Reeves’ pubs U-turn: how business rates sparked a revolt, and why ministers are now under fire

15 January 2026

Paul Francis

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Rachel Reeves is preparing a U-turn on business rates for pubs after an unusually public backlash from landlords, trade bodies, and even some Labour MPs. In recent days, pubs across the country have reportedly refused service to, or outright barred, Labour MPs in protest, turning a technical tax change into a political flashpoint about competence, consultation, and whether the government understood its own numbers.

Two pints of frothy beer on a wooden ledge, reflecting on a window. Warm, dim lighting creates a cozy atmosphere.

The row centres on business rates, the property-based tax paid on most non-domestic premises. For pubs, it is often one of the highest fixed costs after staffing and energy. And while the government has argued its reforms were meant to make the system fairer for high street businesses, many publicans say the real world impact is the opposite: higher bills arriving at the same time as wage costs and other overheads are already rising.

What changed and why pubs reacted so fiercely

The immediate trigger was the November Budget package, which set out changes tied to the 2026 business rates revaluation and the planned move away from pandemic era relief. As the details landed, hospitality groups warned that many pubs would be hit by sharp rises because their rateable values, the Valuation Office Agency’s estimate of a property’s annual rental value, had increased significantly at revaluation.

A Reuters report published on 8 January 2026 described the government preparing measures to “soften the impact” of the planned hike after industry warnings that closures would follow. It also noted trade body concerns about elevated rateable values and warned that thousands of smaller pubs could face a bill for the first time.

The anger quickly became visible. ITV News reported on pub owners in Dorset who began banning Labour MPs after the Budget, with the campaign spreading as other pubs joined in. LabourList also reported that more than 1,000 pubs had banned Labour MPs from their premises in protest. Sky News similarly reported that pubs had been banning Labour MPs over the rises due to begin in April.

How business rates are actually calculated, with pub-friendly examples

Business rates can sound opaque, but the calculation is straightforward in principle:

Business rates bill = Rateable value x Multiplier, minus any reliefs

Where it became combustible for pubs is that multiple moving parts changed at once: revaluation shifted rateable values, multipliers were adjusted for different sectors, and pandemic era relief was being reduced or removed.

The government’s own Budget factsheet includes worked examples that show why bills can jump even when headline multipliers look lower.

Example 1: a pub whose rateable value rises modestly: In 2025/26, a pub with a £30,000 rateable value used a multiplier of 49.9p and then deducted 40% retail, hospitality and leisure relief. The factsheet sets out the steps: £30,000 x 0.499 = £14,970, then 40% relief reduces that to a final bill of £8,982. After revaluation, the rateable value rises to £39,000. The pub qualifies for a lower small business multiplier of 38.2p, so before reliefs: £39,000 x 0.382 = £14,898. Transitional support caps the increase, resulting in a final bill of £10,329.

Even here, the bill rises. The cap stops it from rising as sharply as it otherwise would, but it still climbs.

Example 2: a pub whose rateable value more than doubles: In the most politically explosive scenario, the factsheet describes a pub whose rateable value rises from £50,000 to £110,000 at revaluation. In 2025/26, the bill is calculated as £50,000 x 0.499 = £24,950, then reduced by 40% relief to £14,970. In 2026/27, before any relief, the bill would be £110,000 x 0.43 = £47,300. Transitional support then caps the increase, producing a final bill of £19,461.

That is still a meaningful jump in a single year, even with protections. For pubs operating on thin margins, that scale of increase can mean the difference between staying open and closing.

This is why so many publicans argue that the political messaging did not match the lived reality. They were told reforms would support the high street, then saw calculations that delivered higher costs.

What Reeves is now doing to correct it

The government has not published the full final package yet, but multiple reports describe a targeted climbdown.

Reuters reported that a support package would be outlined in the coming days and that it would include measures addressing business rates, alongside licensing and deregulation. LabourList reported that Treasury officials were expected to reduce the percentage of a pub’s rateable value used to calculate business rates and introduce a transitional relief fund. The Independent reported ministers briefing that Reeves was expected to extend some form of relief rather than scrap support entirely from April, after pressure from Labour MPs and the sector.

In practical terms, “softening” the rise can be done in a few ways:

Increasing or extending pub-specific relief so bills do not jump as sharply in April 2026
Adjusting the multiplier applied to pubs within the retail, hospitality and leisure category
Strengthening transitional relief so the cap on year to year increases is tighter
Supplementary measures like licensing changes, to reduce other cost pressures

The direction of travel is clear: the Treasury is trying to stop the revaluation shock from landing all at once on pubs.

The critics’ argument: ministers did not do their homework

The most damaging strand of this story is not the U turn itself, but the allegation that ministers did not understand the impact at the point of announcement.

Sky News has reported internal disquiet about the business rates increase, reflecting wider unease about the political cost of the policy. ITV has also reported pub owners arguing that the “devil is in the detail,” a polite way of saying the announcement did not match the numbers that followed.

Most seriously, reporting summarised from The Times states that Business Secretary Peter Kyle acknowledged ministers did not have key details about the revaluation’s effects on hospitality at the time of the November Budget, and that the property specific revaluations created an unexpected burden for some pubs.

