Industry seeks 1m signatures on VAT reduction

Hospitality businesses, teams and organisations are being urged to sign a new petition calling for government to cut hospitality VAT to 10%.

The campaign, which is called #VATsTheProblem, is being spearheaded by chef Tom Kerridge.

The single ask is for the government to cut hospitality VAT to 10%, which would be in line with Europe. The entire sector is now being called on to sign this new petition, with the aim to get a million signatures.

Leading up to the consumer launch of the campaign on 1 July, Kerridge is urging the entire sector to spread the message and get as many people signing the petition as possible.

"Our sector is under huge pressure," says the chef. "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."

What can hospitality businesses do?

• Visit VATsTheProblem.co.uk and sign the petition
• Share the petition with all venues and their teams, asking them to sign ahead of 1 July
• Put the link to the website on your emails, socials and website
• Use our campaign toolkit to spread the word across hospitality

“Be part of a movement that aims to get hospitality recognised and taxed in a much fairer way," says Kerridge. "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."

You may also be interested in…