Sad news indeed but worth clarifying:
The owners were NOT a brewery but Stonegate, a property company based in the Cayman Islands
Debt laden (c £3B!), under regulator investigation, and selling off pubs en masse to stay afloat
The epitome of what is wrong in the #pub sector 🤬
Thanks to @LSRPlaid for calling for #VATinlinewithEurope for #pubs & #hospitality in Prime Minister’s Questions. 👏🍻
Good to hear that @andyburnham is planning support for pubs all over the UK in the Budget…which can only be delivered by a VAT cut as business rates are devolved! #PMQs
Delighted to support the #HenryJenkins beer festival in #KirkbyMalzeard & the ongoing community campaign to buy this historic village #pub 🍻
This case shows the fundamental flaws regarding planning law & #pubs & it’s the council & Government woke up & acted! cc @JulianSmithUK
Good article here @ByRobDavies and great to see York's @RachaelMaskell MP nailing the truth about the hideous feudal nature of tied pub leases.
Pubcos were regulated for a reason.
Entering into one of their "partnerships" means risking everything. https://t.co/rZQVSelB1U
@RosieDuffield1@UKHofficial@IoH_Online Thanks very much Rosie, great to hear. We need a VAT system that helps independent hospitality businesses, not multinational chains.
@RichardJMurphy The UK #pub industry is a perfect example of a sector failed by a chronic lack of political #microeconomic understanding - whilst ravaged by abusive, extractive #corporate power.
#Pubs have been abandoned to macro neoliberal ideology to the huge cost of #communities everywhere.
We welcome the announcement of a 20% cut to business rates for pubs in England from next year, but we still wish to see changes to VAT to reduce the tax burden on pubs & hospitality across the UK. We hope to meet with Ministers to discuss this and other pro pub policies.
Our comments on today’s 20% business rates cut (for pubs in England).
It’s a welcome first step - and with all the challenges the Government is facing it is positive & hopeful that @andyburnham has already announced a positive thing regarding #pubs - but there needs a proper package of measures to help & save pubs, including fairer tax treatment, but also some things which cost the Government nothing.
For months, I've been sounding the alarm on the crisis facing the hospitality sector - bringing local businesses together in Norwich, raising the issue in Parliament, and pressing Ministers to act.
So I welcome today's news of a 20% cut to business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues. These are vital community assets that deserve real support and decisive action from government.
This is a positive first step to providing some relief - but it should only be the start. A bigger package of support is needed, and should apply right across the sector. That includes many local businesses not featured in today's announcement.
I will continue to stand up for independent hospitality venues, and push for the necessary action.
https://t.co/BJBSDPrX2v
@cyclist13@CampaignforPubs Many are made unprofitable by the tax burden and also the Pubcos which own about half the country’s pubs and churn tenants through them whilst asset stripping to furnish their debts. With a few of tweaks and some fairness, all free of tie pubs would thrive 🙏🏻