Budget: Wet-led pubs and bars excluded from VAT extension while businesses call for rates reform

Wet-led hospitality businesses have been disappointed by today's Budget, which extended the VAT cut for food and accommodation, but once again failed to include alcoholic beverages.

The hospitality sector has broadly welcomed the chancellor’s Budget this afternoon, which delivered extensions to the VAT cut, business rates holiday and furlough scheme over the coming months, but lacked long-term solutions for problems such as rent.

The latest workaround for hotels dealing with Covid is finding ways to offer a ‘meetings experience’ while attendees are remote, and some – such as the in-person yet digital hybrid of ‘phygital’ – are using the very latest tech.

Angela Hartnett (The Caterer*, 19 February) says that her east London neighbourhood has “great Japanese, great Indian and great fish and chips” and that “companies like Wetherspoon destroyed” that sort of community.