Rates rise leaves bitter taste for pub boss
A PUB once voted the best in Britain is facing an ‘eye-watering’ 377 per cent rise in business rates.
The Baum in Rochdale will see its rates jump from roughly £26,000 to £126,000 a year under a revaluation introduced by the government.
Owner Simon Crompton says the staggering hike, due to be phased in over five years, risks the future of the Toad Lane boozer, which was voted National Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale in 2012.
Another pub owned by Mr Crompton, The Healey in nearby Shawclough, will see its rateable value jump from £15,000 to £68,000.
The figures have been revealed in the 2018 edition of the Good Beer Guide, published by CAMRA, which is now calling for an annual £5,000 reduction in business rates for every pub in England.
Mr Crompton said: “It is just ridiculous – it’s not viable.
“We employ 40 people and this risks putting them out of a job.
“The Baum is paying roughly the same as Revolución de Cuba on Peter Street in the city centre while the Healey is paying about the same as Mr Thomas’s Chop House, but there is no comparison between those pubs.
“We are going to try and fight it as much as we can. We have appealed against the decision, but there is a backlog and it could take 12 months for our case to be heard.”
CAMRA said the rates change is the latest ‘ticking time bomb’ to devastate the pub sector and described some of the increases as ‘eye-watering.’
Pub business rates are calculated using factors including the type of pub it is, the area it’s in, how much beer it sells, the services offered, such as Sky Sports and food, plus rents and turnovers.
A government spokesman said: “The great British pub is a national treasure and we’re backing communities that want to protect and run their local.
“We’ve already provided more than 9,000 small pubs with a £1,000 discount on their businesses rates bill as part of our £435 million package of support for businesses.
“In addition, both pubs and their customers have saved over £2 billion since 2013 thanks to changes to alcohol duty.”