Editor’s Viewpoint: A Welcome Boost or Political Sleight of Hand?

By Peter Adams, Editor, CLH News.

At long last, some potentially positive news for our beleaguered hospitality sector.
The Government’s announcement of its £5bn Pride in Place Strategy couldn’t come at a more critical time for an industry that’s been battling headwinds since the Chancellor’s disastrous 2024 budget.

The headline figures are certainly impressive: 169 areas receiving £2million annually for a full decade, with an additional 95 locations getting an immediate £1.5million injection to upgrade public spaces.

More significantly for our readers, the new Community Right to Buy scheme could prove to be a genuine lifeline for struggling establishments.

The initiative will hand “local people the power to buy beloved assets, helping them turn around derelict pubs” – words that will resonate deeply with anyone who has watched too many community hubs close their doors forever.

Make no mistake, our sector desperately needs this “shot in the arm.” The industry has been reeling since last year’s budget bombshell, and with ominous rumblings about what 2025’s budget might bring, any support is welcome.

But here’s where my editorial cynicism kicks in – is this announcement simply a pre-party conference crowd-pleaser? A case of giving with one hand while preparing to take with the other?

Time will tell, but I remain cautiously optimistic that community ownership could breathe new life into derelict establishments that once formed the beating heart of our neighbourhoods.

While the Government’s £5bn Pride in Place Strategy aims to empower communities to save struggling pubs, industry leaders warn that without urgent tax reform, closures will continue – a sobering reminder that funding alone won’t solve the sector’s deep-rooted challenges.

There are encouraging signs of common sense prevailing on another front that threatens our industry.

The growing opposition to tourist levies across Scotland offers hope that pragmatism might yet triumph over political posturing.

Hospitality and small business leaders are urging local authorities to review their plans to implement a visitor levy amid uncertainty over the legislative process and the economic impact on their area. This pressure appears to be having an effect.

Orkney councillors have wisely decided against introducing an overnight visitor levy, while Argyll and Bute Council has become the fifth local authority to pause their plans after public consultation revealed a lack of support due to economic concerns.

In my “humble opinion” on this issue: a tax is a tax is a tax!

The idea of slapping yet another burden on hard-pressed families wanting to spend their hard-earned money on leisure activities is fundamentally wrong.

These levies don’t just impact visitors – they create administrative nightmares for operators, deter bookings, and ultimately harm the very communities they claim to help.

While I welcome the Pride in Place funding, we must remain vigilant. Our industry needs sustained support, not headline-grabbing announcements followed by policy reversals. The real test will come in the upcoming budget – will the Government follow through on supporting hospitality, or will we see more punitive measures that make these community initiatives redundant?

As we all know, the hospitality sector employs hundreds of thousands across the UK and forms the social fabric of our communities. These establishments deserve better than unitive taxation “disguised as progressive policy”.

I would encourage all our readers to follow us on X/Twitter @CLHNews and visit our website at www.catererlicensee.com to sign up for our twice weekly e-newsletter.

I can always be contacted at edit@catererlicensee.com