LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - The British government on Tuesday announced a support package for pubs and live music venues in England, providing some relief from the property tax rises announced last year, which left the hospitality industry reeling.

Pubs, whilst suffering a long-term decline driven in part by changing drinking habits and demographics, retain a centuries-old role in the social fabric of British communities.

Planned increases to taxes on commercial properties announced in November's budget prompted an outcry, including warnings of mass closures, with a group of more than 1,000 landlords banning Labour Party lawmakers from their premises.

SECTOR WARNED THAT JOBS AT RISK

Tuesday's package would give pubs a 15% discount on their business rate bills and freeze those bills for another two years.

"This support is worth 1,650 pounds ($2,266) for the average pub just next year, and will mean that around three quarters of pubs will see their bills either fall or stay the same next year," Treasury minister Daniel Tomlinson told parliament.

The British Beer and Pub Association, which had warned that 15,000 jobs could be at risk without help, said there would be "a sigh of relief from landlords across the country".

On Tuesday, the government also said it would review the way hotels were valued for calculating rates, raising the prospect of further relief.

"The reality remains that we still have restaurants and hotels facing severe challenges from successive budgets. They need to see substantive solutions that genuinely reduce their costs," said Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality.

LATEST GOVERNMENT U-TURN

The watering down of the tax rise for pubs is the latest in a string of partial or full reversals from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government as, struggling to invigorate a sluggish economy and suffering in the polls, he looks for ways to balance the books and improve public services.

Previous U-turns driven by pressure from within his own party and directly from voters, include a plan to raise more tax from farmers, cut welfare spending and reduce subsidies on energy bills for the elderly.

In a sign of the difficult conditions faced by hospitality businesses, Revel Collective, which owns 62 pubs and bars across Britain, appointed administrators on Tuesday. It said 21 sites would be closed immediately with the loss of 590 jobs.

The government also launched a new High Street Strategy alongside the support package, which it said was aimed at boosting the retail and hospitality sectors.  

($1 = 0.7283 pounds)

(Reporting by Sarah Young, additional reporting by James Davey; Editing by William James and Sharon Singleton)

By Sarah Young