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Pubs get short-term relief as business rates plans are revisited

January 14, 2026
Articles,Industry News

After strong pushback from the hospitality industry and pub owners – the UK government is planning to soften the planned increases of business rates for pubs in England, following the concerns that the tax rises may leave a lot of independent pubs in a state of uncertainty.

Business rates remain a significant cost, and ongoing policy changes make long-term planning increasingly complex. For pubs and hospitality operators, this reinforces the need for tighter control over performance and clearer visibility across every part of the business, which is where ICRTouch solutions step in.

Pubs get short-term relief as business rates plans are revisited

Real-time data is no longer a luxury – it’s essential

After a powerful campaign from the pub sector, thankfully the rates for now will remain unchanged however, there are still a variety of challenges to work around such as the increase in National Insurance Contributions and the annual increase in minimum wage.

Insight into all ins and outs, whether it’s profit, stock, staff, and everything in between allows pub owners to be in a position to confidently react to changes within their business and the wider economy, which is why a robust back-office management system like TouchOffice Web is a must have game changer.

Empowering staff with robust solutions plays a critical role

Uncertainty creates reluctance to hire new staff, so pub owners will be exploring ways of making their existing team more efficient with intuitive EPoS. Whether it’s introducing PocketTouch digital order taking, the ByTable app and SelfService kiosks for customer self ordering, or TouchKitchen order management screens in their kitchen and bar areas – there are a wide range of business tools available.

ICRTouch is here to support the industry

ICRTouch has been working alongside the hospitality industry for almost 30 years. With around 50% of the UK’s independent pub, bar and gastro scene utilising ICRTouch solutions, our aim is to provide business owners users with the best possible solutions to help navigate day to day challenges and drive success by reducing costs, streamlining operations, improving customer retention and skyrocketing revenue.

For more information about how ICRTouch solutions can help you navigate the industry’s toughest challenges, reach out to your local Authorised Partner.

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