The Hospitality Ban

Offical Hospitality Ban campaign. Fighting for a #VatCut for Hospitality in Line with Europe

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

Amazing summit with some really great conversations in the room on how to push forward.

We hope the next couple of months will bring real change.

We shall see @HospoVoices

#Hospitality #VatCut

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

In Andy Burnham’s back yard 👀✌️
More incoming….
Let’s see what happens next Tuesday
#HospitalityVoicesSummit
@HospoVoices @wonky_table @TheHospoBan

https://t.co/FCIv4XWxIp

#Hospitality #TaxedOut #VatinlinewithEurope

[The Hospitality Ban @TheHospoBan]

Just 2.9%

[Adam Brooks AKA EssexPR 🇬🇧 @EssexPR]

The majority of British pubs will not fall into the Chancellors Business rate reduction.

For me, this was a move to get headlines that they’re trying to save pubs.
Extra wage increase will be the final nail in the coffin for many struggling.

THEY ARE KILLING PUBS 🍺

[The Hospitality Ban @TheHospoBan]

#NewProfilePic

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

There won’t be much of a sector left if we don’t get a #VatCut in this budget. #VatinlinewithEurope @allen_m_simpson - pushing this can down the road just isn’t an option. The campaign will have to change dramatic course if a VatCut is not in this coming budget.

Simpson: VAT cut ‘highly likely’ in near term https://t.co/YobCWTopYi

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

Last night I was at the Fellows Dinner for the @IoH_Online celebrating all that is good in our industry. Was a brilliant evening.

Today I will be in @UKParliament ensuring that final push is made for #VatInLineWithEurope

We’ve spoken to the Treasury. The money is there to do it (£3Bn - @bournemouthuni Vat cut to 13% for small business ).

The Cabinet, the PM and the Chancellor have had the paper.

The question is there their the political will to do it. @andyburnham

If not, why not? And If not, how will our industry react? Will we roll over…. We’ve been a united industry with one clear ask, if that ask isn’t delivered, then we have not been listened to and they don’t care. It’s that simple.

#Hospitality #Vatstheproblem

423 MPs publicly support Hospitality
161 MPs publicly support a VAT Cut (including the prime minister)
https://t.co/wJaSz8fLBX
Find out where your MP stands.

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

Well not one of my #Hospitality businesses will benefit from this…. Looking around to find anyone who does…… #vatinlinewitheurope is the ONLY reform we need that will actually help @andyburnham

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

Interested to know which “Hospitality Chiefs” are in the room as I’ve spoken to most of the people who should be in that room and they are not and know nothing about it. #Hospitality

@JohnHealey_MP @andyburnham

@MarkKleinmanSky
#vatinlinewithEurope @HospoVoices @wonky_table

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

This ✌️ ⬇️⬇️

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

The Makersfield Test.

“How would a policy go down at the Pub”

Every #Hospitality venue in the country only wants one policy and that’s a Vat Cut

#VatinlinewithEurope

After that’s we can sit down at the pub and discuss all the other policies

#CutVat #VatCut #Vatstheproblem

[The Hospitality Ban @TheHospoBan]

All eyes are on @andyburnham and @JohnHealey_MP at the budget to see if they will keep their word to #Hospitality #VatCut #VatinlinewithEurope #Vatstheproblem

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

The cat is out of the bag.

800+ hotels, pubs and restaurants. Some of the biggest names in British hospitality. All the trade bodies. All saying the same thing. Cut VAT in line with Europe. 20% VAT is holding British hospitality back.

@AndyBurnham has previously backed VAT in line with Europe. Now he has the opportunity to deliver it.

This isn’t about a handout. It’s about giving hospitality the tax environment to grow, employ and invest.

If you work in hospitality, don’t sit this one out. Share this. Tag your MP. Make them choose a side.

#VATsTheProblem #CutVAT #Hospitality #VatinlinewithEurope

Hundreds of hotels, pubs and restaurants urge Burnham to slash VAT https://t.co/q2GU7qy9wK

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

The cat is out of the bag.

800+ hotels, pubs and restaurants. Some of the biggest names in British hospitality. All the trade bodies. All saying the same thing. Cut VAT in line with Europe. 20% VAT is holding British hospitality back.

@AndyBurnham has previously backed VAT in line with Europe. Now he has the opportunity to deliver it.

This isn’t about a handout. It’s about giving hospitality the tax environment to grow, employ and invest.

If you work in hospitality, don’t sit this one out. Share this. Tag your MP. Make them choose a side.

#VATsTheProblem #CutVAT #Hospitality #VatinlinewithEurope

Hundreds of hotels, pubs and restaurants urge Burnham to slash VAT https://t.co/q2GU7qy9wK

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

The Government can’t have its cake and eat it.

