Business rates to be cut by 20% for England pubs, clubs and music venues

No 10 announces reprieve after Andy Burnham previously pledged to raise tax from e-commerce warehouses and channel it to cutting hospitality sector’s bills

Business rates will be cut by 20% for pubs, clubs and live music venues across England from April next year, Downing Street has announced.

The discount will apply to nearly 32,000 hospitality businesses and is expected to save a typical pub about £1,100 annually, but will not be available to the very largest live music venues.