Pubs in England have received a specific reduction in their business rates since April. In Asturies, cider houses are part of a UNESCO-recognised culture, but still lack specific tax protection linked to that cultural role.
LA SIDRA.- A British pub and an Asturian chigre, a traditional Asturian cider house, are not the same thing, but they share a fundamental characteristic: both are much more than businesses selling drinks.
The British government decided to recognise that social role through specific tax measures. In England, since April 2026, eligible pubs and live music venues have received a 15% reduction in business rates, the British tax on properties used for business activities. The British government also announced further support measures for the following year.
In Asturies, the debate has an additional dimension. Cider houses are among the places where Asturian Cider Culture, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is practised every day.
They are places where cider is poured, a distinctive vocabulary is kept alive, specific ways of drinking and socialising are shared, and knowledge is passed on that does not exist in the same way outside these spaces.
This does not mean that any business selling cider should automatically receive a tax benefit. The question is whether objective criteria can be defined to identify establishments that genuinely play an active role in safeguarding cider culture.
Spanish legislation opens that door. National rules safeguarding intangible cultural heritage provide for support measures and tax incentives within the applicable legislation. Subject to the applicable local ordinances and legal requirements, councils have certain options for granting tax relief to activities declared to be of special municipal interest or benefit for cultural or social reasons.
The British precedent shows, at least, that treating certain establishments differently for tax purposes because of their role in the community is a possible option.
The question in Asturies is how to turn the international recognition of cider culture into concrete measures that help secure the future of the places where that culture remains alive.
More about cider culture
- If cider is not poured, is it a chigre?
- Cider houses and the application of regulations
- The book of Asturian cider culture
- Casa Vila, a traditional cider house and shop
- LA SIDRA 269
Verified tax sources: GOV.UK; Ley 10/2015; BOE: local finances.
