UKHospitality, the UK’s leading trade body for hospitality, is calling on the sector to lend its support to a campaign to secure further vital support for businesses.
Leaders from across the hospitality sector have joined forces to send a message to the Government ahead of next month’s Budget, the most important for the sector in living memory.
In a series of testimonials produced by UKHospitality, representatives from leading hospitality and tourism businesses including Parkdean Resorts, The London Eye and Blackpool Tower have called on the Government to help support businesses hit by the COVID crisis by extending the VAT cut and business rates holiday.
The videos highlight the crucial help provided by the VAT cut and rates holiday and stress the need for these measures to be extended.
1) Extend the VAT cut to 5% for a further 12 months, and ensure it applies across our broad sector.
2) A further business rates holiday for hospitality for 2021/22 to protect communities and repair businesses.
UKHospitality is encouraging everyone across the hospitality sector to record their own video in order the drive home the message to MPs. The trade body has also repeated its call for businesses to write to their MPs ahead of the Budget on 3rd March.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls OBEUKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Slashing VAT and providing a business rates holiday have been two hugely beneficial lifelines for hospitality businesses. This support, specifically tailored for our sector, has been crucial in keeping businesses afloat and jobs alive. It has given employers the breathing room they needed to survive the crisis and ensure they are still standing to help pick up the pieces this year.
“This valuable support cannot be allowed to expire, though. If it is to have the maximum positive effect on businesses, it has to be extended at the Budget. Many businesses are still not out of the woods and the coming weeks and months are going to be crucial. They need all the support that the Government can give them and the best way to help is to extend the VAT cut and business rates holiday. Failure to extend it into next year risks undoing much of the good work that has been done to keep businesses afloat.
“UKHospitality has been making that point to the Government at every available opportunity. You have an opportunity to make your own voice heard at a vitally important moment for our sector. We need as many people as possible in the sector to hammer home the message. We encourage business owners, managers, staff and customers who care about their favourite venues to let their MPs know this is what must be done to help businesses in their constituencies. Record your own video so they can see the faces behind the businesses and let them know we need an extension to the VAT cut and business rates holiday.”
UKHospitality is encouraging the hospitality sector to support the campaign and post their videos on social media using the hashtag #hospitalitymatters
More information on how to produce your own video can be found here: http://bit.ly/
News from the hospitality and catering industry is also being featured extensively in our Facebook and twitter social media accounts with the opportunity to engage with others in hospitality and share your views.
Hospitality & Catering News: UKHospitality calls on sector to send message to Government ahead of Budget. – 17 February 2021 – UKHospitality calls on sector to send message to Government ahead of Budget.
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