The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has today written to the Chancellor calling for vital investment in pubs at the budget on the 6th of March. A survey conducted in the last few days across its 13,000 UK members, the majority independently operating single pubs, has highlighted the challenges they are facing;
– 2023 revenues were flat or down for 62% of pubs
– Exceptional costs of energy, staffing, food & drinks supply biggest impact to profit
– 3 in 4 pubs operated unprofitably in 2023
Steve Alton, CEO of the British Institute of Innkeeping commented:
“Our members’ pubs continue to face a cost of business crisis, driven by exceptional cost increases in energy, staffing, food and drink supply. These short-term pressures are undermining long-term, viable businesses in every community, stifling investment and growth, with many now at risk of failure. Pubs are essential businesses at the heart of every community, providing accessible spaces for all. They are vital in supporting local suppliers including brewers, providing essential skilled jobs, and have the capacity to generate real growth in the economy.
“Pubs are highly valued by their communities and have evolved their offering to ensure they can both survive and thrive moving forward. The lack of profitability, driven by both short-term exceptional pressures and longer-term unfair taxation, undermines this future. The Chancellor has recognised the vital role of pubs in our communities and we now ask him to invest in pubs to secure their viable future for generations to come. This investment can be delivered via fair taxation through a reduction in VAT for all pub sales, which will deliver a meaningful investment that will have immediate impact, allowing pubs to plan, invest and deliver future growth, benefiting the economy and communities across the UK.”
See our letter to the Chancellor here.
Notes to the editor:
About the British Institute of Innkeeping:
The BII is the leading independent licensee support organisation for individuals working in hospitality, with 13,000 individual members running premises across the UK – predominantly tenanted, leased, managed and freehold pubs. The organisation provides expert helplines, online business support, and guidance on key industry issues, and savings on a range of supply deals for its members, keeping pubs thriving in the heart of every community.
For further information please contact:
Molly Davis
Head of Communications
Sentinel House, Ancells Business Park, Harvest Crescent, Fleet, GU51 2UZ
Mob: 07539 377752
Web: www.bii.org
Third-party news items that are posted on the Guild website’s news section come from press releases received by the Guild. These press releases are posted as they have been received and their publication on the Guild website is intended as an informational service provided to our members and website visitors. As such, the publication of a story from a third-party source is neither an endorsement of the content, nor its sender, by the Guild. For enquiries on any news item, please use the contact details that can be found at the bottom of each post.