A politician is calling time on the pressure facing the pub industry ahead of the Budget later this month.

St Albans MP Anne Main warned that warm words would not save our pubs at the houses of parliament during a debate on the future of the industry.

Mrs Main supported a full business rates review and petition from local pub owner Sean Hughes which called for a fundamental review on the business rates system to stop pubs from disappearing in communities.

The petition called for an immediate cap to limit the increases in rates bills to 12.5 per cent in England, especially as many pubs face the unique challenge of being in listed or older buildings.

She said: “The pub industry is vital to St Albans. It supports over 1600 jobs and adds over £30 million to the economy.

“We must continue to look at ways that government can keep alive this great British institution, and help it flourish.

“We do not want to be lamenting the loss of our pubs because we didn’t take this seriously and do something about it.”

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Jones advised that the government hugely valued the pub industry and had taken many steps to support it.

The minister advised that he had listened carefully to the debate and would take what MPs said into consideration ahead of the Budget.