From 1 April 2026, eligible pubs and live music venues will receive a 15% discount on their Business Rates bill.
This relief is applied automatically where eligibility can be confirmed and will be applied after all mandatory and discretionary reliefs have been taken into account.
To qualify, the property must be occupied and used wholly or mainly as one of the following:
To be considered a pub for the purposes of this relief, the property must:
- Be open to the general public
- Offer free entry, except for occasional entertainment charges
- Allow the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks without requiring food
- Have a bar counter for the purchase of drinks
The following do not qualify as pubs:
- Restaurants
- Cafés
- Nightclubs
- Snack bars
- Hotels
- Guesthouses
- Any similar businesses where the main activity is not operating as a pub
A live Music Venue. To qualify, the venue must be:
- Primarily used for live music performances
- Only host other activities (such as food and drink sales or community events) as secondary uses
The main purpose of the venue must be live music.
If you believe you qualify and the relief is not shown on your bill, please email our Business Rates team. Include your account reference number and a brief description of how your property is used so we can check this for you: revenuesandbenefits@rother.gov.uk
Further information regarding the 2026 Business Rates reliefs can be found on the GOV.UK website: Business rates relief: Types of business rates relief – GOV.UK
