in brief

New tourist tax threat

Hotels and bed-and-breakfast accommodation could face extra tax bills if local authority leaders get their way.

A bed or tourist tax is one of several "localised" taxes that are being suggested by the Local Government Association as alternatives to raising cash through higher council taxes.

But the British Hospitality Association (BHA) has dismissed the suggestion as "inequitable".

Chief executive Bob Cotton said: "We believe that any suggestion of a tourist tax, on top of VAT that visitors already have to pay, is unfair in principle and poses huge difficulties in interpretation and collection."

He added: "The association believes that there are fundamental flaws in the argument supporting its introduction."

Hutson attack

Hotel du Vin Managing Director and Caterer Hotelier of the Year Robin Hutson has delivered a broadside against "shameful" sub-standard, mid-priced hotel operations.

Speaking at the Master Innholders General Managers Conference at London's Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, Hutson said that a new breed of town-centre hotels with room rates of about £100 a night was reducing the craft of hotelkeeping "to the lowest common denominator".

"If you get the product and the pricing right, the profit will flow. Maybe that's the difference between hotels being run by hoteliers rather than accountants," he said.

Thomas Morel sell-off

UBF Foodsolutions has announced plans to sell the Thomas Morel Foods business it acquired along with Bestfoods in 2000. The company says the decision to sell is against a background of operating losses and a realisation of the investment required to reverse the Thomas Morel business.

The Redditch-based business employs about 80 people and produces bespoke sous-vide dishes for customers. UBF Foodsolutions is hoping to sell the business as a going concern and will continue to sell frozen ready meals under its Knorr Chef Creations brand.