A 16th-century Worcestershire pub believed to have inspired The Archers’ fictional local faces an uncertain future due to Rachel Reeves’s tax raids.
The Old Bull Inn sits on the village green in Inkberrow, a settlement named England’s prettiest village in 2023 and widely regarded as the real-life Ambridge.
Landlord Joe Reed has warned he may be forced to shut the half-timbered establishment following Rachel Reeves’ alterations to business rates, combined with earlier increases to employers’ National Insurance contributions.
The flagstone-floored venue serves as the heart of the community and commonly draws fans of the BBC Radio 4 serial, now marking its 75th anniversary.
Visitors flock to the pub during summer months to enjoy pints surrounded by memorabilia including signed scripts and photographs from cast members.
“Trade remains fairly steady,” Mr Reed told the Mail. “It’s all the extra costs that are causing the issue.”
The November Budget announced an end to Covid-era 40 per cent business rates relief from April, alongside a revaluation of the tax affecting pubs.
Hospitality leaders cautioned that these measures, together with minimum wage rises and the employer NICs increase from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent, could force hundreds of establishments to close.
The Old Bull Inn in Inkberrow may be forced to close its doors
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GETTY
PUBS IN THE FIRING LINE – READ MORE:
Joe Reed accused the Chancellor of ‘kicking the can down the road’ with her U-turn on business rates relief
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GETTY“But in three years’ time we will be in trouble again, potentially doubling our rates,” he warned.
The landlord said the NI increase had already “put the wage bill up hugely” for his eight staff members.
“We have had to put a halt to all recruiting, so we’re having to run around doing stuff ourselves a lot more than before,” he explained.
The pub remains solvent but profits have vanished, Mr Reed said, noting that tourist interest from The Archers connection helps but “we’re not making a killing.”
PICTURED: Discovery Inns execs Paul Smith (right) and Philip Cropley (centre), enjoying a pint with Sid Perks actor Alan Devereux at The Old Bull in 1996
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PA
“We are paying the bills but that’s about it. The days of making big profits are long gone,” he said.
With rent due for reassessment in two years, Mr Reed said the combined pressures make him “seriously consider whether it’s worth carrying on.”
Analysis of Valuation Office Agency data reveals more than 500 pubs have closed since the General Election.