Tax breaks for UK pubs. The move was announced after Labor MPs were threatened with a ban on premises

The British government announced a support package for pubs and live music venues on Tuesday, reversing property tax increases announced last year that left the hospitality industry in trouble, reports Reuters, taken by Agepres.

Even if they are suffering a long-term decline caused by changing consumption habits and demographics, pubs retain a centuries-old role in the social fabric of communities and in Britain's national identity.

Planned increases in commercial property taxes, announced in November's budget, sparked a wave of criticism, including warnings of massive closures, and a group of more than 1,000 pub owners banned Labor MPs from their premises.

The British Beer and Pub Association warned that 15,000 jobs could be at risk from the changes, as around 5,000 smaller pubs would be targeted by business tax for the first time. The package announced on Tuesday would give pubs a 15% reduction in business tax and this reduction would be valid for two years.

“This support is worth £1,650 ($2,266) for the average pub next year alone and will mean around three-quarters of pubs will see their bills either fall or stay the same next year,” Treasury Secretary Daniel Tomlinson said.

The London government had signaled earlier this month that it would try to soften the blow for pubs. On Tuesday, he also announced that he would review the way hotels are assessed to calculate taxes, raising the possibility of further relaxations.

The easing of pub tax rises is the latest in a series of partial or full rollbacks by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government, which, in a bid to revive a sluggish economy and rise in the polls, is looking for ways to balance the budget and improve public services. Previous changes in direction, driven by pressure from within his own party and directly from voters, include a plan to raise taxes on farmers, cut welfare spending and reduce subsidies on energy bills for the elderly.