The BII has welcomed the new Government’s focus on economic growth in the King’s Speech today. Pubs play a key role in high streets, towns and cities across the UK, and can quickly unlock growth through local employment, with the right support and investment.

Our pubs already provide essential employment opportunities for all, with skilled jobs and career pathways for everyone, no matter their background or level of academic achievement. With so many people starting their working lives in our pubs, they are key to social mobility, and our sector is committed to the critical importance of professional development, helping to accelerate people from entry level to entrepreneur, running complex and successful businesses.

The introduction of the Skills England Bill and specifically the reform of the Apprenticeship Levy, allowing more flexibility for allocation of training resources for our sector could be key to unlocking opportunities for all. Any reform that allows our pub employers to access short, skilled based courses to support their teams’ development will also enable gains in productivity across the board.

The BII also welcomes the Government’s intention to “seek a new partnership with both business and working people”. Our members, as small business owners are already battling incredibly tough trading challenges, as well as a huge rise in minimum wage rates over the last few years. Further burdens through additional costs and changes to employment conditions in their businesses could mean they are forced to reduce staffing levels and therefore limit growth potential.

Steve Alton, BII CEO commented:

“The new Government’s intentions to remove red tape and bureaucracy from our planning system, as well as reform the Apprenticeship Levy to allow for a more flexible approach to development in our teams, are hugely welcome steps.

“Our sector has always been a place for entrepreneurs and people who make a difference to their communities and teams every day, so to enable further professional development and removing barriers to business growth will help us do even more.

“Our members already recognise the importance of fair wages, but we must impress on Government the need for support and investment in their small, essential businesses at the heart of communities to be able to afford this.

“With no mention of the extension of the Business Rates relief due to end in March 2025, they now need an assurance that this will be continued until a full reform of the outdated system has been actioned. We also need an overall rebalancing of the unfair taxation of our bricks and mortar businesses, to allow them to invest in and grow. 

“We look forward to working closely with the Government, taking the challenges and voices of our members directly to those in power, helping to create an environment where our pubs and their teams can thrive in the heart of their communities.”