“Furthermore, while the extension of the VAT cut offers some breathing room for our sector, it does not apply to beer or alcohol sales so is not available to wet-led pubs that don’t serve food. Cutting beer duty would offer these much-loved community hubs the urgent support they need, to keep their doors open.
“Today’s announcement about more flexible employee support is also welcome but doesn’t go anywhere near far enough for hospitality. With significant cuts in operating hours and revenues, thousands of jobs are still at risk, due to the greater restrictions we’re now working under. The vast majority of hospitality businesses are still losing money or struggling to break even. Paying our teams to work part time only adds to this challenge.
“While today’s announcement was a step in the right direction, we need more support that specifically targets the hospitality sector - which has been hit harder and for longer than other industries. Crucially, this includes government support in helping to restore consumer confidence.”
