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From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
News / News / Tax

#VATsTheProblem petition submitted to 10 Downing Street

October 14, 2026

The #VATsTheProblem campaign has submitted the current progress of its petition to 10 Downing Street, with 401,250 people so far supporting its calls for 10% hospitality VAT.

The submission is an important milestone for the campaign to demonstrate to the Prime Minister the growing support behind a fairer tax burden for hospitality, just two weeks out from the Budget, and the importance of building on his welcome support for the sector already.

The VAT campaign continues its efforts in the weeks ahead of the Budget, with operators encouraged to sign the petition, share it with their teams and customers, and visit the campaign shop to download or purchase in-venue assets.

Chef Tom Kerridge delivers a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments

Chef Tom Kerridge said: “The support we have seen from both the public and hospitality for the #VATsTheProblem campaign has been enormous, and it was important that we delivered our petition to 10 Downing Street before the Budget.

“More than 400,000 people have backed 10% hospitality VAT because they know that their pubs, restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels on the high street need this.

“We all want to turn closures into openings, lost jobs into new jobs and shuttered shops into thriving high street. A VAT cut for hospitality delivers that.

“The petition so far has been delivered to Downing Street but our campaign for a lower rate of hospitality VAT continues, so keep signing the petition, telling your guests and customers to do the same, and keep spreading the word.”

#VATsTheProblem submits its petition to 10 Downing Street

  • From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit:: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit:: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • Chef Tom Kerridge delivers a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    Chef Tom Kerridge delivers a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • From left: Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, Chef Tom Kerridge, Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    From left: Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, Chef Tom Kerridge, Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • From left: Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association, Chef Tom Kerridge, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality and Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit should read: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    From left: Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association, Chef Tom Kerridge, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality and Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit should read: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • Chef Tom Kerridge, Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association, and Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit should read: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    Chef Tom Kerridge, Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association, and Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit should read: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • Chef Tom Kerridge delivers a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    Chef Tom Kerridge delivers a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
  • From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments
    From left: Allen Simpson, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Adam Hyman, Founder of CODE Hospitality, Chef Tom Kerridge, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive at British Beer and Pub Association and Steve Alton, Chief Executive at British Institute of Innkeeping, deliver a petition with more than 400,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street in London in support of the #VATsTheProblem campaign, which calls for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10 percent. Picture date: Tuesday October 13, 2026. Photo credit: Simon Jacobs/PA Media Assignments

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