Pubs, clubs & shops set for tax cuts, says Business Secretary Jonny Reynolds as he vows to make Britain ‘fun' again
He also vowed to make Britain 'fun' again as he unveiled sweeping reforms to tear up red tape so boozers and cafes can open in empty shops and have outside dining.
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In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, he admitted businesses have been hit hard by the hike in NICs taxes saying 'there is a cost - you can't deny that'.
But he vowed to slash levies on high street firms with 'permanent' cuts to business rates in this year's Budget - expected in November.
Mr Reynolds said: 'We would want to reduce the burden on businesses wherever we can, because we want them investing in people - new jobs, solid wages.'
He added: 'The objective is permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure.
'It is a disproportionate tax burden. I believe the objective is to have that in the Autumn Budget.'
Ministers have been consulting on how to reform business rates to make the tax fairer.
Mr Reynolds also announced a radical shake-up of planning rules to slash red tape on pubs and clubs.
Boozers, cafes and music venues will be able to open in closed down shops.
New 'hospitality zones' will be created where it will be easier for venues to open late, let people dine outside and throw street parties.
Nimbies will be stopped from closing down well-loved venues with noise complaints, he added.
Pub chain collapses into administration as SIX sites shut their doors for good and 159 job losses
Banging the drum for more fun in our city centres, Mr Reynolds declared: 'We want to take the burden off the kind of things businesses can do to grow and employ more people.
'We want more enjoyment and more fun in town centres.'
Mr Reynolds also blasted leftie Labour MPs demanding a wealth tax - and warned they are putting investors off the UK.
Branding the demands 'not a serious take', he added: 'If people worry the UK is thinking of a tax that doesn't exist anywhere in the world, that is not good for the UK - and people will think twice if that's the case.'
Hospitality bosses welcomed the plans to slash red tape - but warned sky-high taxes are crippling high streets.
Kate Nicholls, chair of UK Hospitality, said: 'Positive and encouraging as these measures certainly are, they can't on their own offset the immediate and mounting cost pressures facing hospitality businesses which threaten to tax out of existence the businesses and jobs.
'Let's hope that this is just the start of a bold, long term plan for the high streets and hospitality.'
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