NI pub goers welcome new Business Rates holiday – but more support needed to save local pubs and breweries

Responding to the Finance Minister’s announcement that hospitality and tourism businesses won’t pay Business Rates for the full 2021/22 financial year, Ruth Sloan, Chair of consumer group CAMRA NI which represents pub goers, said:

“Extending the business rates holiday for another 12 months is very welcome news for our struggling pubs, and gives licensees much needed certainty that they won’t have to find money to pay rates bills as they start to re-open and recover from the pandemic.

“However, our pubs and breweries will continue to need additional, dedicated financial support in the weeks and months ahead to see them through to the other side of this crisis.

“Rules requiring food to be ordered in order to have an alcoholic drink and traditional ‘wet-led’ pubs only being allowed to open later mean many of our pubs either won’t be able to open at all – or won’t be able to turn a profit if they do.

“That’s why CAMRA is urging the Executive to make sure there is enough dedicated financial support for our pubs, breweries and cider makers as long as they can’t trade at full capacity.”