Front-page news
Celebrity chefs and publicans join forces with a host of leading hospitality CEOs to back a letter asking the Chancellor to freeze business rates and extend the current relief package at the Autumn Statement.
Michelin-starred chefs and publicans including Tom Kerridge, Tom Aikens, Monica Galetti and Jodie Kidd, have joined sector CEOs from over 230 companies including Marriott International, Fuller’s, Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers, in signing an open letter to the Chancellor ahead of this month’s Autumn Statement.
Urgent action
The letter, created by leading industry body UKHospitality, calls for continued support as the UK’s hospitality industry faces the potential of an additional £1bn business rates bill next April, unless the Chancellor freezes business rates and extends the current relief package at the Autumn Statement.
The letter also calls for longer-term structural reform – of the apprenticeship levy, of VAT and a broader overhaul of business rates – that would help to equip the hospitality sector to do what it does best – drive economic growth, help to put the brakes on inflation, increase social mobility and get many more people into work.
Tom Kerridge, chef, publican and broadcaster:
“The hospitality industry has taken a battering in recent years, yet pubs, bars and restaurants all across the nation continue to go above and beyond to provide memorable and outstanding experiences to everyone that comes through the door.
“The stark reality for many businesses, however, is that with rising costs and ongoing challenges time is running out and without further support from Government they will shut their doors.
“That’s why I fully support the calls being made by UKHospitality to the Chancellor in this letter.”
Tom Aikens, chef and restaurateur:
“It is absolutely essential that any increase in business rates is reconsidered, which is why I have backed this letter calling for the Chancellor to support hospitality by freezing business rates, among other measures.
“The industry has suffered immeasurable damage over recent years, and the planned tax hike next April must be taken off the table in order to support growth and investment in the hospitality sector.”
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive, UKHospitality:
“It’s imperative that the Chancellor listens to our collective calls for support and takes clear action at the Autumn Statement to extend the current relief measures for a further year to protect the vital community assets that make up the UK’s vibrant hospitality sector.
“Hospitality is at the heart of our communities and it’s essential we do all we can to protect businesses in the sector and the value they bring, from driving economic growth to creating jobs.”
The letter in full:
Dear Chancellor,
Ahead of the Autumn Statement we are writing to you collectively calling for urgent Government action to equip the hospitality sector to do what it does best – serve our customers, deliver millions of jobs around the country and contribute to the UK’s economic and social fibre. Without action, we will see continued venue closures, job losses and cancelled investment that will harm our high streets and communities in every part of the country.
Our mutual ambitions must be to unlock investment, grow the market and have the conditions to meet that demand.
The support package you announced last year was of immeasurable benefit – for a sector that was facing excessive energy prices, a surge in wages driven in part by the National Living Wage, and 20%+ food and drink input price inflation.
The most important step at this stage is to avoid an increase in business rates. The sector faces a near £1 billion tax hike from April 2024. We urge you to freeze the business rates multiplier, extend the 75% hospitality relief and extend the cap to at least £2 million.
With energy prices remaining stubbornly high and an anticipated hike in the National Living Wage, including an extension to those aged 21 and above, this support is vital. Business rates support can cushion the sector from these costs while allowing us to invest – in our people and our places.
Continuing your positive work on supporting the economically inactive back into employment is a key priority for hospitality and one where we will actively support you. We are also supportive of your reforms to the planning system if it can speed up the development process. The implementation of the Ofgem recommendations is critical.
Looking further ahead we need structural reform – of the apprenticeship levy, of VAT and a broader overhaul of business rates.
Hospitality can drive economic growth, help to put the brakes on inflation, increase social mobility and get many more people into work – but it needs a helping hand to do so. We collectively urge you to include measures that deliver on our mutual priorities at the Autumn Statement.
