The Labour Government has “helped push Brighton’s nightlife to the brink”, say Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats
Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats have accused the Labour Government of helping to push the city's nightlife sector "to the brink", arguing that a recently announced 20% reduction in business rates is insufficient to prevent further venue closures.
The criticism comes as Brighton's LGBTQ+ nightlife scene faces growing uncertainty following the announcement that R-Bar and Charles Street Tap are to close.
The Liberal Democrats said the Government cannot claim to be supporting hospitality and nightlife businesses while introducing policies that increase operating costs across multiple areas.
Robert Brown, a Kemptown Liberal Democrat activist, said venues were facing a "perfect storm" of rising expenses, including taxation, business rates, employment costs, energy bills, insurance premiums, licensing requirements and regulatory burdens.
"Brighton's nightlife businesses are facing a perfect storm of higher taxation, business rates, employment costs, energy bills, licensing pressures, insurance costs and ever-increasing regulation," Brown said.
"Many venues are operating on wafer-thin margins, with some already forced to close."
The party argues that the business rates system is particularly damaging for pubs, clubs and entertainment venues because charges are based largely on the assessed rental value of a property rather than the profitability of the business itself.
Brown said: "The business rates system itself is fundamentally unfair to nightlife businesses because it can penalise venues based on the assumed rental value of their premises rather than the profitability of the business.
"You cannot keep increasing the cost of doing business and then pretend that a 20% reduction in one tax bill fixes everything."
Graham Robson
The warning comes amid growing concern about the future of Brighton's night-time economy, which has long been regarded as a key part of the city's identity and one of the UK's most important LGBTQ+ destinations.
For decades, Brighton's pubs, clubs, cabaret venues and live music spaces have attracted visitors from across the UK and beyond, contributing significantly to tourism and supporting the city's reputation as a welcoming home for LGBTQ+ communities.
However, venue operators have increasingly warned that rising costs and changing economic conditions are making it harder to remain financially viable.
In response, Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats are calling for a fundamental review of business rates for pubs, clubs, social clubs and live music venues. They are also seeking a wider assessment of the cumulative impact of taxation, employment costs, regulation and business rates on nightlife businesses.
The party is urging ministers to introduce a system that better reflects the economic realities of running hospitality and entertainment venues, while providing longer-term certainty for operators.
Among their demands are measures aimed at preventing further closures of venues they describe as economically, socially and culturally important to Brighton and Hove.
"Brighton's nightlife does not need another sticking plaster," Brown said.
"It needs a government that understands how these businesses work and policies that give them a fighting chance to survive."
Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven MP Chris Ward (Labour) described the closures of R-Bar and Charles Street Tap as a "huge loss" for the city and pledged to raise concerns about the future of LGBTQ+ venues with ministers.
In a statement, Ward said he knew how much the two venues meant to Brighton's LGBTQ+ community and said they had served as places of "joy, freedom and inclusion" for decades.
"It is a huge loss to see two major LGBTQ+ venues in our city close," he said.
Ward said the closures highlighted the need for greater support for both the night-time economy and LGBTQ+ venues in particular.
"This just underlines that we need to do much more both locally and nationally to support our night-time economy, and LGBTQ+ venues in particular," he said.
The Labour MP added that Brighton has a "proud LGBTQ+ history and identity" and said everything possible must be done to protect venues and community spaces that form part of the city's heritage.
Ward also revealed he is due to meet Steve Jones, managing director of Revenge and R-Bar, this week to discuss the closures and explore what more can be done to support the local hospitality sector.
"I will then raise this both in Parliament and with ministers going forward," he said.
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