CAMRA Campaigns

If you want to find out more about our campaigns to promote and protect pubs, please click here to find out more and how you can help.

Current campaigns are:

• Handpump Hijack
• Business Rates Reform

Handpump Hijack

Have a look at the dedicated page by following this link Handpump Hijack.

Business Rates Reform

We want to see thriving pubs, social clubs, breweries and cider makers in every community across the UK. However, decisions in the Budget put the future of our pubs in jeopardy, and many more locals will be lost forever as result. That's bad for communities and bad for the economy.
We are bitterly disappointed about the "reforms" to business rates for hospitality businesses in England. Rather than support small businesses, they will squeeze them even tighter when they are already struggling.
At a time when costs continue to rise, including through increased alcohol duties and Employer National Insurance contributions, pubs needed vital support in the Budget. Instead, they now face even higher costs which could threaten otherwise viable businesses. This is devastating for both licensees and pubgoers.
It is not right or fair for pubs to be facing increased business rates bills due to revaluation and the ending of the rates relief scheme next year. Especially when they were promised targeted support and lower business rates bills. A system that relies on more transitional relief to reduce costs means that the reforms have not worked.

Industry bodies, what do they say?
Ash Corbett-Collins (National CAMRA Chairman) – "I have spoken to publicans who have told me that as a result of this budget, and specifically the proposed increase in business rates, money that they would have otherwise invested in employing staff, maintaining their businesses and serving their communities will now be spent on this increased taxation. Others have told me they simply don't have the money to cover this bill."
Steve Alton (Chair of British Institute of Innkeeping) – "Our members insight highlighting the harsh reality for our nation's pubs even before further taxes come in from April. Without taking further drastic action on cutting staff, hours, trading days, skilled jobs and raise prices all of which undermine pub businesses that are busy, this will result in less than 1 in 10 being profitable. This is an unsustainable position which will stop investment, employment opportunities and vital economic growth, for many it will cause unnecessary business failure hitting communities hard."

What does the trade say?
James Brown (Owner of Five Lamps &ndash Derby) – "Just for clarity, Rachel Reeves announced at the budget, she was helping small businesses in hospitality with business rates. As an industry we face an average increase of 78% from 2026/27."
Alan Pickersgill (FBII and Landlord of Brunswick Inn – Derby and Dead Poets – Holbrook) – "I feel the business rates increase announced by Rachel Reeves is colossal. I think it is disingenuous to present this as ‘assistance’ to the hospitality sector, when my business rates for the Brunswick will rise from £2,869 payable in 2024/25, to £13,370 in 2026/27. Similarly at the Dead Poets £1,871 payable in 2024/25 will rise to £12,224 in 2026/27."

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Last updated 1st January 2026