Business in Sport and Leisure (BISL) staged its annual conference at The Kia Oval on 7 November, bringing together the key industry figures and issues, reflecting this year’s conference theme of ‘The Value of Leisure’.
Speakers included Marston’s chairman Roger Devlin ( see H & C News separate report), Shadow Minister for Small Businesses and Regulation, Toby Perkins MP (pictured above), Sky News Political Editor Adam Boulton and Springboard UK chief executive, Anne Pierce MBE.
In addition, Chris McMillan of Oliver Wyman gave a presentation on the state of the UK leisure industry and Cameron Cartmell and Tom Rogers from Ernst and Young gave an economic update to the audience.
The conference heard that in the past year there had been the small reduction in employers national insurance, the removal of the escalator tax on beer and support for exports.
However the Government had still not recognised the importance of the sector as a whole to growth and employment and the industry continued to face the legislative burden.
The importance of pubs to the UK
Roger Devlin told the audience that pubs are an important part of the economy and social fabric of the UK and received very little help from government, adding that the pub industry was chronically overtaxed, and pointing to the disparity on VAT between pubs and supermarkets, levels of beer duty and business rates.
Mr Devlin also said that the gaming industry was overtaxed and that thousands of shops and jobs were on a knife edge.
He stated that betting shops were places for people to meet and socialise in the same way as others visit pubs. He said the previous government ripped the heart out of bingo halls and the same could happen with betting shops.
A career in hospitality and leisure
Anne Pierce MBE commented on the fact that so many people in the 18 to 24 age group favoured a career in hospitality and leisure.
She said that work experience and exposure to the industry was vital and that companies in the sector should take this on board.
She also stated that the industry had an important role to play in reducing youth unemployment and attracting young talent into the industry.
The audience were also told that the leisure industry should grasp the opportunity to offer apprenticeships and that young people could help shape the future of the industry with their innovative ideas.
Central role of pubs
Toby Perkins MP, Shadow Minister for Small Businesses and Regulation, said that a key part of his brief was the pub industry and Labour recognised that pubs are hugely important assets, and have a central role in the culture and heritage of the UK and in people’s everyday lives.
He said that pubs have a big economic impact on jobs and growth and that when a pub closes the local community loses a hub and the local economy also loses out. Labour believes that the balance between licensees and Pubco’s needs improving, with a free of tie option needed for landlords. At the same time, a balance between the on and off trade is needed and labour is ‘considering’ how this can be achieved…
Ernst and Young’s representatives pointed to a recovery taking place, with the labour market improving, however consumers would not be spending as fast as they did before the crisis.
And Adam Boulton stated that there was no clear picture on the outcome of the next general election.
BISL conference chairman David Teasdale said: “The 2013 BISL conference once again pressed the industry’s key buttons, for a large audience of sport and leisure decision makers.
“There are vital political and economic messages for BISL to take forward with Government.”