VAT
We report on VAT policy and its implications for the UK foodservice and hospitality sector, including rate changes, government decisions, lobbying campaigns, and compliance challenges. From reduced VAT measures during the pandemic to the sector’s push for permanent reform, this brings together essential updates that affect margins, pricing, and profitability. Whether you’re a small independent or a multi-site operator, understanding VAT is critical to managing costs and planning for sustainable growth. Our coverage is written to support chefs, operators, F&B leaders, and finance teams navigating a complex and evolving tax landscape.
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Feb- 2021 -17 FebruaryCoronavirus
UKH Scotland welcomes business rates relief extension
UKHospitality Scotland has said the decision to extend business rates relief for another year is a “very positive and pragmatic move” by the Scottish Government. The new plans, which were announced on 16 February by finance secretary Kate Forbes, are part of a £1.1bn consequential funding from UK government coronavirus…
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15 FebruaryCoronavirus
Over 160 hospitality CEOs urge chancellor to back sector in 2021
Over 160 CEOs from the UK’s leading hospitality businesses, employing hundreds of thousands of people, have written to the chancellor ahead of next month’s Budget. The letter, coordinated by trade body UKHospitality, calls for decisive support to help the sector survive, rebuild and drive the economic recovery and highlights two…
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15 FebruaryCoronavirus
Deliveroo calls for rerun of EOTHO scheme
Deliveroo and 300 restaurant groups have urged the government to reimplement the Eat Out to Help Out scheme (EOTHO) when the hospitality sector eventually reopens. According to the delivery service, the 50% discount scheme which was first launched last August by chancellor Rishi Sunak would help support struggling restaurants that…
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12 FebruaryBeverages
Wine Drinkers UK calls for excise duty cuts
Wine Drinkers UK (WDUK) has written an open letter to the chancellor calling for a reduction to the UK’s wine tax. The group claims that wine has been singled out for excessive increases to wine duty, while other alcoholic beverages such as beer and spirits have seen successive duty freezes.…
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11 FebruaryCoronavirus
Hospitality should prepare for ‘turbulent year’, says Duff and Phelps
Business owners across the hospitality and leisure sectors throughout the UK need to “take stock” and prepare themselves for yet another turbulent year, says Duff and Phelps. The message comes as the financial solutions provider believes there is “no sign” of current restrictions easing. It comes as current reliefs such…
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10 FebruaryPubs and Bars
Beer and pub leaders push for reopening date as sales plummet 56%
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and business leaders of the beer and pub industry are pushing the government to confirm a clear timeline and date for the reopening of the sector. It comes as it was revealed that trading restrictions and lockdowns caused sales of beer to plummet…
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8 FebruaryCoronavirus
Losses from top 100 UK restaurant groups rise 112% to £571m
The top 100 UK restaurants groups saw their losses soar by 112% to £571m last year, rising from reported losses of £269m at the end of last March, according to UHY Hacker Young. The firm said these losses only run up to the start of the lockdown and are therefore…
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3 FebruaryCoronavirus
IBN sets out £35bn strategy to save British hospitality
The Independent Business Network (IBN) has urged the chancellor to implement a £35bn strategy that would work to safeguard British hospitality businesses and save 500,000 jobs. The business group, which champions the needs of family-run and family-owned businesses across the UK, has called for a range of support measures to…
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1 FebruaryCoronavirus
UKH calls for VAT and rates support after ‘worst year on record’
UKHospitality has called for a further extension of VAT and business rates support from the government after the “worst year of trading on record” has left enormous swathes of the hospitality sector on the “verge of collapse”. The plea follows recent figures from UKHospitality’s quarterly sales tracker, in partnership with…
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Jan- 2021 -29 JanuaryCoronavirus
Scottish Hospitality Group calls for more ‘immediate support’
While the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) has welcomed new support measures announced in yesterday’s Scottish Government budget, it has warned that financial aid for hospitality “doesn’t go far enough” to support or meet increasing property and staff costs. The measures unveiled yesterday by Kate Forbes include a three-month rates relief…
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