Unlucky for Some? - Tommy Banks pitches 13% VAT for the little guys

Chef Tommy Banks has come up with his own twist on the VAT fight, Restaurant Online reports. He wants a 13% VAT rate for smaller hospitality businesses, backed by a study from Bournemouth University Business School and Hospitality Voices.

The big campaign out there right now is #VATsTheProblem, led by Tom Kerridge. It wants hospitality VAT cut from 20% to 10% for everyone and was closing in on 400,000 signatures when the piece went up. Banks still backs it. His idea is aimed at the most common pushback, which is basically: why should the likes of McDonald's get a tax break too? He admits his plan isn't cheap, but argues more closures and job losses would cost more in the end.

The man behind Roots in York, the Abbey Inn at Byland and the General Tarleton near Knaresborough also makes a point that'll land with this audience. He says nearly 40% of hospitality's workforce is aged 16 to 24, and that these places are where people get their first jobs and learn their skills. He's also called on the Prime Minister to keep his earlier promise on hospitality VAT.

So what for hospo people? That 40% is you lot. Whether it's 10% for all or 13% for the small ones, any VAT cut is about whether your local can afford to keep the lights on and the rota full. Watch the Budget.