However, Megan Mortimer, head of marketing at Secret Hospitality Group, welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement of a 3.9 per cent rise in minimum wage rates.
She said the group was a strong champion of hospitality as a long-term career and believed higher wages could help encourage more people to build a future in the industry.
Business rates are devolved in Wales, with the Welsh Government announcing a permanent 30 per cent reduction for eligible hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses with a rateable value below £51,000 from April 2027.
However, publicans say business rates relief alone will not address the wider pressures facing the sector.
Despite some measures offering support, hospitality businesses in Swansea say more needs to be done to tackle rising operating costs and ensure pubs remain at the heart of their communities.