That admission fuels the criticism that this was not simply a policy misfire, but a failure of preparation. The core accusation from critics is straightforward: if the government is reshaping a tax system built on property values, then the people in charge should have had a clear grasp of what the valuation changes would do to real businesses. If they did not, they were not doing the job properly.

Even if ministers argue the valuation process is independent, the political reality is that pubs heard one message, then saw another outcome. The result has been a crisis of trust that a late rescue package may soften, but not erase.

What this episode tells us about tax policy and trust

Pubs are not just businesses. They are community anchors and cultural institutions, which is why this backlash travelled so quickly from accountancy jargon to front-page politics.

Reeves’ U turn may yet prevent the worst outcomes for some pubs. But the episode has exposed a deeper vulnerability: when the government announces complex reforms without convincing evidence, it understands the knock on effects, and the backlash is not only economic. It becomes personal, symbolic, and politically contagious.

If the Treasury wants to draw a line under this, it will need to do more than patch the numbers. It will need to convince the public and the businesses affected that decisions are being made with full visibility of the consequences, not discovered after the revolt begins.

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Nintendo Switch 2 Launches to Record Sales, Mixed Reviews, and Market Shifts

Paul Francis
Jun 12, 2025
3 min read

After months of speculation and mounting anticipation, Nintendo has launched the Switch 2 in the UK and globally, marking a significant step forward for the Japanese gaming giant. The hybrid console, which was released on 3 June, has already become Nintendo’s fastest-selling device, shifting over 3.5 million units in just four days.

The console launched in the UK at £379.99 for the standard edition, with the “Deluxe Set” bundling in Mario Kart World and enhanced Joy-Con controllers for £429.99. Despite the hefty price tag, retailers reported widespread sell-outs within hours of release. GAME and Argos saw queues online and in-store, with some high street stores reporting stock shortages through the first weekend.

"The screen is beautiful, the new Joy-Cons feel far sturdier, and I love how snappy the menus are."

Jason Webb, a gamer from Leeds

Launch Line-Up and New Features

The Switch 2 arrived with a launch line-up headlined by Mario Kart World, Pikmin 5, and Splatoon Nova, with The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of the Depths set to follow in July. The console features a brighter 1080p OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, upgraded internal storage, and improved detachable controllers. Nintendo has also introduced GameChat, its first in-built voice and video chat system, seen by many as a long overdue step into modern multiplayer gaming.

Early Market Jitters Now Easing

When Nintendo confirmed the console back in January, investors were not immediately convinced. Shares dipped nearly 7 per cent in Tokyo, with analysts criticising the reveal as thin on detail. The company was tight-lipped about the price, backwards compatibility, and exact release date, leading some to worry that Nintendo was not ready to compete with devices like the Steam Deck or PlayStation Portal.

However, as pre-orders sold out in April and early reviews trickled in, investor confidence returned. By late May, Nintendo’s stock had climbed to record highs, with analysts from Jefferies and Goldman Sachs issuing strong buy recommendations. Goldman expects long-term growth from the console, forecasting that it could sell over 60 million units during its lifespan.

Close-up of blue and red handheld game controllers against a dark background, with buttons and joystick visible. Vibrant colors.

What Users Think of the Switch 2?

Despite commercial success and analyst optimism, the Switch 2 has divided opinion among users. While many in the UK gaming community have praised the device as a worthy successor, others feel it fails to justify its premium price or fully resolve lingering issues from the original console.

The Good

For those upgrading from the original Switch, the improvements are tangible. "The screen is beautiful, the new Joy-Cons feel far sturdier, and I love how snappy the menus are," said Jason Webb, a gamer from Leeds who picked up his Switch 2 on launch day. Online forums and subreddits have filled with praise for the display, improved load times, and the seamless nature of GameChat.

Others have applauded Nintendo’s decision not to reinvent the wheel. “It’s exactly what I wanted – more power, better battery, and still the same pick-up-and-play feel,” wrote one user on r/NintendoUK.

The Bad

However, not everyone is impressed. A common criticism has been the console’s high price, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis. “£429 for a new console when I still have a perfectly good Switch? Nintendo’s taking the mickey,” said Sarah Khan, a student in Manchester.

Battery life has also come under scrutiny. Some users reported shorter-than-expected play times during launch week, prompting Nintendo to acknowledge a software bug that would be addressed in a future update. There have also been concerns about the magnetic controller attachments. “The little nub is already bending, and I’ve only had it a week. My kid snapped the last one in two months,” one frustrated parent shared on Facebook.

Another sore point is the sense that the Switch 2 is more of a refinement than a revolution.

“It feels like a Switch Pro, not a new generation. Where’s the wow factor?”

Reddit user @WanderingPlumber.

The Road Ahead

Despite some early growing pains, the Switch 2 is off to a flying start. It has reignited interest in physical game releases, brought Nintendo back into the conversation around social and multiplayer innovation, and won over a loyal base of fans who see it as the best version of the console to date.

As the console heads into its second month, all eyes will be on Nintendo’s software pipeline. With the promise of a new Zelda, Pokémon Revival later this year, and strong third-party support, the Switch 2 may yet prove to be more than just a refresh. But with rivals looming and expectations sky-high, Nintendo has little room for error.

Whether the Switch 2 becomes a long-term game-changer or a short-term spike remains to be seen. What’s clear for now is that it has already made its mark.