions, this captures the key developments influencing site viability and cost pressures. Whether you run a single high-street restaurant or oversee a multi-site pub or catering group, we explain how changes to the business rates system affect your bottom line, and what you need to know to plan ahead.
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Jul- 2018 -20 JulyPubs and Bars
Brewers and pubs launch ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign
Members of campaign group Britain’s Beer Alliance (BBA) have launched a campaign encouraging people to support their local pubs amid increasing beer tax. The ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign has called on the government to cut Beer Duty as pubs facing “increasing pressures” including business rates and VAT. Over the…
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19 JulyApps & Technology
Is Deliveroo moving customers from cover to couch?
Stolen food, high commission prices, overworked staff and ruining restaurants’ relationships with their customers – just a few claims made by restaurateurs who partner with door-to-door delivery apps such as Deliveroo. The massive growth of the British-born smartphone app, which allows customers to order meals from well-known high street restaurants…
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19 JulyBusiness
‘Phantom hours’ costing UK businesses £37m a week
A survey of shift workers in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries has found staff to be overstating their working hours by an average of almost half an hour a week. Staff rota scheduling firm Rotaready, which conducted the survey, said these ‘phantom hours’ are costing UK businesses as much…
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11 JulyPubs and Bars
Wetherspoon warns of costs increase as it reports uplift in sales
Pub group JD Wetherspoon has reported a 5.2% like-for-like sales increase for the 10 weeks to 8 July 2018, but has warned of cost increases for the next year. The group said it expected business rates, the sugar tax, utility taxes and wages to have an impact on its costs.…
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9 JulyGovernment
UK Treasury rejects business rates reform calls
The UK Treasury has today rejected calls from retailers and restaurants who say business rates should be reformed to create a level playing field with online retailers. During a meeting of parliament’s Treasury Select Committee, chancellor Philip Hammond said reforming international corporation tax was a higher priority for the government,…
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9 JulyBusiness
200,000 companies sued over business rates
Over 200,000 businesses were taken to a Magistrates court for failing to pay for businesses rates under the first year of the new business rates revaluation, an investigation has revealed. Real estate advisor Altus Group collated information procured under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) from all councils in England.…
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4 JulyBusiness
BRC calls for two-year freeze on business rates
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has asked the government to consider freezing business rates for two years to ease the pressure on retailers. By proposing a two-year freeze on increases, the BRC said it would give time for the government and industry to develop a proposal for an updated taxation…
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3 JulyBusiness
Restaurant CVAs rise by 143% over six months
New research has found the number of restaurants entering a company voluntary agreement (CVA) has increased by 143% over the last six months compared with the previous period. Data analysed by law firm Linklaters shows that there were 12 CVAs in the first quarter of this year. This compares to…
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Jun- 2018 -29 JuneGovernment
Mayor calls for ‘united effort’ to save London’s pubs
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called for a united effort from government, local authorities and the pub industry to help protect the future of the capital’s pubs, as he released new figures showing that there has been a long-term decline. The figures, published today, show that while pub…
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26 JuneRestaurants
Hummus Brothers goes into administration
Mediterranean eatery chain Hummus Brothers has confirmed that it has gone into administration. The group has six sites all based in London and has been in operation for 13 years. In a statement on its website and Twitter account, the group attributed its downfall to a “perfect storm” of increased…
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