Eastbourne has eight vape shops that will lose certain business rates reliefs after Chancellor John Healey's Budget on Wednesday (October 29), four weeks after a new tax on vaping liquid came into force.

According to an analysis of Google Maps listings by Ecigone, of the 88 vape shops still trading in Sussex, Brighton and Hove has the most (23) followed by Eastbourne.

Adult gaming centres will lose certain reliefs too. Sussex has 44 licensed adult gaming centres, according to the Gambling Commission's premises register.

The Government says the move will aim to “clean up and strengthen our high streets” by helping to ensure support is targeted towards the shops, pubs, cafés and other businesses that “help local communities thrive”.

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey poses with the Budget Box as he leaves 11 Downing Street in central London on October 28, 2026, before presenting the government's annual budget to parliament. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images)

placeholder image — Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey poses with the Budget Box as he leaves 11 Downing Street in central London on October 28, 2026, before presenting the government's annual budget to parliament. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images)

It comes after the new Vaping Products Duty, which started on October 1 at £2.20 for every 10ml of vaping liquid. The Government says it is a commercial decision whether that cost is passed on to customers.

Shane Margereson, founder of five-time award-winning UK online vape shop Ecigone, said: “Vapers have already seen prices go up since the new duty started on 1 October, and losing rates relief adds another cost for high street vape shops on top of that.

“Most of these are small local businesses helping adults move away from cigarettes, so the worry is that higher costs for legal shops make illegal vapes look cheaper by comparison.”

He added: “My advice to vapers is to shop around, stick to UK-registered sellers and think about switching to a refillable kit, which usually works out cheaper over time than prefilled pods.”