The campaign, spearheaded by chef and pub operator Tom Kerridge, has doubled its support since passing 100,000 signatures last week.
It is backed by UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping and CODE Hospitality, and is calling for hospitality VAT to be reduced from 20% to 10%.
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The petition has a target of 1m signatures, with a wider consumer push planned from 1 July.
The latest milestone comes amid continued pressure on the Government over hospitality tax, with operators warning rising employment costs, business rates, energy bills and wider inflation are continuing to put pressure on pubs, restaurants and bars.
Government pressure
The campaign was referenced at the UKHospitality summer conference yesterday (10 June), where Chancellor Rachel Reeves urged the sector to work with Government to drive growth.
In a video address to delegates, Reeves said hospitality businesses had endured a “genuinely hard period” and said the Government did not “underestimate that for a moment”.
She also referenced the Government’s temporary VAT cut on children’s meals this summer, as well as previously announced changes to business rates.
Reeves said: “When hospitality thrives, Britain thrives and with a Government that is committed to growth, I believe the best days are ahead of us.”
UKHospitality chair Kate Nicholls also urged the sector to “embrace” the temporary VAT cut on children’s meals, despite saying it did not go far enough.
Speaking at the same conference, Nicholls said the measure established the principle that VAT was “the right approach” to deliver growth at pace.
She said: “The VAT cut for children doesn’t go far enough for everybody in this room, but it’s a good first step that the Government recognised the VAT cut is a critical driver to get back to growth.”
Consumer launch
The #VATsTheProblem campaign launched earlier this month, with Kerridge calling on the sector to unite behind the demand for a lower VAT rate in line with other European markets.
The petition exceeded 20,000 signatures within its first 24 hours and passed 100,000 signatures within its first three days.
Kerridge previously said VAT was “the one thing that affects all of us in hospitality” and argued the Government’s temporary 5% VAT cut on children’s meals showed fiscal changes could be used to stimulate the economy.
He said: “The VAT reduction on children’s meals shows the Government knows a cut is the route to stimulating the economy. This is about long-term growth, reinvestment and decreasing youth unemployment.”
Hospitality businesses are being encouraged to sign the petition, share it with staff and other venues, and use the campaign toolkit across emails, social media and websites ahead of the consumer launch next month.
