Home / Business and Economy / Archers' Real-Life Pub Threatened by Budget
Archers' Real-Life Pub Threatened by Budget
2 Mar
Summary
- A historic pub, inspiration for The Archers' fictional pub, faces closure.
- Chancellor's tax changes and National Insurance hikes are blamed.
- Pub landlord fears doubling rates and rent will make business unviable.
The Old Bull Inn, a 16th-century pub in Inkberrow, Worcestershire, which inspired The Bull in BBC Radio 4's The Archers, faces an uncertain future. Landlord Joe Reed states that changes to business rates and increased employers' National Insurance contributions are severely impacting his business.
Reed, who works 60-hour weeks, indicated that while trade is steady, the rising costs are problematic. The recent Treasury support package, offering a 15% reduction in business rates followed by a two-year freeze, is seen as only a temporary reprieve, with fears that rates could double in three years.
Historically significant, the pub once hosted William Shakespeare and is a central social hub for Inkberrow, England's prettiest village in 2023. Fans of The Archers visit to see memorabilia, but the pub is barely covering bills, with profit margins gone. Reed also cited staff recruitment halts due to increased wage bills.
Analysis shows over 500 pubs have closed since July 2024. The pub's landlord believes that without significant changes, more closures are inevitable. The cricket team's recent relegation after a controversial secret payment plan also adds to village drama.
