Business rates for bars, nightclubs and live music venues
Live music venues get the same pub relief as pubs; nightclubs and late-licence bars without a live-music element generally don't, so it's worth checking which category your venue actually falls into.
Live music venues get the same pub relief as pubs; nightclubs and late-licence bars without a live-music element generally don't, so it's worth checking which category your venue actually falls into.
What the 2026 revaluation did to bars, nightclubs and live music venues
| Category | Properties, England & Wales | Total RV change | Mean RV, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pubs and pub restaurants (closest published category) | 39,100 | +30.2% | £40,300 |
VOA 2026 compiled-list statistics, GOV.UK, 2026. As of 2026. Total RV change, not the median property change.
How the reliefs interact
A 15% relief applies to pubs and live music venues in England in 2026/27, on top of any other relief, up to the usual cash cap (HM Treasury, 'Pubs and live music venues relief', 27 January 2026).
Live music venues are explicitly included in the 15% relief alongside pubs. A venue that is primarily a nightclub or late bar without a live-music licence condition may not qualify — check your venue’s classification with your billing authority rather than assuming either way.
A separate 20% relief — which adds social clubs to pubs and live music venues — was announced by the Prime Minister's office. Keep the 15% pub/live-music relief and the 20% pubs-clubs-and-live-music figure distinct: they are not simply the same relief with a bigger number (Prime Minister's Office, 'Burnham means business').
Illustrative example — live music venue (not a real client)
A live music venue with a similar RV profile to a pub would apply the same relief stack shown on our pubs page — the pub relief plus the transitional cap, where relevant.
Get help
Use the calculator to see what your bill should look like with these reliefs applied, or send us your details below and, if you'd like, we can pass them to the RICS-regulated rating firm we work with.
We're a bar owner's information site, not a surveyor. If you send this form, we may pass your details to a RICS-regulated rating firm we work with, who will contact you. They would pay us if you instruct them. You can check your valuation yourself free on the Valuation Office's service. No one can guarantee a reduction.