You cannot point to Europe to justify a new tourism tax while conveniently ignoring how Europe taxes hospitality.

A tourism tax of up to 5% on top of 20% VAT means the headline tax burden could effectively reach 25%.

Yes Europe has tourism taxes, but Europe also recognises the economic value of hospitality and tourism with substantially lower VAT rates.

If we want European-style tourism taxes then give us European-style VAT.

Stop picking the bits of Europe that raise taxes while ignoring the bits that help hospitality grow.

#VATinlinewithEurope

#VATsTheProblem #Hospitality #Tourism

#cutvat

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

For the avoidance of ANY doubt, NICs, Rates, Cutting Holiday Tax (just introduced), help on utility bills, law changes etc etc is NOT the help we are asking for, need or want…. It nibbles around the edges and we need actual tax reform.

The industry has been clear for the last six months - and right now MUST hold the line.

A #VatCut in line with Europe is the ONLY thing that is needed and what #Hospitality has been VERY clear on.

This is the only thing our industry leaders, bodies, advocates and voices should be talking about.

#vatstheproblem #VatinlinewithEurope #V ✌️

@wonky_table @HospoVoices

[Hospitality Voices @HospoVoices]

Reducing VAT for #Hospitality is the only step that will help drive youth employment back up. This is the key, not rates, not NICs, not less laws, just VAT

[The Hospitality Ban @TheHospoBan]

#NewProfilePic

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

THE PUBS, THE HOSPTIALITY VENUES, THE PR AND THE VAT QUESTION ANDY BURNHAM MUST ANSWER

@andyburnham has spent years presenting himself as hospitality’s political ally.

He appointed Greater Manchester’s first Night-Time Economy Adviser @Sacha_Lord . He demonstrated real understanding of our sector. Pubs, restaurants, clubs and historic venues then became familiar backdrops throughout his campaign and government PR now….

Before entering No. 10, he publicly argued for hospitality VAT to be brought more closely in line with Europe. Hospitality heard him. Many within the sector backed him because we believed he understood the problem and would act.

After another brutally hard year, we have deliberately given the Prime Minister breathing space. We have followed every formal route, presented the evidence and kept the door open.

We hope Andy Burnham does not fail hospitality. We are not saying that he already has.

His business-rates reduction for pubs, clubs and live music venues was a welcome start. But it does not support the whole sector and it is not VAT reform promised.

At the time of writing, only 19 Labour MPs have signed Parliament’s motion supporting hospitality VAT reform.

Patience must not be mistaken for silence.

If the @JohnHealey_MP Budget arrives without a credible route towards VAT in line with Europe, the anger will be immense. Pubs & Restaurants and other Hosptiality venues cannot be good enough for the pint, the photograph and the political backdrop, but not important enough for meaningful policy.

We do not want to reactivate #NoLabourMPs. But Labour MPs cannot expect another easy pint and friendly photograph in the venues their Government chooses not to protect.

Prime Minister, hospitality backed you.

Now back hospitality.

#VATInLineWithEurope #VATsTheProblem #NoLabourMPs #BackHospitality #SaveOurHospitality @wonky_table @HospoTogether @HospoVoices

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

People keep saying a #VATCUT for #Hospitality will cost £10-15Bn that’s just not true and the treasury have admitted that to us.

There is also no point in charging one of the highest VAT rates in Europe if it’s not being collected because people can’t pay it….

There was just under £7BN in Time to Pay in March 2026 (Source; FOI FOI2026/48259) that against an ask of £0.5BN monthly ask for Vat to be cut in line with Europe - puts it in to perspective.

If #Hospitality makes up 10% of GDP then that means 90% of that money owed to HMRC is from OTHER sectors.

#VatinlinewithEurope #CutVat

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

@jamesmurray_ldn

For the record if a #VatCut is not in the Autumn budget - this would be a betrayal for all of #Hospitality by @andyburnham and his first u-turn.

The money is there, the cut is not as much as the treasury say and it is self funding after a couple of years - the will to do it is not there.

We have delivered @bournemouthuni @wonky_table @HospoVoices paper on this, have you read it James? It shows the costings

I’m more than happy to come and present it to you and the treasury (again!).

#VatinlinewithEurope

[Andy Lennox @andyjlennox]

This is the problem.

SEPTEMBER is now the key month for campaigning to solve it. We don’t need another review of BR. We need a VAT cut.

The final countdown.

Need to see the trade bodies really ramp it up now
#VatinLinewithEurope
#Vatstheproblem

@UKHofficial @ntiaofficial @BIIandBIIAB @beerandpub @NFFF_UK @scothospgroup @HospUlster

@UKHospKate @MickKill @EmmaMcClarkin @AltonSteven @allen_m_simpson @ColinNeil @SMontgomerySHG