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.
-
Jan- 2023 -25 JanuaryPubs and Bars
Wetherspoon sales lag behind pre-Covid levels despite strong Xmas
Wetherspoon has said it is “cautiously optimistic” after half-year like-for-like sales rose by 13.1%, despite the fact they remained 0.7% lower than the same period pre-pandemic. The group was bolstered by strong festive trading, with like-for-like sales in the last 12 weeks 17.8% higher than the same period a year…
Read More » -
18 JanuaryPubs and Bars
Hospitality welcomes best December in three years
Managed pub, bar and restaurant groups welcomed their best December trading in three years, though real term sales still lagged behind pre-pandemic figures, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker has found. Like-for-like December sales were 15.0% ahead of December 2021, when festive trading was disrupted by the Omicron variant. However,…
Read More » -
16 JanuaryFeatures
The Ice Cream & Artisan Food Show: it’s ice cream time
The Ice Cream & Artisan Food Show is organised by the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA), the trade body for the ice cream sector. This year’s show will feature the biggest free seminars programme it has ever hosted. “We are delighted to have what we think is the most compelling seminar…
Read More » -
Dec- 2022 -1 DecemberRestaurants
Loungers revenues rise by 53% in H1
Loungers has reported that it is “well-placed” to out-perform during a recession as its revenues grew by 53% in the 24 weeks ended 2 October compared to the first half of 2020. Over the period, Loungers’ accrued an adjusted EBITDA of £19.3m, a growth of 33.4% compared to the same…
Read More » -
Nov- 2022 -17 NovemberNews
Chancellor freezes tax thresholds in Autumn statement
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced a raft of measures to help “stabilise” the UK economy and reduce inflation, with tax cuts and spending cuts totalling £55bn in the Autumn statement. As part of the new measures, Hunt confirmed that tax as a percentage of GDP will rise by over 1%…
Read More » -
10 NovemberPubs and Bars
Youngs revenues rise 25% as ‘normal’ trading returns
Young’s has seen revenues rise by 24.7% to £186.5m in the half-year ended 26 September, as the group welcomed a return to a “normal pub environment”. Over the period, profit-before-tax was up by 14.7% to £25m, while adjusted EBITDA rose by 5.4% to £45m. Managed house EBITDA was £55.5m, up…
Read More » -
10 NovemberRestaurants
Domino’s sales rise 19% on 2019 but deliveries down in Q3
Domino’s has revealed that its total system sales were up +19.6% in Q3 2022, compared with the same period in 2019. Its like-for-like system sales (excluding splits and the change in the VAT rate) increased +2.4%, and total orders year-to-date was up +0.7. However, Q3 22 total orders were down…
Read More » -
Oct- 2022 -31 OctoberBusiness
Third of hospitality businesses at risk of going bust amid soaring costs
Over a third of the UK’s hospitality sector is at risk of business failure in early 2023 due to soaring energy costs and the rise in the cost of goods, according to a new survey by UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII)…
Read More » -
26 OctoberBusiness
HospoDemo to stage third protest as it urges gov to prevent closures
The hospitality industry is set to stage its third protest next month at Parliament Square, urging the government to make policy changes to prevent “catastrophic closures” within the sector. The protest will be held at 11am on Monday 14 November, with members of the hospitality industry invited to converge on…
Read More » -
20 OctoberBusiness
Hospitality loses 2,200 sites in three months amid cost challenges
Britain’s hospitality sector saw a net decline of one closure every hour in the third quarter of 2022, including pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and hotels, according to the latest Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners. The closures over the last quarter follow a “sharp rise” in prices in energy,…
Read More »
