Furious pub landlords threaten to go on strike and go to ‘struggle’ with Labour as Rachel Reeves is accused of treating them ‘like money cows to take advantage of’

Furious pub owners are threatening to go on strike over what they see as crippling tax hikes that could push thousands of pubs to the brink.

Plans being discussed include coordinated strike action, delayed opening hours and even symbolic protests such as ringing pub bells for several minutes straight, as the trade looks to vent its anger after the latest Budget.

Some landlords want to abandon the traditional 11am opening time in a show of defiance aimed squarely at Rachel Reeves, while others say the industry is heading towards a full-scale day of industrial action early next year.

Andy Lennox, who runs The Old Thatch in Wimborne, Dorset, said the sector was reaching breaking point and warned MPs could soon feel the consequences. He said: ‘A day of industrial action is coming. This will be a rallying call for the industry.’

His comments follow fresh outrage this week after ministers confirmed plans to consult on tightening drink driving limits, a move that campaigners say would further hammer rural and community pubs. 

Nigel Farage said the proposal would sound the ‘death knell for country pubs across Britain’.

The anger has been simmering since Reeves’ Budget announcement, which promised permanently lower business rates for more than 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties. Many publicans argue the relief does not go far enough and will still leave them worse off.

Andy Lennox, who runs The Old Thatch in Wimborne, Dorset, said the sector was reaching breaking point

Furious pub owners are threatening to go on strike over what they see as crippling tax hikes that could push thousands of pubs to the brink (stock)

Reform leader Nigel Farage said: ‘This is a death knell for country pubs across Britain. Labour has no connection to how real life works’

Tom Swarbrick was also on LBC calling for pub landlords to march on Westminster in retaliation to the legislation. 

He said: ‘The situation is genuinely so serious that a nationwide UK pub day is required and landlords from pubs around the country now need to march on Westminster to make their voices heard to the Prime Minister directly.’

There has been some encouragement from the top of government, with Keir Starmer signalling this week that further help could be on the table. 

Lennox said: ‘The fact the Prime Minister is looking to help shows that things are changing. We may have lost the battle but we will win the war.’

Industry figures are calling for business rates relief to be increased from the proposed five per cent to 13 per cent, alongside a cut to VAT on hospitality to bring the UK closer to European levels.

Any coordinated action is expected to take place on January 30 and could mirror recent farming protests, including demonstrations in Westminster.

Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch has promised sweeping changes for pubs under a future Conservative government, including abolishing business rates for thousands of venues. She accused Labour of treating pubs ‘like cash cows to milk’.

She told The Daily Telegraph the party had ‘identified billions of pounds of savings from things like bringing down the welfare bill and reducing the size of the Civil Service’, which could fund the move. She also pledged to cut energy bills by rolling back green energy rules.

Badenoch said: ‘Like so many of Britain’s small businesses, pubs are being treated by Labour like cash cows to milk instead of as places to protect.

‘In government, we did what we could to support them. We slashed their business rates during the pandemic. We reformed alcohol duty and made it so that you’d always pay less tax on a pint bought in a pub than in the supermarket. And we helped hundreds of communities buy their local pubs to save them from closure.

‘It wasn’t enough for every pub, but it made a big difference for many. Well, the Conservatives have not given up on saving the Great British Pub.’

Kemi Badenoch has promised sweeping changes for pubs under a future Conservative government

Pressure is also mounting from within Labour’s own ranks. Rachael Maskell raised concerns in Parliament this week, warning that a sharp rise in business rates could force widespread closures in York.

She pointed to the end of Covid-era relief in April and the introduction of new rateable values based on recent property market changes. 

Maskell said: ‘In York, hospitality sees an average business rate rise of 41 per cent, a music venue 44.4 per cent and many independent shops increase around 27 per cent.

‘It will mean doors closing and trade ceasing, they just can’t do it.’

Starmer replied that temporary relief had been introduced to ease the transition and insisted discussions with the sector were ongoing. He said: ‘As she knows, during Covid, the rates went down and that was coming to an end, and that’s why we put in place interim relief as we move to the new rates.

‘We are continuing to work with and talk to the sector on that support and what further support and action we can take.’