Since the Budget, countryside pubs and businesses saw rate bills soar - and rural communities are up in arms about the huge hikes.

Pubs are at the heart of rural communities, and are a vital lifeline for many of those living in the countryside who often must face isolation and loneliness. Many are now facing an existential threat, and fear that this Christmas could be their last.

When Rachel Reeves delivered her Budget last month (Wednesday 26 November), she announced that she was cutting rates for many small businesses. What she did not mention, conveniently, was that she was also scrapping a slew of reliefs for these businesses, and that new valuations would see bills for many rural pubs and businesses soar.

Experts have stated that pubs will be facing an average bill increase of 15% next year. For some, the costs are simply too much.

For Joss and Kim Beechim-Horton, it was their dream to run a rural pub. In their teens, they put everything into their jobs (Kim in veterinary services and Joss as a chef), working 70-80 hour weeks, scrimping and saving to buy a house. After meeting, they decided, aged 29, to make their dream come true. They sold everything - their property and even their cars - to get their mortgage deposit. They bought a pub, the Manor Inn, in Rilla Mill near Callington, and got to work on making that dream come true. That was six years ago last month.

Running a pub is no easy task, as they knew very well, but they were hard workers and were prepared for the task. What they didn't know at the time, however, was the challenge they were about to face with the Covid pandemic coming out of nowhere a few months later. It seemed less like a dream, and more like a nightmare.

Their takings went down considerably, but the bills still came out. Electric bills, VAT, maintenance costs on the 16th century pub building - the list went on.

They weren't the quitting type though. Serving takeaway meals and beer in milk bottles, they managed to scrape by, by the skin of their teeth. Earning about £1000 a week wasn't enough to cover all their costs, but it kept the lights on, and they worked night and day to keep things running. They never missed a mortgage payment, much to their bank's disbelief. But the fact remained that, even with strong support from the local community, each month they were struggling to make ends meet, not knowing if the next month would be their last, and if they would have to abandon their dream.

Against all the odds, they made it through. In fact, they even won an award for their efforts, with CAMRA recognising them as Lockdown Heroes.

It's been far from plain sailing since then, though. The cost of living crisis has seen their utilities bills soar from around £1900 a month to more than £7000 a month. One bad month could be the end of their business.

After the Budget, it feels like all the blood, sweat and tears might have been pointless. While the government applauds itself for the new "lower" business rates system for pubs, publicans will actually be paying significantly more than they pay now. From April next year, Joss and Kim are facing a business rates bill of more than £5,000. That means any profit they make over Christmas will be going straight to Rachel Reeves. This is, of course, on top of the other soaring bills they face for utilities, increased staffing costs, and uprated alcohol duties.

Joss’ outlook on the future is far from positive:

"This new budget is terrifying... how much more can we take? Covid knocked us down, the financial crisis broke our teeth... will this be the final bell for us?

"This is just our story - there are many more people in our situation. There will be many, many small business closures after this budget - but we will do our best to keep fighting."

The Countryside Alliance is working hard to fight for people like Joss and Kim. The Alliance is calling on the Chancellor and government to urgently review the situation.

Johnnie Furse of the Countryside Alliance said:

"The government promised that they were not going to raise taxes on working people. The facts speak for themselves.

“Pubs are the beating heart of many villages in the countryside, providing jobs and a social hub for many who would otherwise be isolated.

“The government urgently needs to rethink its policies, and implement real changes that will give rural pubs and other businesses the help they need.

"In the meantime, all of us who care about our local can do our bit, by going down for a pint to show our support. Use them, or lose them."

Only time will tell whether the government will take notice of the struggles of pubs and other small businesses, and take steps to help them. But with their track record, confidence is not high. Publicans like Joss and Kim will try their best to soldier on, but for many, it's seeming increasingly likely that this Christmas will be their last.