Reform UK’s courting of the business community has found favour with the chairman and founder of pubs chain JD Wetherspoon who has welcomed a tax cut promised by Nigel Farage’s party.
In return Sir Tim Martin has urged the hospitality sector to get behind Reform UK’s “supportive policies” for the pub sector.
Sir Tim issued a statement to the stock exchange welcoming Reform’s pledge to cut VAT on the hospitality sector, in effect providing tax parity with supermarkets, an issue that he has campaigned on for years.
Mr Farage, who enjoys a regular pint, is also promising to reverse the rise in employers’ national insurance for companies working in hospitality, and gradually end business rates for pubs.
The party claims this package of tax cuts will cost about £3 billion, which it says will be paid for by reinstating the two-child benefit cap, a policy which has been criticised by those claim it is putting the price of beer before children’s wellbeing.
Sir Tim has expressed disappointment that the hospitality sector has not been more effusive toward’s Reform’s policy, given the constant complaints about rising costs.
He said: “You would think that this offer from Reform would have been greeted by a crescendo of enthusiasm, ecstasy and support from the licensed trade and its supporters.
“However, surprisingly, initial support has been underwhelming, at least from the great and good in the hospitality industry.”
Labour has announced additional business rates support for the pubs sector, and a decision is awaited from the SNP government in Scotland.
The Scottish Conservatives have criticised First Minister John Swinney for declining an offer to meet pub landlords.
Many in the pubs sector have said the rates support from Labour does not go far enough and a review of the methodology used in the valuation of pubs has been launched by the Treasury.
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