Bars are eligible for the Government's business rates relief designed to support pubs and music venues, CLASS understands.
It means bars will qualify for a 15% cut to new business rates bills from April followed by a two-year real-terms freeze, but restaurant and hotels (including hotel bars) are exempt.
Bars meet the qualifying criteria for the discount, if they “allow free entry”, “allow drinking without requiring food to be consumed” and “permit drinks to be purchased at the bar”.
In reply to an enquiry made by CLASS, the Treasury said that "bars and pubs are very similar in terms of their characteristics" and according to UK Hospitality, its Chair Kate Nicholls has also been assured of bars' eligibility for the discount.