Chancellor should cut VAT by 10% for hospitality industry to boost jobs, says restaurateur
A leading restaurateur has called on the Chancellor to cut VAT in the hospitality sector by 10% to boost employment and economic growth.
Dorian Kirk, founding director of ART Hospitality, told GB News: “It’s incredibly challenging at the moment, I guess across the board. Depending on what happens in this Budget – obviously I’ve been fighting very hard for a 10% VAT cut, which a lot of the leading voices in hospitality have been.
“We’re very concerned, but we’re still really ambitious. Our job is to keep trying to run a sound business, to keep employing and keep growth going. But the issue at the moment is what we need to see from this Budget is enough breathing space to allow us to employ more people, improve our restaurants, give more people ambitious opportunities within the industry.
“That is just harder and harder and harder with wages, employment costs, ingredient costs. I mean, energy is now 4% higher than it was two or three years ago. It’s just we can’t take it anymore, and we need some room…give businesses breathing room. We’re the ones who make this country tick, and we’re the ones who employ people and give real opportunity. Give us room to breathe, and we will excel.
“There’s talk about some rates relief, but really that doesn’t touch the sides…Ireland’s just dropped theirs down to a really reasonable level, and they’re seeing a really good bounce back already in the Irish hospitality sector.
“Whenever I talk to MPs or ministers about this, sort of raising concerns, they always say, “Oh, it can’t be done. We can’t do a sector-by-sector tax cut. But we did. We did a 5% tax cut for children’s activities in the summertime. We can do it.”
Asked about the social media activities of ministers, Kirk said: “It’s incredibly frustrating. Just like seeing the Chancellor in a tuk-tuk in Thailand talking about – stop trying to be a TikTok superstar, trying to get down with the kids and really take businesses seriously and give them a fighting chance to excel.
“I find it’s sort of sycophantic. It’s really sad to see that someone that is supposed to be a prime minister of our country is focusing more on TikToks and things like bus fares.
“I don’t know. It just all seems not enough and a bit too late. And it’s almost a bit insulting, really.”
