Pubs, live music venues, film studios and electric vehicle charging points could get new tax breaks under plans due to be considered at County Hall tonight (Thursday).
The policy, finance and resources committee (PFRC) has been asked by officers to include government changes to discretionary rate reliefs, as announced in the autumn budget, in council policy.
A report from Chris Ward, director of finance at the Isle of Wight Council, said the new reliefs will support Island businesses and not impact the authority’s budget as they are provided for via Whitehall section 31 grants.
Policy changes include the addition of Film Studios Relief, relief for eligible electric vehicle charging points and electric vehicle-only forecourts and pubs and live music venues relief.
Two other alterations are the removal of existing retail, hospitality and leisure relief and a new amended Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme.
The report said:
“At Spring Budget 2024, central government announced that eligible film studios in England will receive a 40 per cent reduction on their gross business rates bills until 2034.
“In the most recent budget, government confirmed it will continue to provide this relief at the current level to support the creative sector.
Article continues below this advertisement “Central government has announced that it is introducing a ten-year 100 per cent business rates relief for electric vehicle charging points separately assessed by the Valuation Office Agency and electric vehicle-only forecourts to ensure they face no business rates liability.
“Central government has announced that in 2026-27, all pubs and live music venues will benefit from a 15% business rates relief on top of other support, meaning their bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years.
“This relief is available to pubs which are open to the general public, allow free entry, allow drinking without requiring food to be consumed and permits drinks to be purchased at a bar.”
The relief can also be accessed by live music venues, the report adds. PFRC will meet at 17:00 this evening.
Why so many pubs charge so much for drinks!!
When in Fuerteventura I can get drinks for 1 Euro
and in Wetherspoons in Ryde or Newport £1 at certain times
Many other pubs are greedy, no excuses.
I no longer visit such establishments. Why pay 5/6 times
more for a drink.
And im sure you are much missed
I am not the only one, hence Spoons being packed and many
other pubs are empty.
Greed doesn’t pay.
So you compare holiday resort prices abroad to pubs operating under UK taxes, wages and energy costs, then admit you don’t even go to pubs anymore. Sounds less like insight and more like complaining about something you don’t actually use.
Why give any more tax breaks to EV?