Tax

Budget 2012: The restaurant industry's reaction

21-Mar-2012 By Emma Eversham

Members of the restaurant industry have expressed their disappointment at the Chancellor's lack of help for the sector in today's Budget, saying his claim that he will 'unashamedly back business' means nothing if he doesn't cut...

JD Wetherspoon to reduce planned pub openings for the year

09-Mar-2012 By Peter Ruddick

JD Wetherspoon has revealed a rise in like-for-like sales of 2.1 per cent in the 26 weeks to 22 January 2012 but announced it is scaling back its planned pub openings for the financial year and remains cautious about future performance.

JD Wetherspoon expects lower margins due to rising costs

18-Jan-2012 By Luke Nicholls

JD Wetherspoon expects a continued decline in its operating margin this year due to continuing cost pressures resulting from government legislation and VAT rates.

Two Edinburgh restaurateurs detained by HMRC in tax raids

07-Dec-2011 By Luke Nicholls

Two restaurateurs from Edinburgh have been detained by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on suspicion of failing to pay tax, as part of the on-going taskforce operation targeting restaurants across Scotland.

BBPA reveals more bad news for UK pubs

25-Oct-2011 By Luke Nicholls

UK pub beer sales are down 4.3 per cent in the third quarter from the same period last year, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).

Report signals less reliance on the public sector in a decade

12-Sep-2011 By Luke Nicholls

Almost half of businesses in the UK believe the economy will have less reliance on the public sector in the next 10 years.

HMRC clamps down on tax evasion in restaurants

12-May-2011 By Lorraine Heller

London restaurants will be the first target for a new round of tax enforcement measures, under plans announced today by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to tackle tax dodgers.

Budget: Beer duty to rise again, fuel duty falls

23-Mar-2011 By Becky Paskin

The price of a pint of beer is set to rise by 10p, after Chancellor George Osborne stuck to plans to increase duty to 7.5 per cent in today’s budget.

Hospitality leaders back government spending cuts

19-Oct-2010 By Lorraine Heller

The heads of pub, hotel and restaurant operators Whitbread and Fuller’s have joined leaders of some of the UK’s largest companies in a strong show of support for the government’s proposed spending cuts

World Cup boosts beer sales but supermarkets benefit more than pubs

30-Jul-2010 By Chris Druce

Good weather and the World Cup boosted beer sales in the three months to June, but supermarkets rather than pubs were the main beneficiaries

Blanket VAT hike a missed opportunity for UK hospitality

23-Jun-2010 By Chris Druce

The coalition government’s move to raise VAT to a uniform 20 per cent from January next year in yesterday’s emergency budget is a 'missed opportunity' for UK hospitality

VAT up in emergency budget but no rise in alcohol duty

22-Jun-2010 By Chris Druce

Chancellor George Osborne has announced VAT will rise to 20 per cent from January of next year, as he delivered his ‘unavoidable budget’ today in parliament

Coalition government good news for hospitality

12-May-2010 By Becky Paskin

The new coalition government formed by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats yesterday should have a positive effect on the hospitality industry, experts have said

Chancellor confirms alcohol tax rise in Pre Budget Report

10-Dec-2009 By Emma Eversham

The Chancellor confirms that alcohol tax increases will remain in place after announcing in his Pre Budget Report that the VAT rate will return to 17.5 per cent in January

Public demand beer tax freeze as pub closures lose Treasury £242m

20-Apr-2009 By Becky Paskin

Figures reveal pub closures have cost the Treasury £242m in lost tax revenue, while 90 per cent of public call for freeze on beer tax

Beer tax rises threaten 60,000 pub jobs

08-Apr-2009 By Emma Eversham

The British Beer & Pub Association warns that 10 per cent of jobs in the pub sector could be lost in the next five years if the Chancellor continues to move forward with planned beer tax increases