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Government backs West Cumbria’s pubs with new support package – January 2026
Pubs are at the heart of communities across West Cumbria – and this government is stepping in to back them.
The government has announced a major new package of support for British pubs and live music venues, cutting business rates, reforming licensing rules and setting out a new High Streets Strategy to help local businesses thrive.
For pubs in towns and villages across West Cumbria – from Whitehaven and Workington to Egremont, Cleator Moor and our rural communities – this support recognises both the pressures they face and the vital role they play in bringing people together.
What this means for local pubs
- From April, pubs will receive a 15% cut to new business rates bills, followed by a two-year real-terms freeze
- The government will also review how pubs are valued for business rates, responding directly to long-standing concerns from the sector
- The average pub will save around £1,650 in 2026/27
- Around three-quarters of pubs will see their bills fall or stay the same
- By 2029, the pub sector as a whole will be paying 8% less in business rates than today
This comes on top of the £4.3 billion package of support announced at the Budget, including permanently lower business rates for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses.
Standing up for our high streets
Over the last decade, nearly 7,000 pubs have closed across the country. Changing shopping habits, the impact of the pandemic and rising energy costs have hit high streets hard – including here in West Cumbria.
That’s why the government is also developing a new High Streets Strategy, to be published later this year, working alongside local businesses to make sure our town centres remain places people want to visit, work and spend time in.
Helping pubs do more for their communities
The Chancellor has also announced £10 million for the Hospitality Support Fund over three years, up from £1.5 million for a single year previously.
This funding will help more than 1,000 pubs across the UK:
- Create community cafés, village shops and family-friendly spaces
- Provide local services where other facilities have disappeared
- Support people furthest from the labour market into jobs in hospitality
These are exactly the kinds of pubs many West Cumbrian communities rely on – not just for a pint, but as a place to meet, talk and look out for one another.
Sensible licensing reforms
Under new licensing reforms:
- Pubs will be able to open later for Home Nations’ matches in the later stages of this summer’s Men’s FIFA World Cup
- Further changes will allow pubs to stay open later for major national events
- The number of temporary events pubs can host will be increased, making it easier to screen matches or host community and cultural events
The government will also consult this spring on loosening planning rules, so pubs can add guest rooms or expand without unnecessary red tape.
A long-term commitment
This government is committed to reforming business rates properly, not just patching the system up. Alongside this package, the Budget confirmed a permanent 5p cut to the business rates multiplier for over 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties, funded by a higher rate for the most expensive commercial properties.
Strong pubs mean stronger communities. This package is about backing local businesses, protecting jobs, and restoring pride in places like West Cumbria – not with warm words, but with practical action.
Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pubs-and-live-music-venues-relief
LSIP Skills Survey – November 2025
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce are working with Skills England and local authorities to improve our understanding of how skills, training and recruitment is affecting employers.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8GPF7W6
It would be greatly appreciated if you could take a short amount of time to complete the survey above to contribute your views on these important issues. There is also the opportunity to participate in a focus group to discuss further. Responses will also feed into the forthcoming refresh of the Cumbria Local Skills Improvement Plan, for which the Chamber is the designated Employer Representative Body.
The survey will take between 10 and 15 minutes to complete.
Briefing: Business Rates Reform – October 2025
I have produced this short explainer of the Labour Government’s major reform of the business rates system for local businesses.
Josh MacAlister MP 