Hospitality Businesses Urge Lower VAT Rate to Save Jobs and Venues

• More than 800 hospitality businesses are pressing the prime minister to introduce a reduced VAT rate for hospitality, specifically cutting VAT from 20% to 10%.
• Signatories argue the current 20% VAT rate, combined with rising employer NICs, higher minimum wages, and other cost pressures, is contributing to closures, job losses, and reduced opportunities for young people.
• The campaign says hospitality should be taxed more in line with European peers and that a lower VAT rate would help protect jobs and revive high streets.
• Supporters include UKHospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping, Code Hospitality, and major businesses such as Greene King, Wagamama, and Center Parcs.
• Separately, business rates for pubs, social clubs, and live music venues in England are due to fall by 20% from April, and a wider review of how business rates are calculated for pubs and hotels in England and Wales is underway.

Source: thetimes.com

Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.

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