On the 27 January 2026, the government announced that eligible pubs and live music venues will benefit from a 15% business rates relief on top of the support announced at Budget 2025. Their bills will then be frozen in real terms for a further 2 years.
Eligibility
Pub and live music venue rate relief is available to pubs and live music venues that meet the following characteristics:
Pubs
- a) is open to the general public
- b) allows free entry other than when occasional entertainment is provided
- c) allows drinking without requiring food to be consumed
- d) permit drinks to be purchased at a bar
For these purposes, the meaning of 'pub' does not include:
- a) restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, snack bars
- b) hotels, guesthouses, boarding houses
- c) sporting venues
- d) festival sites, theatres, cinemas
- e) museums, exhibition halls
- f) casinos
Live music venues
- a) wholly or mainly used for the performance of live music for the purpose of entertaining an audience
- b) can be used for other activities, but only if those other activities are:
- i. ancillary or incidental to the performance of live music (for example, the sale of food or drink to audience members)
- ii. Do not affect the primary use of the premises for the performance of live music (for example, because the activities are infrequent, such as use of the venue as a polling station or fortnightly community event)
Properties are not a live music venue for the purpose of this relief if the property is wholly or mainly used as a nightclub or a theatre for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended).
Application process
You do not need to apply for this. The relief will be automatically applied to your business rates bill. If you have not received the relief and feel your property should be eligible, please contact Warwick District Council.
You can find more information about this scheme on the government's pub and live music venue relief page.