Signatories
• Ascot Inns
• Beds and Bars Group Ltd
• Breworks Tradeco Limited
• Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company
• Croeso Pubs Ltd
• Davy's
• Fest and Revel
• Fox and Hounds
• Fuller, Smith and Turner
• G C Mallen and Co
• Greene King
• Gusto Pronto Ltd
• Heartstone Inns Ltd
• Livelyhood
• Marston's PLC
• McManus Pub Group Ltd
• MOJO
• Oak Taverns Ltd
• Port Kitchen at Shoreham Port
• Punch Pubs and Co
• REKOM UK
• Revolution Bars Group
• Riley's Sports Bars
• St Austell Brewery Ltd
• Stonegate Group
• The Fired Up Collective
• The Fox Inn
• The Half Moon, Kirdford
• The Pub People Company
• The Renaissance Pub Company
• The Ship Ltd
• Town Centre Inns Limited
• Urban Village Pubs
• WH Pubs Ltd
• Young & Co Brewery PLC
• Aspenlane
• Azzurri Group
• Beer and Buns Ltd
• Bibi's Italianissimo
• Big Table Group
• Boparan Restaurant Group (Carluccio's, Fishworks, Cinnamon, GBK, Slim Chickens, Ed's Diner and Giraffe World Kitchen)
• Capdesia
• CH&CO
• Cow and Apple
• Deliveroo
• Docklands Restaurants and Bars
• Gaucho and M Restaurants
• HWS Ltd (Pizza Hut)
• Mere Restaurant and Bar
• Mitchells & Butlers plc
• Muse
• On The Shore Restaurants Ltd
• Rick Stein
• Sticks'n'Sushi
• TGI Fridays Ltd
• The Olive Tree Restaurant
• The Tom Kerridge Group
• Trispan IIP (Pho, Rosa's Thai, Mowgli and Thunderbird)
• Tossed
• Wahaca
• Wasabi
• Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant
• Bespoke Hotels
• Bournemouth Hotels Group
• Brend Collection
• BWH Hotels GB
• C&CB Hotels Ltd
• Captain's Club Hotel and Spa
• Caradog Hotels
• Carlton and East Cliff Hotels
• Carlton George Hotel, Glasgow
• Castlewood Hotels
• Classic British Hotels
• Congham Hall
• Crerar Hotel Group
• Dalata UK Ltd
• Dart Marina Hotel
• Driftwood Hotel
• Durley Dean Hotel
• Eden Hotel Collection
• Edward Bence Hotels Ltd
• Empire Hotel
• English Lakes Hotels, Resorts and Venues
• Fairlawns Hotel and Spa
• Focus Hotels Management Limited
• Fraser Suites, Glasgow
• Greater Glasgow Hotels Association
• Hotel Collingwood
• ibis Budget Glasgow
• Islington Country House Hotel and Spa
• Imperial Hotel
• Imperial London Hotels
• Interchange and Consort Hotels
• Kettering Park Hotel and Spa
• Kings Arms Hotel, Abergavenny
• Lake Vyrnwy Hotel and Spa
• Langstone Cliff Hotel
• Legacy Hotels and Resorts Ltd
• Legacy Rose and Crown Hotel, Salisbury
• Lime Wood Group
• Linthwaite House Hotel
• London Marriott Hotel County Hall
• Marriott International
• Marsham Court Hotel Ltd
• Mercure Bournemouth Queens Hotel and Spa
• Mercure Glasgow City Hotel
• Milsom Hotels Limited
• Nailcote Hall Hotel
• Nelson Hotels
• Northcote Hotel Ltd
• Oceana Hotels
• Park Plaza Cardiff Hotel
• Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel and Spa
• Petwood Hotel
• Rarebits Collection
• Review Hotels Ltd
• Rothay Manor Hotel
• Seren
• Sheraton Heathrow Hotel
• Sloane Square Hotel Ltd
• St Bride Spa Hotel Ltd
• Starhotels UK Ltd
• Stayingcool (Rotunda) Ltd
• Stirrups Hotel Ltd
• Storrs Hall
• The Beaumont Hotel
• The Grand Hotel, Lytham St Annes and Grasmere
• The Hand at Llanarmon Ltd
• The Hollies Hotel Ltd
• The Lismoyne Hotel
• The Lovat, Loch Ness Ltd
• The Moat Wrotham Ltd
• The Osborne Hotel, Torquay
• The Queensberry Hotel
• The Rissco Collection
• The Torridon
• The Vineyard Group
• Thurlestone Hotel
• Tudor Farmhouse
• Virgin Hotels Glasgow
• Webb Hotel Group
• Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa
• Woodhouse Hotel
• WT Hotels Ltd
• Yew Lodge Limited
• Z Hotels
• ABM Catering LTD
• Elior
• Sysco GB
• Vacherin
• Amadeus, NEC Group
• BALPPA
• Disco Bowl Limited
• DHP Family Ltd
• Exeter Golf and Country Club
• GigRealm
• Glendola Leisure Group
• Gleneagles
• Gravity
• Headlam Leisure Ltd
• Hippodrome Casino
• JXL Ltd (Jump Xtreme and That Fun Place)
• Lucky Voice
• Moviescape Ltd
• North Shore Gold Club (Skegess) Ltd
• Ocean Adventurers Group Ltd
• Oxford and Cambridge Club
• Parkdean Resorts
• Royal Automobile Clun
• Scunthorpe & Sunderland Bowl
• Snowdownia Hospitality and Leisure Ltd
• Shottle Hall Developments Ltd
• The City of London Club
• The In and Out Club
• The Royal Over-Seas League
• The Wellbeing Farm
• Wyboston Lakes Resort
• AA Media
• ANS Hospitality
• Bacta - the Amusement Machine Trade Association
• BaxterStorey
• Corin & Co
• HIT Training Ltd