THE owner of the Kings Head in Ross-on-Wye has hit out after being notified that he faces a dramatic increase in his business rates of some 130 per cent.

James Vidler, who runs and owns the hotel, pub and micro-brewery, explained that his business rates will rise from £9,830 to an amount in excess of £24,000 over the next three years. He said that it was impossible for the business to absorb these increases and pointed out that it was unsustainable in the long term.

Mr Vidler said: “We can’t put our prices up by the amount needed to meet these costs. This is on top of the recent increase in operational costs, like the employers’ National Insurance and the increase in gas and electricity prices.

“All in all, these increases will have a huge impact on the business. We want to keep the place going as the Kings Head has been here for hundreds of years already.

“We employ a lot of people. It’s not the type of business that can run on a skeleton staff. The only option available to us at present, is to reduce our opening hours.”

Mr Vidler said that he has noticed that diners are not spending as much as they used to as customers’ disposable income was not there anymore.

Mr Vidler said that the financial squeeze began in April this year when the Kings Head’s rates relief discount ceased at the same time as the increase in the minimum wage was introduced.

Mr Vidler warned that the government needs to take meaningful steps towards the hospitality sector as it is facing a major crisis and that without action, more independent businesses will close, he said.

He added that without making a sensible profit there is no money to re-invest in the business or keep on top of the building’s maintenance.