The Daily T Save our pubs: The landlords calling last orders on Labour
Jan 23, 2026
Tom Kerridge, celebrity chef and publican running multiple UK sites, and Andy Lennox, Dorset landlord campaigning to 'Save Our Pubs'. They discuss collapsing margins, punitive business rates and taxes, why pubs are barring Labour MPs, the true earnings from a pint, calls to cut VAT to around 10%, and how rising costs threaten rural and seasonal pubs.
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Pubs' Margins Are Shockingly Thin
- Andy Lennox says pubs have become unprofitable with margins squeezed to pennies per pint despite high turnover.
- He argues taxation (VAT, duties, NI, rates) and rising costs leave little for reinvestment or wages.
Publican Who's Seen The Industry Shift
- Andy describes his hospitality career and now runs four pubs and restaurants across Dorset and Hampshire.
- He says the last year they made “real money” was about 2017 and now barely break even.
Business-Rate Revaluation Hit Is Massive
- Lennox explains recent business-rates revaluations and transitional reliefs effectively doubled some pubs' rateable values.
- He gives an example where a rateable value rose from £32,500 to £82,500, adding ~£20,000 annual cost.