06/06/2026
To all our beloved customers, friends and new visitors.
This is a longer post than usual, but it's genuinely important—not just for me and my crew, but for you, our high street and our community.
If you sign this petition, it won't put any extra money in my pocket. I'll still be driving my 15-year-old third-hand car. I'll still be in the same position as many of you: working hard to pay the bills and hoping to squeeze in a week away somewhere affordable when I can.
My crew aren't just employees. Over the years I've watched them grow, celebrated their successes, supported them through difficult times and seen them develop confidence, skills and careers. They are people I care deeply about. The future of businesses like ours affects them just as much as it affects me.
What this campaign could do is help shape the future of towns like Axminster. It could affect local jobs, opportunities for young people, the businesses on our high street and the future of communities that depend on hospitality and tourism.
There's a growing movement across the hospitality industry to encourage the Government to rethink how VAT works.
VAT is a surprisingly complicated tax. Different rates, exemptions, thresholds and rules can leave even experienced small business owners scratching their heads. It affects every one of us—not only as customers paying for goods and services, but also as members of communities that rely on thriving local businesses. While we all recognise that taxation is essential for funding public services, the way VAT is currently applied to hospitality creates challenges that many businesses struggle to overcome.
Hospitality businesses are some of the most labour-intensive businesses in the country. Yet VAT is one of the biggest barriers to growth, investment and job creation in our sector. Every pound that cannot be reinvested is a pound that cannot be spent on employing more staff, improving facilities, increasing wages or supporting local suppliers. For many independent cafés, pubs and restaurants, the current system can make growth harder rather than easier, at a time when our high streets need investment and confidence.
The impact goes far beyond business owners. Hospitality is one of the most important entry points into the job market, giving young people their first experience of work and helping them develop skills that last a lifetime. At the same time, hospitality businesses act as community hubs and support a network of local farmers, producers, tradespeople and service providers. When local hospitality thrives, that money circulates through the community, creating jobs and supporting other businesses. When it struggles, the whole community feels the effect.
This isn't just an issue being raised by a handful of business owners. It is being championed by hospitality businesses of all sizes, industry bodies, chefs, publicans and employers across the country. Most recently, Tom Kerridge has launched the campaign, calling for hospitality VAT to be reduced to 10%. It isn't about special treatment; it's about creating a fairer system that allows hospitality to do what it does best: create jobs, support communities and keep our high streets alive.
We're not asking to avoid paying tax. We are proud to contribute to the communities we serve and understand that taxation is the lifeblood of public services. What we are asking for is a fairer system that recognises the unique role hospitality plays in local economies. A VAT system that encourages growth, investment and employment would help create stronger businesses, more opportunities for young people, more vibrant high streets and stronger communities for everyone.
This isn't about putting more money into the pockets of business owners. Most independent hospitality businesses operate on very modest margins, with any additional revenue typically being reinvested into the business itself. A fairer VAT system would allow businesses to employ more staff, increase wages, improve training, invest in their premises, extend opening hours and buy more from local suppliers. The real beneficiaries would be employees, customers, young people looking for work, local producers and the communities that depend on vibrant, thriving high streets.
When hospitality succeeds, the rewards are shared far beyond the business and into the community.
If you agree, please consider signing and sharing the petition. Together, we can make the case for a fairer system that supports jobs, communities and the future of our high streets.
The hospitality sector is under pressure - and there's one clear change that could make a real difference.
Our own Steve Ashworth shares the story behind VATs The Problem, a national campaign calling for VAT on hospitality to be cut from 20% to 10%. Led by Tom Kerridge and backed by UKHospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association and many more, the goal is one million petition signatures and a Government that listens.
As the South West's home to thousands of brilliant pubs, cafés, restaurants and hotels, we're proud to support this campaign. If you work in hospitality, supply it or simply love it - please sign and share.
🔗 Read Steve's full piece and find the petition link on our website: https://www.tasteofthewest.co.uk/news/vats-problem
