show your support for vatstheproblem

Hogs Back Brewery has joined the celebrity chef Tom Kerridge in his campaign to bring down VAT charged in pubs, under the banner #VATsTheProblem.

Our Chairman, Rupert Thompson is fully behind the campaign, saying, “Pubs have been suffering ever since the pandemic and the spike of inflation that followed.  Unfortunately, the tax burden has also increased and is now at unsustainable levels. The increase in National Insurance and the minimum wage has been the trigger for the loss of over 80,000 jobs in the sector over the last year and a half. Pub closures have increased and many communities have now lost their only pub. This financial  burden has been compounded by the new tax on bottles and the increase in business rates, and the economics of our Industry are approaching breaking point.

We are calling for VAT to be reduced to 10% from 20%. 10% is the average rate throughout Europe.

This reduction will give the sector a big boost, as we have seen before. In turn, this helps families, visitors and local communities, who save on food and drinks bills in pubs and restaurants, at a time when consumers are watching the pounds and pennies”.

The petition has passed 100,000 signatures from the hospitality industry after only 72 hours.

If you support the campaign, please sign up at VAT's the problem

Thank you!

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