05 Feb Favouritetable says Autumn Budget vindicates its call on business rates reform

UK restaurant booking and management tech platform, Favouritetable, has welcomed UK Government confirmation of permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses from April 2026,  a policy shift the company publicly argued was inevitable for the sector.

In commentary published ahead of the Budget, Favouritetable highlighted the growing disconnect between business rates and the trading realities facing hospitality operators. With the Government now committing to reform, the company says the direction of travel is clear, even as final details and implementation measures continue to develop.

Early indications suggest the first phase of targeted relief could prioritise pubs, with restaurants and the wider hospitality sector continuing to make the case for broader support. Favouritetable believes the announcement nonetheless marks a turning point, reflecting the cumulative pressure applied by operators across hospitality, retail and leisure.

For restaurant businesses dealing with sustained cost inflation, staffing pressures and tight margins, the reform signals long-awaited recognition from policymakers that the existing system has not kept pace with modern trading conditions.

John Jones, Commercial Director at Favouritetable, said: “Hospitality operators have been saying for years that the business rates system no longer reflects how venues actually trade. The Autumn Budget doesn’t solve everything overnight, but it shows that those concerns are finally being heard.

“We felt strongly ahead of the Budget that reform wasn’t a question of if, but when. It’s encouraging to see the Government now moving in that direction.”

Favouritetable also reiterated that wider operational flexibility remains critical to the sector’s recovery and growth. Measures such as more adaptable licensing rules for outdoor seating, pavement trading and flexible use of space can provide immediate revenue opportunities for venues without significant public spending, the company says.

Looking ahead, Favouritetable believes the industry’s focus remains firmly on practical outcomes: increasing bookings, protecting margins, reducing administrative burden and making better use of available capacity. The company says technology has an increasingly central role to play in helping restaurants meet those challenges.

Through its FT Lite and FT Pro platforms, Favouritetable supports restaurants in managing bookings, improving table utilisation and streamlining front-of-house processes, helping venues generate more revenue from existing space while keeping systems simple and affordable.

Jones added: “Operators don’t need theory — they need tools that help them run better services and fill more tables. Our job is to build technology that responds to what restaurants are dealing with right now, not what worked five years ago.”

Favouritetable says it will continue to monitor policy developments while working with operators across the UK hospitality sector to help them adapt, compete and grow as trading conditions evolve.

Find out more: https://www.favouritetable.com/blog/favouritetable-autumn-budget