PUBLIC house owners Jon and Millie Coward are being forced to make changes to save their Wiveliscombe-based enterprise after seeing their business rates more than triple.

The couple have built a mini-business empire from their Bear Inn base to include a micro-brewery, mobile food van, pubs in Crowcombe, Bradford on Tone, Langford Budville, and Hillfarrance, and a partnership with MasterChef judge and food critic William Sitwell to reopen the White Hart Hotel across the road from The Bear.

They used social media to announce the ‘shocking’ news they now had to find another £24,000 - on top of what they already paid.

Mr and Mrs Coward said the threefold increase in business rates was ‘an unholy, unreasonable, and unaffordable amount’.

They said: “We know times are tough for everybody right now not just small businesses like ours, and this is no sob story.

“But, we need to explain some unwelcome changes we must make in order to keep the Bear doors open.

“The hike in business rates is just the latest in a load of tax hikes aimed at hospitality, and along with the rise in cost of goods, wage increases, National Insurance increases, utilities through the roof, there comes a point where there is no drops left to squeeze.

“We are looking long and hard at things we can do to avoid what seems to be ever-increasing price rises for customers.

“If socialising at the pub becomes completely unaffordable then the world would be an even grimmer place than it is now.

“So, please ‘Bear’ with us as we start to implement some changes we hope will save our business as well as keep our prices affordable.”

The first change the couple will make is to end more than 10 years of ‘BOGOF’ pizza deals for takeaway customers and only allow ‘two-for-one’ for those who book ahead to eat in.

The couple said: “We will keep you posted of other changes we will be making, all to try and keep prices as low as we can.

“Although we are beyond angry at the shambles of this Government and its disregard to the reality of small business, and even though we are stunned and extremely dismayed at our new rates bill, we are still here, still fighting, and we are not giving up.

“Thank you to those customers, friends, who we have spoken to in person and have offered their shoulders and their support, the pub would not be what it is without you lot in it.”

Customers reacted with dismay to the news, with many offering what help they could.

Denise Reynolds said: “So sorry to hear of your struggle.

“I think everybody will survive without their free pizza in order to keep the doors open.

“We will look forward to helping keep you afloat with our custom again next year.”

Ben Turner, of Turners Cycles, in nearby Milverton, said: “The tax burden on our little bike shop is massively disproportionate to the size of the business.

“Well done for being so open about quite a difficult conversation.”