UKHospitality responds to the Budget

Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “This is the first Budget in several years to deliver any positive news for hospitality at all, and it shows that forceful, sustained sectoral campaigning works. We must carry on going to win the VAT cut we so badly need.

“Hospitality pays 82p in business taxes for every pound it makes, the highest in the economy and double that of a bank. We were clear that this Budget had to reduce that burden. There will be no solution to the NEETs crisis without doing it.

“The change to hospitality business rates across England is important. For hospitality and leisure businesses across England, rates will either be frozen in real terms, reduced or cut to zero for two years from April. That is meaningful progress.

But we have a hill to climb: today was a first step towards fairness, and we have to be clear that there is a lot more to do.

“While we are encouraged that we have a Government that is now listening, we urge them to go further, faster, to address the unequal tax burden on the sector, and to help us unlock investment, deliver on their commitment to create jobs for young people, and growth for this industry and the economy.”