BBC Question Time sees heartbroken pub proprietor query his son’s future after catastrophic tax rise
The reform of “catastrophic” business rates for hospitality was a hot topic of discussion on tonight’s BBC Question Time with chef Tom Kerridge saying ” we are squeezing the life out of hospitality”
Pub owner Andrew had an important question for the MPs(Image: BBC)
A heartbroken father, who runs two pubs, has questioned whether he is handing his son a “poisoned chalice” as business rates are set to rise from April.
Fiona Bruce hosted this evening’s Question Time from Birmingham, with politicians, commentators and members of the public. On the panel, from the government, the culture secretary Lisa Nandy; the Conservatives’ shadow home office minister, Alicia Kearns; Jess Brown-Fuller MP from the Liberal Democrats; the chef and television presenter Tom Kerridge and the journalist Esther Krakue.
The reform of business rates for hospitality was a hot topic of discussion on tonight’s show.
Andrew, an audience member, questioned taxes which are set to be imposed on hospitality businesses as of April 2026 after saying his went up 41% last year. He said: “I have two rurally located pubs, that are the hubs of the village, they’re part of the community so they don’t just serve food and drink we welcome lonely people, we look after people we work closely with the churches in our village to form part of the community and we seem to be taxed out of existence, whether its NI cost increases of last year or the business rates increases this year it’s just becoming impossible to make a profit.”
He added: “My son was going to take over the family business but am I giving him an opportunity to move forward or am I handing him a poisoned chalice?”
Tom Kerridge, who owns five restaurants, four of which are pubs, admitted his businesses are under the same pressure as Andrew’s. Tom confirmed on average across his four pubs his taxes have gone up 115%.
He claims a reduction in VAT is the biggest thing to save hospitality, he said: “at the minute we are squeezing the life out of hospitality and once it’s gone it is gone. And if you keep squeezing you’ll end up crushing it and it will disappear.”
When asked if reducing VAT is something she would consider by host Fiona Bruce culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “We are not afraid to go away and rethink and try and do things differently, we’ve already done that with this policy but we’re hearing it again.”
Next week on March 5 Question Time returns on BBC One live from Kettering.
