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UKHospitality responds to interest rate arise

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on the 22nd March 2023 resulted in a 0.25 percent increase Bank Majority from 4% to 4.25%.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls responded by saying:

“The staggering rises in energy, food and drink costs, in particular, over the past year have given hospitality businesses stark choices over whether to pass these costs through to consumers, in order to survive. Unfortunately, as highlighted in yesterday’s ONS figures, this is a contributing factor to the rate of inflation increasing once again.

“Tackling these main drivers of inflations would fix the source of the inflation problem and enable venues to keep prices lower for consumers, stem the rate of inflation and reduce the need for further interest rate rises.

“With energy supporting fading to almost nothing in April and bills set to increase by over 80%, it is inevitable that price rises will follow.

“There is still time to avoid that by offering hospitality businesses an enhanced rate of support, as well as taking concrete action to penalise some unscrupulous energy suppliers.”