Give Small Pubs a Break

I was talking to my regulars the other day and one of them mentioned how his mate's pub in Sutton Coldfield is struggling to stay afloat due to high business rates. It's a shame because that pub has been a staple of the community for years, always hosting local events and supporting the footy team.

I've been in the trade for 20 years and I've seen so many good pubs close down because of the same issues, it's like the government doesn't care about small businesses. My own pub is barely scraping by, and I'm worried that if things don't change, I'll have to start letting staff go or worse, close the doors for good.

What we need is a government that's willing to listen to small business owners and give us a break. I'm not asking for much, just a fair deal on business rates and alcohol duty would make a huge difference.