Pubs And Music Venues To Receive Business Rates Discount After Backlash. Pubs and music venues in England will get a 15% discount on their business rates from April, with no increases for the next two years, the UK government announces. The three-year support package, worth £1,650 for the average pub in 2026-27, follows backlash against the November Budget, which led to protests from pubs that faced significant increases in business rates. More than a thousand pubs even banned Labour MPs from their premises in response. Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson says the £80 million package will support pubs, which have seen a decline of nearly 7,000 venues since 2010. Rachel Reeves says the government listens to concerns and aims to get policies right. The package, which could be extended to other businesses in the hospitality sector, will be reviewed by the Office for Budget Responsibility in the coming years and the government promises a review of how pubs are valued by the Valuation Office Agency ahead of the 2029 revaluation.