Tom Kerridge spearheads 10% VAT cut campaign

Chef Tom Kerridge is the face of a new campaign calling for hospitality VAT to be cut to 10%.

 

VAT’s the Problem is a nationwide, single-issue campaign calling for the government to cut VAT to 10%, in line with Europe.

 

It is backed by industry bodies including UKHospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association and the British Institute of Innkeeping.

 

The campaign is calling on all hospitality leaders and their teams to sign the petition calling for VAT relief ahead of the VAT’s the Problem consumer launch on 1 July.

 

In an open letter to the hospitality sector, Kerridge wrote: “Our sector is under huge pressure. We know it. We live and breathe it every day.

 

“We know that the key to unleashing hospitality’s potential to grow and thrive into the future comes through a VAT cut. We’re making sure government knows that too, and we need your help.

 

“We’ve launched a petition, and we’re aiming to get a million signatures supporting a VAT cut to 10% for hospitality.

 

“Now is the time for hospitality to galvanise behind this campaign.

 

“Be part of a movement that aims to get hospitality recognised and taxed in a much fairer way. I know that the government is listening, but we do need to push hard.

 

“Ask every single member of your team to sign the petition, and ask them to rally their friends and family, too.

 

“The next step is that on the 1 July, with hopefully tens of thousands of signatures already, we will launch the campaign to the consumer, with every hospitality business asking their guests to do the same: sign the petition.

 

“This is a nationwide campaign with ambassadors big and small spreading the word to everyone that will listen, all asking for the same thing; a cut to hospitality’s VAT to 10%.

 

“Let’s all get behind the campaign, make our voices heard and bang the drum for hospitality.”