A pub landlord has warned that there will be “more and more closures” in the hospitality industry if Chancellor Rachel Reeves raises taxes in the upcoming Budget.
Speaking to GB News, Marc Bridgen declared “it can’t get any worse” for an industry “already on its knees”.
JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has warned the Chancellor not to hike pub taxes in next week’s Budget, urging her to “wake up” to the plight of pubs across the country.
He told The Sun: “If Rachel Reeves even dreams about putting taxes up for locals, she’d better wake up and apologise.”
Marc Bridgen has urged Rachel Reeves not to raise taxes ahead of next week’s Budget
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PA / GB NEWS
Asked by host Tom Harwood how things could get worse for the industry with the next Budget, Mr Bridgen told GB News: ” I don’t know how it can get any worse.
“The industry is on its knees. As I said to you before yesterday, I was at a round table with a couple of MPs, Sir Roger Gale and Rosie Duffield and a bunch of other hospitality owners, and we’re all struggling.”
He added: “There was some of the best pub restaurants in the country there, and owners are not getting paid. There are no profits, we’ve got businesses that are growing their revenues, but their profits don’t exist. And if there’s any more taxes that affect hospitality, there’s going to be more and more closures.
“The rates is the next big challenge, if you get evaluated you’re in serious trouble. The industry is dying.”
Highlighting the scale of pub closures across the country, with one closing almost every day in 2025, Mr Bridgen stressed: “It’s terrifying, these numbers are out there. How is Rachel Reeves not seeing it?
“More than half of the jobs that have been lost since the last budget are in hospitality, and the industry is an incredible employer of young people. We’re delivering community services, it’s part of our culture, it’s all we hear. Yet the Government are just making it impossible.”
Noting the impact on staff as well as pub landlords, he told GB News: “It’s not just the owners that it’s affecting, it’s affecting the staff.
“There were a dozen owners in the room yesterday and all were reporting less part time jobs for young people. And also the big part of the conversation was it’s not just about these young people getting work and getting money, it’s about getting life skills.”
Mr Bridgen told GB News that the scrapping of zero hour contracts will also affect staff
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GB NEWS
The pub owner explained: “We’ve had people join us at 15 and they wouldn’t say boo to a goose. And after days, weeks, months, they’ve got new colleagues, they’ve got new friends. We then get them dealing with the public, this is life skills for young people as well as an income.”
As Tom highlighted the scrap in zero hour contract for workers, Mr Bridgen concluded that it will potentially “take away the income” for so many who need flexible work.
He said: “This change, losing the zero hour contract, it doesn’t just affect young people, it’s also mums.
“We have a bunch of working mums that really love the fact that they can work as and when it suits us and suits them, and it’s going to potentially take away their income.”