Stuart Anderson MP has urged publicans and hoteliers in South Shropshire to respond to a Call for Evidence on business rates, as the government acknowledges concerns about steep rises that took effect in April.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“The hospitality sector is the backbone of our rural economy in South Shropshire. Pubs, hotels, and other businesses in this sector employ thousands of local people and bring our communities together. However, Labour’s decision to cut business rates relief has hit them hard, forcing through steep rises at the worst possible time. The government has now launched a Call for Evidence on business rates. This is our chance to tell Ministers the truth about how business rates are hitting businesses on the ground. I urge every publican and hotelier in South Shropshire to respond before the consultation closes on 16th October 2026. In the meantime, I will keep pushing in Parliament for more action now, because businesses should not have to wait until 2029 for meaningful reform. The Conservatives have already pledged to completely abolish business rates for 250,000 retail, hospitality, and leisure firms. That would deliver real savings that can be reinvested in more staff, better premises, and lower prices for customers.”
The consultation on business rates follows significant increases in rateable value at the 2026 revaluation, which the government has said was “in large part due to the ending of pandemic-era valuations”. At the time, Stuart warned that Labour’s decision to slash business rates relief for the hospitality sector from 75% under the Conservatives to 40% under Labour would have serious consequences for the rural economy.
In Parliament, the Conservatives held five Opposition Day Debates calling on the government to repeal its business rates hike and launched a Save the Local campaign, which was signed by 46,500 people. In January, the government announced a time-limited cap on rising business rates, which would have seen an average pub’s business rates increase by 76% (or £12,900) to £111,300. However, the support was limited to pubs - leaving thousands of hospitality venues at risk of closure. The result has been steep hikes for pubs, hotels, shops, and restaurants that are already struggling with rising costs.
During the Makerfield by-election, Andy Burnham pledged to cut business rates for hospitality businesses by 20 per cent. However, he has only extended the support to pubs and clubs whose business rates will have increased by 95 per cent under Labour, even after taking account of the cut. This means that hundreds of thousands of hospitality businesses will be left facing Labour’s £9 billion business rates tax hike.
The government has now acknowledged that “people are concerned that the current system does not reflect the realities of the pub and hotel market.” It has appointed Jerry Schurder as the Independent Reviewer who will report back by the end of March 2027 ahead of the next revaluation in 2029. Yet, Stuart has said that pubs, shops, and restaurants should not be made to wait for help until 2029.
The Conservatives have already pledged to abolish business rates for 250,000 of retail, hospitality and leisure firms. Stuart said this will deliver substantial savings that businesses can then reinvest in better premises, more staff, and lower prices. In the meantime, he is encouraging business owners to respond to the Call for Evidence via the government’s website before closes on 16th October 2026.
