Bed tax will send Brits overseas

Caterer is the only trade magazine so far to pick up on the potentially devastating effects of the proposed new "bed tax".

We are concerned that hundreds of hotels and B&Bs across Kent and the South-east of England could close if the Government proposal from the Lyons Inquiry ever makes it on to the statute books.

This tax is nothing more than a hustle on hoteliers, and could add as much as £100 to the average week-long family break.

Most hospitality providers work hard to provide a great service and even harder to make any profit. This tax could make it impossible for them to continue in business, as British holiday-makers will simply choose low-cost flights abroad rather than staying overnight in destinations such as Kent.

The UK is already the second-highest-taxed tourism destination in the world. Yet it has so much to offer both the overseas and domestic visitor. We believe the solution lies in not only lobbying against the tax but also in improving business skills, such as more effective marketing, better purchasing and greater value for money, so that viable prices can be charged.

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Caroline Chambers Manager, Channel Chamber of Commerce, Folkestone, Kent

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