More than 800 businesses from across the hospitality industry have sent an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to present concrete plans to lower VAT for the sector. The appeal, framed under the #VATsTheProblem campaign, is backed by high-profile chefs including Angela Hartnett and Heston Blumenthal, and warns that the current tax burden is placing venues and jobs at risk.
The letter, signed by operators ranging from small independent sites to larger groups, stresses that a sustained, fairer tax regime is needed to prevent business failures and protect employment. Signatories say a failure to act will lead to more closures, layoffs and reduced routes into work and training for young people seeking roles in the sector.
Representatives of the campaign call for clarity on timing and scope: whether any relief would be temporary or a longer-term adjustment, and how changes would be targeted across different parts of the hospitality chain. The group frames the request as both an immediate response to ongoing pressures and a measure that could influence investment decisions and hiring plans in coming months.
The open letter places the issue firmly on the political agenda, asking the prime minister to fulfil a prior pledge to consider tax relief for the industry. Businesses and their endorsers now await a formal response that would set out next steps, with the outcome expected to shape the outlook for venues, their staff and entry-level opportunities across the hospitality workforce.