Saving the Great British Pub – Why Reform UK Is Standing Up for Our Local
Walk into almost any village, town, or high street in Britain and you’ll find it: the local pub. It’s where friendships are made, community groups meet, charity raffles are held, and stories are shared over a pint. Our pubs are not just businesses — they are social glue. When a pub closes, something irreplaceable is lost.
That’s why Reform UK has unveiled a fiscally neutral five-point plan to save the Great British pub — a serious, practical package designed to back hardworking landlords and revive hospitality across the country.
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s economics, community, and common sense.
Over the last decade, thousands of pubs have disappeared under a crushing mix of high taxes, rising costs, unfair regulation, and relentless bureaucracy. Publicans are being squeezed from every direction: energy bills, staffing costs, business rates, beer duty — all while customer spending is under pressure.
Reform’s approach is simple: remove the boot from the neck of hospitality.
Reform UK’s Five-Point Plan to Save British Pubs
Here’s what the policy delivers:
🍺 1. Cut VAT to 10% for Hospitality
Britain taxes hospitality far more heavily than many European countries. Reducing VAT to 10% immediately improves cashflow for pubs, restaurants, and cafés — allowing them to invest, hire, and keep prices affordable for customers.
👥 2. Scrap the Employer National Insurance Increase for Hospitality
Staffing is one of the biggest costs for pubs. Reversing the employer NI hike for hospitality businesses protects jobs and makes it easier to keep doors open — especially in smaller communities where every role matters.
🍻 3. Cut Beer Duty by 10%
Beer duty directly hits the price of a pint. A 10% cut supports British breweries, landlords, and drinkers alike — helping to restore the pub as an accessible social space rather than a luxury outing.
🏛️ 4. Staggered Abolition of Business Rates for All Pubs
Business rates punish physical premises in favour of online giants. Reform will phase out business rates for pubs entirely — giving local businesses a fighting chance against multinational competitors.
📜 5. Change Regulation (“Beer Orders”) to Support Landlords
Current rules often favour large pub companies over individual landlords. Reform will overhaul these regulations to give publicans fairer contracts, more independence, and a sustainable future.
Fully Funded. Properly Costed.
Crucially, this five-point plan is fully funded by reinstating the two-child limit on Universal Credit (with protections for British working families). That means no extra borrowing, no fantasy economics — just clear priorities: supporting workers, communities, and local enterprise.
Why This Matters
A thriving pub isn’t just about beer. It means:
Safer, busier high streets
Stronger village communities
Local jobs
Support for British suppliers and breweries
Spaces where people actually meet face-to-face
When pubs close, loneliness rises, town centres hollow out, and local economies weaken.
Reform UK understands that you don’t rebuild Britain by strangling its small businesses. You rebuild it by backing the people who keep our communities alive.
This five-point plan sends a clear message:
Britain’s pubs matter. Publicans matter. And Reform UK is on their side.
If we want living high streets instead of boarded-up windows — if we want villages with meeting places instead of silence — then it’s time for policies rooted in reality.
It’s time to save the Great British pub.