Blumenthal calls for government to save pubs

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September 4, 2025
3 min read

Blumenthal calls for government to save pubs

Celebrity chef and owner of Michelin-starred gastropub The Hinds Head, Heston Blumenthal, has called on the government and licensees to act now to prevent the loss of thousands of British pubs. He is campaigning to reduce the nation’s VAT rate, one of Europe’s highest.

“Saving the Great British pub is about more than nostalgia… it is about preserving spaces that bring people together, support local economies and keep traditions alive,” Blumenthal said as part of a new campaign, Save the Great British Pub: A Call to Protect a National Treasure. “Pubs are at the heart of Britain’s social fabric,” he said.

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Businesses have seen higher costs including for energy, food, and wages, as well as higher taxes since the pandemic. UK Hospitality, which lobbies on behalf of the industry, has made similar calls to lower VAT, along with calls to lower business rates and “fixing” employers’ national insurance contributions.

“The 2024 Budget was a hammer blow to hospitality… businesses are reporting jobs being lost, hours cut, investment cancelled and [closures],” it said.

Recently, over 600 Greene King landlords have called on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to reduce taxes on pubs ahead of the Autumn Budget. The industry, they argued, is facing “serious pressure” to stay open.

Roughly two in three hospitality businesses have less than six months worth of reserves while a fifth have nothing. Eight pubs a week closed down in the country in the first six months of 2025 due to rising costs.

“When a pub closes, it’s not just a business lost; it’s a piece of local heritage,” Blumenthal said. “The pub is a cultural icon, a national treasure and must be protected.”

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