Major sports clubs will be hit with a new tax bomb, Conservatives have warned.
Leisure, hospitality and retail sites with a rateable value of more than £500,000 will pay a higher tax rate with full details announced next year.
The Tories say this will force up ticket prices and “punish fans”. They expect the changes will result in the owners of major sporting venues having to each pay hundreds of thousands of pounds beyond present bills.
Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, said: “Even beloved sports clubs aren’t safe from paying the price of Labour. Venues are now bracing themselves for a double whammy of hiked business rates and national insurance jobs tax.
“This will put clubs’ finances in jeopardy by raising ticket prices and punishing fans. Fans are going to suffer from Labour’s ideological policies and Britain will be all the poorer for it.”
The Government says it plans to “permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27.”
But John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Next year is looking likely to be an increasingly difficult one for taxpayers. Hitting sports venues with additional taxes will only add to this, with Labour’s tax changes likely to reignite the cost of living crisis which had barely started to really subside.
“Ministers should stop their relentless assault on Britain’s favourite pastimes.”
A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board responded with caution to the planned tax changes, saying: “The ECB welcomes the permanent lower-rates for smaller businesses. Ensuring the financial sustainability of both grassroots and professional cricket clubs remains a key priority.
“We will continue to work closely with Government and the professional counties to understand the implications for properties over £500,000.”
A Government spokesman said: “Most sports stadia will not be impacted by our reforms to business rates, and we’re putting fans first by taking action to prevent them being ripped off by requiring football clubs to engage effectively with fans before changing ticket prices, while also consulting on tackling inflating ticket prices.”
“This will put clubs’ finances in jeopardy by raising ticket prices and punishing fans. Fans are going to suffer from Labour’s ideological policies and Britain will be all the poorer for it.”
The Government says it plans to “permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27.”
But John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Next year is looking likely to be an increasingly difficult one for taxpayers. Hitting sports venues with additional taxes will only add to this, with Labour’s tax changes likely to reignite the cost of living crisis which had barely started to really subside.
“Ministers should stop their relentless assault on Britain’s favourite pastimes.”
A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board responded with caution to the planned tax changes, saying: “The ECB welcomes the permanent lower-rates for smaller businesses. Ensuring the financial sustainability of both grassroots and professional cricket clubs remains a key priority.
“We will continue to work closely with Government and the professional counties to understand the implications for properties over £500,000.”
A Government spokesman said: “Most sports stadia will not be impacted by our reforms to business rates, and we’re putting fans first by taking action to prevent them being ripped off by requiring football clubs to engage effectively with fans before changing ticket prices, while also consulting on tackling inflating ticket prices.”
