The Scottish Conservatives have urged the SNP Government to stop punishing Scotland’s hospitality sector after businesses in England were handed a further cut to business rates.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that eligible pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England will receive a further 20% reduction in business rates from April 2027, on top of an existing 15% relief.
The announcement comes as hospitality businesses across Scotland continue to face steep business rates increases following the SNP’s 2026 revaluation, with some Scottish businesses seeing their rateable values increase by more than 1,000%.
The Scottish Conservatives have repeatedly called on ministers to pause the SNP’s damaging revaluation and have proposed introducing a permanent cap on future business rates increases to prevent businesses being hit with eye-watering tax hikes.
Scottish Conservative finance spokesman, Craig Hoy MSP, right, said: “Even Labour has recognised pubs need tax relief, so there is now no excuse for the SNP to continue hammering Scotland’s hospitality businesses.
“But instead of copying Labour’s piecemeal approach, SNP ministers should scrap their damaging business rates revaluation and back the Scottish Conservatives’ plan to cap future rates increases once and for all.
“John Swinney has complacently stood by while pubs, clubs and music venues have been landed with eye-watering rates hikes that threaten jobs, investment and the future of many much-loved local businesses.
“The SNP’s broken business rates system is holding businesses back and making Scotland a less attractive place to invest. Ministers should stop hiding behind yet more reviews and start delivering the meaningful reform that businesses have been demanding for years”.