Dan Thomas, licensee of The Bridge Inn in Newport, Shropshire, is reopening the pub under new management this weekend.

Mr Thomas currently runs a pub in Nantwich, Cheshire, with two friends.

“Our Nantwich pub is a larger site and there will be a huge impact on prices there and the pub will struggle.

“But with the Bridge Inn just above the threshold, business rates are not that high, so the impact will be minimal,” he said.

The Labor government has said its long-term plan is to transform business rates over the next five years to deliver a fairer system that protects high street businesses competing with online retailers.

The government plans to introduce permanently lower business rates for properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors from 2026/27, the Chancellor said.