North Devon MP slams government ‘half‑pint’ support for high street businesses

Ian Roome, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, has criticised the UK government’s latest support measures for high streets and hospitality businesses, saying many local firms are still being “ignored”.

The Treasury recently announced on 27 January 2026 that pubs and live music venues in England will receive a 15 per cent discount on their business rates bills from April, alongside a two‑year freeze in real terms to help ease the impact of rising property taxes.

Hotels were offered a review of how they are valued, but no additional funding was pledged for other high street or hospitality businesses.

Mr Roome, who visited Junglaroo in Barnstaple last week, described the government’s measures as “half‑pint” solutions. 

He said many shops, cafes, restaurants, soft‑play centres and other local businesses are still struggling to cope with rising costs and tighter profit margins.

“North Devon’s high streets and community businesses are the backbone of local life — but they are being overlooked,” he said. “Great swathes of the hospitality sector are still being ignored. Ministers should apologise to them for all the uncertainty they have caused.”

Business owners told Mr Roome that costs are rising with no clear way to increase income without raising prices for local families or reducing staff.

The MP urged the government to extend relief to all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, including a full 20p business rates discount and an emergency VAT cut for hospitality until April 2027.

The government’s 15 per cent business rates discount builds on changes from last year’s budget that introduced lower retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) business rates multipliers for qualifying properties below a certain value. 

These measures were designed to provide certainty after pandemic‑era discounts ended.

Industry groups have warned that thousands of hospitality firms, including restaurants and hotels, could close without more comprehensive reform. 

A trade body estimated that more than 2,000 hospitality companies could shut in 2026 due to rising business rates.

The Chancellor has defended the targeted support for pubs and music venues, saying they are important community assets and have been disproportionately affected by changes to the tax system. 

Critics say the broader hospitality and retail sectors also need relief to survive.

Business rate changes come into effect from 1 April, with pubs and music venues benefiting from the relief package on top of the new RHL multipliers already set to apply to many high street firms.